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Asbestos on pipes?

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elfie
elfie Member Posts: 266
in Strictly Steam
saw some stuff on some old steam pipes that might be asbestos



might this be asbestos and if it is, is it a big deal?



thanks

Comments

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,708
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    Maybe

    As far as it being a big deal, in my opinion no.  I would just throw fiberglass insulation over it and call it a day. 



    Perhaps some pros have a better way to deal with it, vacuum it up with a vacuum equipped with a hepa filter?
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • elfie
    elfie Member Posts: 266
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    asbestos?

    does it look like asbestos?



    what about dust in area when stuff was removed? 



    so leaving it as is may not be the best course of action  - its in an areas that people can walk around and rub there hands on the stuff
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,708
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    Don't know

    I'm a homeowner, not a pro and not a doctor.



    But I can tell you my OPINION is asbestos is not some kind of radioactive biohazard. I believe people typically became ill after inhaling large quantities of it over a long period of time.



    Not sure if it looks like it or not, hard to tell from the picture.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • rcrit
    rcrit Member Posts: 74
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    only one fibre

    It only takes one fiber to lodge in your lungs to cause cancer. Big exposure just increases the chances. Then again as long as you leave it alone it may be fine. It is often only a hazard when disturbed.



    I would not recommend messing with this yourself. I got a small amount removed by a professional for just a few hundred dollars. They may not need to do a full encapsulation, it wasn't needed in my case.

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,478
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    i agree

    We are not talking about removing fuel from a damaged reactor, if you know what you are doing and you take the proper precautions this does not call for men in hepa equipped white decontamination suits. Many years ago they discovered a three foot cube of asbestos on an old naval air station (closed for 30+ years) about a mile from where i live. They spent untold thousands of dollars on that when all they had to do was to dig a large hole and bury it so no idiot could play with it.



    This is only my opinion and i would recommend it not be done by a young person but by someone old enough to use due caution.



    A single fiber can cause untold damage just like a single aircraft falling out of the sky on your house can.



    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • JohnL_2
    JohnL_2 Member Posts: 13
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    Be Careful

    I agree with rcrit.  It only takes one fiber, and it also takes 10-20 years for the symptoms to start showing, so you can be exposed today and findout you are sick 10 years from now.  If the pipes are pre 1970s, they were most likely insulated with asbestos at one time or another.  Whatever you do, be careful, wear a respirator if you are going to disturb the material.

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