Asbestos concern?

That works. Dampen it first if you want to keep dust down.

Yes, it was very popular about that time.

In my house, we got rid of that crap before the asbestos scare stuff started. Wipe it down with water that has a few drops of detergent in it. They when it softens a bit, just scrape it off. Messy, but works. The ceilings look a lot better now.

Asbestos is only a problem when in dust form and you breath it. It is in miniscule amounts in the ceilings. It can be disposed of in a bag in the landfill. If you have it tested and have a pro do the job, you are looking at thousands of dollars.

In the garage, I'd probably just get rid of where the lights are and leave the rest.

I'd not do any testing, I'd just get rid of it. Scraped while damp is save enough. If it is gone, there will be no disclosure issues down the road. People panic over stuff like that, for no good reason. If it is painted over, any asbestos is considered encapsulated and safe.

I agree with Ed, and here's another reason. If you test and it is positive, then you have legal obligations that could come back and bite you--If you decide to remove it you are supposed to hire an expensive expert to do it. If you sell the house you are obligated to give full disclosure, and that may scare some people.

Point #1: DO NOT TEST. If positive, you are required to disclose to any prospective buyer that your house was contaminated with a toxic chemical.

That you did not know, nor should have known, is an affirmative defense.

Point #2 Commercial products containing asbestos are not known to be hazardous. In your case, asbestos is a superb fire retardant. Leave it alone.

Simply don't sand it and you will be fine.

The advice that only an idiot would have it tested is operative.

I agree with Ed, and here's another reason. If you test and it is positive, then you have legal obligations that could come back and bite you--If you decide to remove it you are supposed to hire an expensive expert to do it. If you sell the house you are obligated to give full disclosure, and that may scare some people.

================

I guess you would realize the seriousness of asbestos.

It's a miserable, long, death. Handle appropriately with the room sealed off and only negative ventilation and **proper** breathing apparatus, not a dust mask.

While I agree with the *alerting the process* and cost comments it would be nice to know the level of seriousness to get involved with.

Best of luck.

Eric wrote the following:

The question is, what would Eric do?

1. Heed the advise about wetting and scraping?
2. Call in the EPA and spend thousands of $$$ to remove it?

I was a metalsmith in the US Navy in the late 1950s. One of my jobs was to extend the heating and AC ducts in my 1948 built Heavy Cruiser. This required that I remove the asbestos covering on existent ducts to add more ductwork to other compartments. There was no asbestos scare at the time so there was no masks or protective clothing involved. The stuff was just cut off and scraped clean. After adding more ducts, I installed new asbestos covering to the new ductwork. I was in my late teens at the time. I also have been a smoker since then. I'm 73 now.

So is death due to COPD, caused by smoking.

(I watched my father slowly dying from this over several years and it wasn't very nice)

Don't perform any operation that might cause fine dust. Ordinary dust masks are pretty useless for /any/ job anyway - and that includes woodworking.

Many people have been exposed to asbestos in their lives without it causing any issues. Loads of it used to be around domestic premises. We used to use asbestos string to seal car exhaust systems and made "temporary" repairs with an asbestos paste. We blew the asbestos dust out of brake drums and built our sheds and garages with asbestos sheet.

The "Prefabs", pre-fabricated homes built after WWII to provide "temporary" (most were around for upwards of 30 years) housing in the UK, were made of the stuff as were the pads on ironing boards.

Yes, it is dangerous but it is only those who used it as part of their employment who suffered the consequences. Very short-term exposure with sensible precautions should cause you no problems.

1. Heed the advise about wetting and scraping?
2. Call in the EPA and spend thousands of $$$ to remove it?

I was a metalsmith in the US Navy in the late 1950s. One of my jobs was to extend the heating and AC ducts in my 1948 built Heavy Cruiser. This required that I remove the asbestos covering on existent ducts to add more ductwork to other compartments. There was no asbestos scare at the time so there was no masks or protective clothing involved. The stuff was just cut off and scraped clean. After adding more ducts, I installed new asbestos covering to the new ductwork. I was in my late teens at the time. I also have been a smoker since then. I'm 73 now.

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I handled asbestos, as a kid on several occasions and never had any problems, either.

Just because I have cross the road my whole life doesn't mean I should close my eyes 'cause nothing is going to happen.

The stuff is dangerous and the results are terrible should you be one of the unlucky ones. The subject is not up for debate anymore.

"Eric" wrote

It is well known that the ceiling coatings are not very hazardous and the amount of asbestos is rather low. Wet and scrape. Wipe down with a wet sponge after.

A couple of years ago, it was determined that a nearly 100 year old school has asbestos on the ceilings. This became known after test results came in during normal school hours. What to do? Have an emergency evacuation. Same as you would do if the building was on fire.

No matter that in 100 years, no one ever had a problem, don't let the kids finish out the day in those hazardous classrooms. EVACUATE ! EVACUATE ! EVACUATE !

The asbestos, of course, was well encapsulated under layers of paint. A little knowledge and common sense goes a long way.

(I watched my father slowly dying from this over several years and it wasn't very nice)

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I watched my brother die of mesothelioma from a summer job, light exposure in the late 60s. He wasn't involved in maintenance or handling of asbestos, just working in a room with dust from boilers in need of repair.

"Several years"? Try 25 years of having pleura sacs drained with a 6" needle between your ribs for months each year and living on rotating antibiotics IV for 15 years, wondering WTF is happening to you, until they took him apart to delete the liquid retention places. They know more about this horrible disease now and it should be diagnosed much quicker. He became the longest living case after diagnosis after the time. He lived another five years.

Suggesting somebody ignore the cautions and procedures is an ignorant, careless and immature comment. The well established danger is not even up for debate anymore.

Thank you Ed, and everyone else to who provided me with advise in this thead! It is valuable to me now, and it will be in the future too!

By the way, if the stipple has a thin coat of paint on it does this change the way you have to go about dampening it? That is, is a spray bottle likely to go it? I presume with a bit of patience...

As far as my light fixtures, I plan to make an open ended box-shaped template of the appropriate size. I can draw pencil lines, spray through the box, clean up the openings, and paint 'em up. I'm sure it will be great fun (lol)! ;) Actually, working in such a systematic fashion will probably help me complete the job quicker.

Bill

On Wed, 3 Aug 2011 01:16:43 -0400, "Mike Marlow"

Of course he's not responsible for those deaths. He's only responsible for his callous dismissal of the dangers associated with asbestos and smoking. And, if he has children that smoke, then his outlook is morally related to any smoking related illnesses they might encounter later in life.

I'm not suggesting for one moment that risks be ignored, just that they be put in perspective.

Note my comment: "Don't perform any operation that might cause fine dust".

For /how/ many weeks in the summer?

"Bill" wrote

Spray bottle with water and a bit of detergent. Scrape, then you can wipe with a wet sponge to clear off any residue. You may not have to since the light fixture will cover it anyway. There should be not flying dust.

Asbestos aside, you don't want to inhale any dust, thus the wetting. Makes it easier to scrape also.

Okay. Thank you.

Bill

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in news:P4adnVx34fMrLqXTnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

But, but, the lowliest janitor in the VA Hospital told me that common sense was a misnomer, because it was so uncommon.

That it's dangerous, no. That removing some stipple that may or may not contain it from your own ceiling cannot be done safely without calling in a hazmat team? That's a bit more debatable.

Do yourself a favor. Drape plastic on the floor, moisten the popcorn with a fine mist, and watch it drop off. Put it in your trashcan and be done with it.

Yes, they popcorned most ceilings in the 60s and 70s, but never closets.

Caution: Should you truly feel the need to know whether or not it has that ghastlyhorriblenastyassevil "asbestos" stuff in it and discover that it -does-, your house will be marked by the PTBs, invaded by the EPA, and it will cost many thousands of dollars to have it removed by some poor souls who jumped through all the hoops and became licensed to deal with that ghastlyhorriblenastyassevil "asbestos" stuff. (Ditto lead.)

I've never felt the need to know, myself. Just Say NO!

P.S: Over 90% of all the asbestos mined was of a non-lethal type and victims were almost entirely those who worked in the mines for 30 years without respirators. Do the research and join me in shaking your head in disbelief at what the lawyers have done to this country.

-- Win first, Fight later.

--martial principle of the Samurai

If he ever does any finishing in there, he'll rue the day he left any popcorn on the ceiling to fall into it. Douche it all now!

-- Win first, Fight later.

--martial principle of the Samurai