Asbestos wrap ?

rubiks1

I was working in the attic today preparing to replace a exhaust fan for the bathroom when I looked over and saw this duct and what is wrapped around it. Is this asbestos?

jagans

Quite possibly, but you need to have it tested to be sure. Can you take more pictures, wider angle and very close up of the edge of the duct where it is opened up? Shoot Macro.

When was your house built?

__________________
" A lot of men build things, and a lot of things fall down "

epson

In most commercial forms, asbestos looks like a ball of thick fuzz. Asbestos looks fibrous, friable and fluffy, almost like a muddy brown or white cotton wool. Is that what you have as I really can’t tell by a picture?

qbert

looks like asbestos wrap to me. The stuff on the top is just fiberglass duct wrap ,probably covering the asbestos . You should not disturb it. The stuff in the wall is encapsulated so you should be ok.

rubiks1

Here are some more pics. This time taken from my nikon so they should be clearer. I can only see one side of this duct since the way it is boxed in.

Here is a pic of where it is etc and boxed in




Close up



And another

epson

how old is the house?

rubiks1

Built in 1973

epson

Then with all probability it is asbestos as all homes built prior 1975 would have it.

rubiks1

I have a HVAC company coming out next Friday to install a dampner on another run. I will ask what the best course of action is. It looks like that paper stops an inch or so up and if that is the case they could cut that entire boot out and replace it. Just guessing here.

Thanks

epson

They should know what to do. But asbestos is not something to fool around with if you’re not sure how to deal with it.

read up: http://web.princeton.edu/sites/ehs/w...sfactsheet.htm

rubiks1

1000% agree with you. I suspected that the popcorn in my ceilings contained asbestos so I took a sample to a lab and it came back as 3% chrysotile so in short I dont mess with it.

I did put on a mask with a respirator, some gloves & checked out the pipe being careful not to touch the frayed parts in the picture. The good news is that the rest appears to be in good shape and it goes up 1-2 inches up the pipe so the HVAC company or asbestos removal company could cut it out and then install a new boot etc.

Thanks for all of the info and I will update this thread next Friday when they come in.

epson

good luck...

jagans

Thank You for the very good pictures.

Yes this duct wrap contains asbestos. The dead giveaway to me is the small corrugation pattern in the sheet. The white fibrous stuff is asbestos, the gray is mostly simple airborne dirt that has collected around it.

If you decide to deal with it, wet it with glycol and water 1-3 parts mixed, and make sure you pressurize your house so dust is forced out of any openings, not into your house and do it on a calm day. A HEPA Mask is obviously needed, and paper throwaway coveralls, with hood and booties.

Double bag and hepa vac after removal. You can buy a hepa filter for most shop vacs.

Use your head, take your time, and think the whole process all the way through to clean up and disposal.

__________________
" A lot of men build things, and a lot of things fall down "