The main heat pipe going through the basement from the boiler is enclosed in a wood channel, but I can see that the pipe is wrapped in what looks like white corrogated cardboard around an inch thick. When I bought the house I did have to have the old boiler removed and it was encased in asbestos.
Sounds like it could be, How old is the house???
Is there a boiler for heating hot water for radiators or a furnace heating hot air? You talk about the main heat pipe, do you mean a hot water pipe that goes to radiators in each room?? Too little information given!!
Sounds like it IS asbestos. But as long as it's solid and not flaking off, it wont hurt anything. You could probably coat it with something like FlexSeal. If it's encased, it cant hurt anything. Asbestos is only harmful if it's in the air. As a solid substance, it cant hurt anything. (Before you spray it with a sealer, make sure the sealer can handle the heat, especially if you coat the ends, where the spray will contact the bare pipe).
Sounds like it. There are miles of that stuff around in old boiler rooms. The only problem you have is if you decide to remove it. I'm not sure what present codes are, but you can be sure if is a PITA to follow the law.
Left in place, it is not harmful at all. It can be painted to seal it if it has not been already. You can touch is as skin contact is no problem. The danger comes from inhaling the dust and fibers if you disturb it.
I do recall some years ago a plumber was standing on a ladder with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth while tearing away the asbestos insulation on a pipe. No goggles, no dust mask. That would not happen today.
That's what old asbestos insulation around heating pipes typically looks like.
You said "boiler" -- do you have hot water heat or steam heat? And, I guess that you still have radiators. If so, is it a one-pipe system or a two-pipe system? And, after you had the old boiler removed, what was it replaced with? -- steam heat, hot water heat, something else?
It sounds like the newer type of insulation. Asbestos I've seen is more like tape. Either way, if it is asbostos you'll be able to turn it to muck with water and should be able to see the strands, like thin fiberglass.
If you want to remove it yourself, keep it wet while scraping it all off and washing the pipe. Then the problem is getting rid of it. :) I think the best idea is to cast it in concrete, perhaps in your cellar floor. But I don't know where, or if, that's legal to do. I once called the Mass. state authorities to see if I could cut and remove asbestos siding in order to install a window. They told me I could do whatever I like, so long as I don't dispose of the debris. That needs a special license, apparently. But your state may be different. Disposing of any rubbish has become a changing affair that varies by city and state.
I advise not to try removing it
This is true. However, you can remove it without getting the dust in the air as long as you soak it with water. Not just spray it, but saturate it. Begin by wetting it with a hose, split it open on the TOP of the pipe. Then let water run into the split for quite a while. Then remove it and seal it on trash bags, dispose the bags, and wash the pipes with water. Then thoroughly wash the floor wothj a hose and down the floor drain.
This may not be legal, but it works. I've done it, while repairing a section of pipe. The clue is to make sure no dry material is exposed. It will absorb water and turns to a soggy mushy stuff that easily comes off. (Of course this is for doing in a concrete basement, not in your living space).
Asbestos siding is probably the safest form of asbestos as long as it's not cut with a saw or grinder. The fibers are all embedded in whatever they are made of. But how you manage to fill in the pieces around the window, without sawing it, is beyond me..... Maybe a wet saw????
BTW: That was very durable and long lasting siding. But real tough to install. I know if I had it on my house, I'd leave it. It sure beats most of that plastic / vinyl siding crap they sell now.
Best guess, yes. It used to be SOP to wrap with asbestos cloth and to then slather over it with plaster.
On Sat, 10 Jan 2015 12:39:40 -0500, dgk wrote in
Yes, that's probably asbestos.
| BTW: That was very durable and long lasting siding. But real tough to | install. I know if I had it on my house, I'd leave it. It sure beats | most of that plastic / vinyl siding crap they sell now. | Yes. The asbestos is still there. It's beginning to breal down a bit on the surface where it gets a lot of water exposure, but asie from that it's fine. Guessing it was probably put up around 1965, that's 50 years with virtually no maintenance.
As long as it's stable, not falling off, not subject to kids knocking into it, etc, I agree.
The only potential problem may come if he goes to sell the place some day. Many states have laws, standard disclosure forms that have to be filled out and it may need to be disclosed, which then may result it having to deal with it then.
yes, you might want to get rid of it now on your terms, and then let time fog your memory.
Funny, I was thinking of saying something like that about the suggestions to cover it with some spray or something to help contain it. If left alone, one doesn't have to say anything. Even a disclosure form probably asks something like "does the house contain any known asbestos"? As of right now, the OP doesn't know there is asbestos, he doesn't know what it is. But if you spray it to contain it, etc, it's going to look recent and then it's fairly obvious you knew asbestos was there.
I've seen it painted and the paint seems to adhere well.
It's a boiler going to steam radiators. I'm not sure if it's one or two pipes, I'll check.
I am planning on selling the house in a few months, which is why I'm asking about it. I still don't know if it is or isn't but any compentent inspector will know so I'd like it gone in that case.
I knew the boiler was wrapped in it, but that was removed when I bought the house. My inspector didn't mention it.
I'd take a look at the questions on the required state real estate disclosure form, if there is one. As I said before, where you're at now, depending on the questions asked, you probably don't have to disclose anything. Once you know there is asbestos, then you likely do need to disclose it. And if there is a state standard/required disclosure form, it may very well ask if asbestos was there, when it was removed, how, etc. Just that it was there and removed recently might cause some buyers to run.
Not saying what you should do one way or the other, just that I'd look at what answers you have to supply as it may affect how you want to proceed.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.