Asbestos tape inside ductwork

[geno49]

My wife and I bought a 1950's vintage house back in 2004. I recently learned that there is asbestos tape inside the ductwork where the ducts meet the floor registers. This was probably done years ago to keep air from seeping through the joints between ducts/registers. I just recently had my oil furnace removed and had a heat pump installed. The velocity of the air coming out of the registers is alot higher with the heat pump. I am concerned that particles of asbestos from the tape may be coming through the registers into the home. Can someone suggest a product/vendor that I can use to seal the asbestos tape? Thanks.

[the dangling wrangler]

What does the installing contractor suggest? Or doesn't he?

[Skip 2 my lou]

I've seen a few asbestos jobs over the years. Sealing the asbestos with anything would be a very bad idea. Asbestos should always be removed, however if it isn't being "disturbed" it is much less of a problem and almost no health risk. The new installation and the increased airflow could have disturbed it, and it could potentially be a problem now.

I would check into someone who could perform some tests in your home and make that decision. If it were my home I would proceed very carefully before you have Haz-Mat over there and you have to move out for 3 months.:o

Sometimes it could be better to let sleeping dogs lie.

You will have to make the choice.

[tinknocker service tech]

first call your homeowners insurace because it may be covered under the policy. You are into a very expensive situation if not covered

there is a seal that can be put on it to keep it stable but should have been done before the work was preformed.

if you now have particals in the air you are into removing it sealing and air cleaning and contanment.

any imbankment company can handle this but it wont be cheap

again call you homeowners

[the dangling wrangler]

there is a seal that can be put on it to keep it stable but should have been done before the work was preformed.


That's what I was thinking. Wonder if a contractor did the work? And, if he did, why didn't he address this important issue?

[geno49]

Thanks for the replies to my question. The contractor who recently removed the old oil heater and installed the heat pump did not do anything to the ductwork except wrap the return duct in the basement with foil backed insulation. The asbestos tape inside the ductwork appears to have been done during the original install back in the 50's. This morning, I removed one of the returns to inspect the asbestos tape and it appears to be in good condition with good adhesion to the metal ductwork. Don't see any evidence of fraying. I may just leave it alone like suggested and buy a couple of Orick air cleaners to put around the house to keep the air clean. Thanks.

[the dangling wrangler]

Thanks for the replies to my question. The contractor who recently removed the old oil heater and installed the heat pump did not do anything to the ductwork except wrap the return duct in the basement with foil backed insulation. The asbestos tape inside the ductwork appears to have been done during the original install back in the 50's. This morning, I removed one of the returns to inspect the asbestos tape and it appears to be in good condition with good adhesion to the metal ductwork. Don't see any evidence of fraying. I may just leave it alone like suggested and buy a couple of Orick air cleaners to put around the house to keep the air clean. Thanks.

This is just me. I'd be real concerned, knowing there's asbestos in my ducting. But, that's just me. You have to live there. I don't.

[lynn comstock]

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infsisters/infasbestos.html

This information seems pretty solid to me.

All asbestos is not the same.
Levels of exposure to cause lung disease must be high and over extended time (especially for industrial workers in confined spaces)
Asbestos is widespread and natural. It is in the air that we breathe, especially in the dusty desert southwest (where I happen to live) or for farmers plowing most anywhere.
Friable asbestos is to worry about. For intact asbestos such as you describe: leave it alone or seal it seems to be the best advice for most situations.

Remember that there is money in fear and panic. Promoting fear is big business and makes persuasive politics: Global warming, Ozone hole, Economic meltdown, Asbestos, Mold, Asteroids...shall I go on?

Remember global cooling fear of 30 years ago? Has anyone built a bomb shelter lately? Now that housing is falling off, bomb shelters may be the salvation of the construction industry.

Lynn

[geno49]

Lynn,

Thanks for your reply and reassurance. I suspect that some of us who are up there in age have probably spent a lot of time in old school buildings where asbestos was in the ceilings and ductwork. Most people don't seem to have a problem with it.

Thanks again for making me feel better on a Saturday. Hope you have a good one too!

[RoBoTeq]

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infsisters/infasbestos.html

This information seems pretty solid to me.

All asbestos is not the same.
Levels of exposure to cause lung disease must be high and over extended time (especially for industrial workers in confined spaces)
Asbestos is widespread and natural. It is in the air that we breathe, especially in the dusty desert southwest (where I happen to live) or for farmers plowing most anywhere.
Friable asbestos is to worry about. For intact asbestos such as you describe: leave it alone or seal it seems to be the best advice for most situations.

Remember that there is money in fear and panic. Promoting fear is big business and makes persuasive politics: Global warming, Ozone hole, Economic meltdown, Asbestos, Mold, Asteroids...shall I go on?

Remember global cooling fear of 30 years ago? Has anyone built a bomb shelter lately? Now that housing is falling off, bomb shelters may be the salvation of the construction industry.

Lynn
Thank you for being a voice of reason Lynn.

Asbestos is a wonderful natural product that, while it can be harmful, has really been given a bad rap.

Asbestos must be airbourne and very small in order to cause harm in the respiratory system. Asbestos on the return side of a system would simply be trapped in the filter. Still, I would put a coat of sealant, maybe a varnish or shellac, on any exposed tape containing asbestos.

I just did a survey of a 1950's house built to withstand the innevitble attacks from the USSR. The basement of this house is a bomb shelter and all of the ducting is asbestos concrete, from the basement to the regesters. Since the asbestos is contained in the concrete, it is a non issue. The house is owned by a physician who has done quite a bit of investigation into the asbestos issue due to the ducting, and he is fine with it.

[RoBoTeq]

Lynn,

Thanks for your reply and reassurance. I suspect that some of us who are up there in age have probably spent a lot of time in old school buildings where asbestos was in the ceilings and ductwork. Most people don't seem to have a problem with it.

Thanks again for making me feel better on a Saturday. Hope you have a good one too!
More people have been exposed to and adversely affected by asbestos because of the panic removal of asbestos then would have ever been affected if nothing had ever been done. If you want to know why asbestos became such a monster of our lives full of monsters, look at how much money Peter Angelos made from asbestos litigation.

[lynn comstock]

If you want to know why asbestos became such a monster of our lives full of monsters, look at how much money Peter Angelos made from asbestos litigation.

AMEN and AMEN

Lynn

[Skip 2 my lou]

Geno, I couldn't tell which part of the world your in for your contact info. If you are anywhere near Texas, be sure not to setup anykind of video camera. The moment you unfold the tripod......Sheila Jackson lee will appear and it will be on national news.:D

[the dangling wrangler]

Geno, I couldn't tell which part of the world your in for your contact info. If you are anywhere near Texas, be sure not to setup anykind of video camera. The moment you unfold the tripod......Sheila Jackson lee will appear and it will be on national news.:D

Ain't that the truth.

[Hotwater]

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infsisters/infasbestos.html

This information seems pretty solid to me.

All asbestos is not the same.
Levels of exposure to cause lung disease must be high and over extended time (especially for industrial workers in confined spaces)
Asbestos is widespread and natural. It is in the air that we breathe, especially in the dusty desert southwest (where I happen to live) or for farmers plowing most anywhere.
Friable asbestos is to worry about. For intact asbestos such as you describe: leave it alone or seal it seems to be the best advice for most situations.

Remember that there is money in fear and panic. Promoting fear is big business and makes persuasive politics: Global warming, Ozone hole, Economic meltdown, Asbestos, Mold, Asteroids...shall I go on?

Remember global cooling fear of 30 years ago? Has anyone built a bomb shelter lately? Now that housing is falling off, bomb shelters may be the salvation of the construction industry.

Lynn

I work in a school district and the asbestos has always lingered in the back of my mind. this helped clear up a few fears, thank you.