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Asbestos & boilers

tim smith
tim smith Member Posts: 2,752
in THE MAIN WALL
Saw an episode of this old house this morning, 1980 vintage. This guy was showing how they removed and old pot belly boiler, covered in asbestos as he said. Well, cut the pipes and disconnect all power, fuel and elect. Then we just tip it over off it's base. They did this on television and god, a poof of asbestos came off of it like you won't believe. I wonder if the law saw that, the rules were in effect to a point then I think also. What a comedy.

Comments

  • tommyoil
    tommyoil Member Posts: 613
    Ahhhhhhhh !

    The old days. As a kid I used to shovel it off with a bandana tied around my face. Who knew? The room looked like a snowstorm in summertime. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how that pans out 20 years from now. I'll keep you posted. We've come a long way since then.
  • Boiler Guy
    Boiler Guy Member Posts: 585
    Sweeeeet memories

    "them old timers would never put anyone in danger intentionally" .... would they?
  • John Mills_5
    John Mills_5 Member Posts: 951
    TOH

    That was one of the first This Old House episodes from the 70s. Had an old snowman they disposed of that way.
  • Dan_15
    Dan_15 Member Posts: 388


    I just removed our 83 y.o. potbelly Gurney coal-fired boiler. I did not have the benefit of watching that eposide of TOH, but I did have the sense to call an asbestos abetement company to scrape off all the old stuff first. I attached a before and after picture. I know that old Gurney was inefficient, but I do have fond memories for a cast-iron boiler that can last 83 years without a problem.
  • C. Faucher
    C. Faucher Member Posts: 5


    Dan :

    What a beauty. If this thing could only talk what stories it would have.

    I love the Taco side arm heater that's a classic.

    Also got a kick out of the "energy saving" light bulb in upper right hand corner. I would think the light bulb would be too embarrassed to be in the same cellar as this gem
  • RonE
    RonE Member Posts: 29
    side arm heaters

    I call those side arms .."concrete testers" LOL When I cut one of them out I always round up a some kind of wood cushion. The old timers sure didn't cheat when it came to cast iron.
  • JoeC
    JoeC Member Posts: 43
    and I've seen complete patio's constructed of the old asbestos

    fire brick! My first 'burn blankets' were asbestos lagging left over from the old-timers (dad). But the awareness never hit the Governments attention or OSHA until 1981. It is amazing how many heating businesses are operating in this country that do not meet the basic minimum OSHA requirement of asbestos awareness of their workers. I cannot believe how many 'experienced' journeyman hrac guys I've encountered that have never had any formal proper training and certification for asbestos. I believe it should be law that, if you're going to perform service work on heating systems of the public/private sectors, you must be properly trained and State certified in asbestos. (So I don't have to unknowingly enter your friable 'snow-storm' projects.
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