As in the US... :)
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For a one-time operation I wouldn't be particularly concerned if take reasonable precautions...all instances of which I am aware are long-term exposures, not one-time.
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Knowing that Asbestos now banned in many jurisdictions.
I need to put a heat shield above my wood stove flue because where it enters the masonry it is only 14 inches below the floor joists above, not the required 18 inches. Shield will be fastened to and spaced about one inch below the ceiling joists meeting Fire Dept. inspection and insurance requirements.
Happen to have a suitable piece quarter inch asbestos sheet which needs trimming. The cutting length will be about 30 inches. Also will drill four or six holes. Probably do this by hand rather than power tools to avoid cracking the sheet and/or blowing dust around.
Intend to cut outside with asbestos soaking wet, wearing a mask. And will carefully wipe up and bury any wet dust/residue underground under trees.
Any comments on this please.
Or maybe should I just fashion a piece of sheet metal for a heat shield?
Later if/when I 'finish' the existing vertical poured concrete wall behind the wood stove, a similar spacing situation will occur and a heat shield may be required behind the burning unit itself.
Inquiring minds have to know. Why do you have a sheet of hazardous materials laying around? Burying the pieces that is not smart either.
Personally I would not install asbestos anything. When you sell your house this becomes a disclosure issue. a layer or 2 of 5/8 fire rock would do the trick and not be on anyone's list. Your really sure about the "Fire Dept. inspection and insurance requirements. "? What about the building department? I find it hard to imagine my insurance company liking the idea of installing asbestos.
It won't hurt you under those conditions. If it does, you know where to find me to say I was wrong.
Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease found almost exclusively in people with *heavy,* *long-term* exposure to raw airborne fibers, such as miners. Virtually no consumers (people with low to moderate exposure to
*processed* asbestos) have been affected.Yeah, it killed a few people. It made a bunch of lawyers rich. It bankrupted several multinational corporations. But Criminy, it ain't plutonium or anthrax.
-Frank
You are correct, though. Hysteria over asbestos is characteristic of those whose brains are merely painted on.
Sure. Why not? Lead paint is hazardous only to toddlers who bite it. It is unlikely, for instance, for a toddler to be found gnawing on a gutter.
If you just want to be rid of it, you could leave it in a school yard the next dark night.
why wouild you install a health hazard which you need to disclose in writing to the next buyer (who will want you to remove it anyway) when you can just go to HD and buy a sheet of cement backer board for
Solid sheet isn't the problem w/ asbestos--it's airborne particles that are the issue although the very word seems to strike fear wherever it's even uttered any more... :(
Yeah, so what if asbestos is not _really_ that dangerous to consumers. Our university buildings seem to have posted asbestos removal notices basically non-stop, rotating from one building to another. They do all this with just some basic precautions to keep the dust down, and just keep employees or students from haning out in the work areas.
But yet, poster above had it right. It would be stupid to put asbestos in, or lead paint. Go spend the $10 and get a cement board. Whe selling the property, you have to disclose asbestos and lead paint. Those are check marks against you, and you will pay for it -- either in lost potential buyers (stupid ones, perhaps, but as a seller, you _want_ stupid buyers), or in the cost of removing it and replacing it as part of the sale, or in just a lower price for the home.
-Kevin (Oh, and about that lead paint nonsense posted above... paint has a habit of flaking off, peeling, or just getting worn, which tends to end up in the air, on window sills, on the grass and dirt around our houses, etc. It's pretty clear that poster has no children that they value, and doesn't know smack about their behavior. Got neighbors? Visitors? Might you someday sell the house? Die? Children eat all sorts of stuff. Noses 2'' from the ground and all, rolling around in lead dust, getting on their hands and clothes, and yes, chewing on things we try to teach them (patiently, over time) not to chew on.)
Well, there is always one in every crowd who does whatever the hell they want without regard for anyone who might come along after them because they are too lazy or too cheap to do it the right way.
(Normally, I ignore trolls like this one but its a slow work day today)
I agree with your first part and there are alternatives to asbestos. If I were the OP, I would go ahead and do the asbestos and install it and have it inspected. I would use hand tools outside, but that is the only precaution.
After the inspection, I would remove it and install a sheet of thin aluminum as a shield held 2-3 inches above the horizontal pipe. It should be slightly curved and can be held on the pipe with thin aluminum struts. That will provide much more safety than the asbestos sheet. The asbestos sheet will get hot and will transfer heat to the ceiling structure. The shield will not transfer heat directly to the ceiling and the radiant heating will be very small. In fact, the temperature of the ceiling will probably only rise
4-5 degrees above the rest of the ceiling.Ask me how I know. Because I have tested thin aluminum shields. The approved ceramic barrier behind my stove would get very hot, but interposing a sheet of aluminum between the stove and the ceramic barrier resulted in the barrier temperature rising insignificantly more than the air temperature in the room.
Asbestos is only dangerous if you work with it for several years. Or if you get a mega dose. That stress you're experiencing (worrying about it) is worse than the asbestos. I've worked with it (brakes) a bunch of times, and I'm ferpektly nermal.
Back when I was a kid and there were still dinosaurs running around we used a foot-operated chopping cutter to cut asbestos sheets. There's a name for the type of machine but I can't seem to recall it--must be brain damage from too much exposure to asbestos.
Anyway, you might be able to score it and snap it. Probabaly less exposure to airbourne fibers than if you use a saw.
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My experience with asbestos is that it does not transfer heat. Aside from being virtually impenetrable to flames this is one of the reasons is was such a wonder material.
The shield will not
Just bite it with your teeth. No only will you cut it, but you'll have a tasty meal, too.
Exactly, its not about the immediate health concerns to you but the legalally required disclosures which will damage the value of your home. It is easy to install asbestos and lead paint (safely) but it is exceedingly expensive to get rid of it later when it does wear out.
Truth is, it is perfectly safe to do just that.
((snipped))
Asbestos doesn't burn and it does have insulating properties, but it does transmit heat.
Let's see, the ceiling is directly over the pipe which could be 300 to 500 degrees and radiating heat like mad. When that radiated heat strikes the asbestos sheet what happens. Some is reflected some is absorbed some is reradiated. This is a continuous process for hours, not short term. The sheet will reach a specific temperature and the back of the sheet against the ceiling will be that temperature, which may be high enough to damage the wood structure. It is nice that asbestos doesn't burn but it won't stop wood charing and damage on the back side if the front side is heated high enough for a long enough time.
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