How To Identify Asbestos Pipe Insulation Visually
Asbestos is found in many building materials including pipe insulation. Asbestos pipe insulation was commonly used on heating pipes, water pipes, and occasionally on drains until it was outlawed in 1981. Unlike other asbestos-containing products, insulation containing asbestos can often be identified by visual inspection and may not require laboratory testing. This is important because abandoned or incompletely removed asbestos pipe insulation still exists in many buildings.
Whenever partially-removed asbestos insulation is found in a building it indicates improper removal and means contamination of the entire building or surrounding buildings should be suspected. Extreme caution should be used in these cases as asbestos exposure and the inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of terminal asbestos lung cancer, as well as other types of cancer. Asbestos and lung cancer are partners, so be careful.
Do You Own a Building With Asbestos Pipe Insulation?
If you have purchased a building that you suspect contains asbestos pipe insulation or any other type of asbestos products it is important to verify whether or not asbestos is actually present in those materials. Asbestos products are most commonly examined under a microscope, but a simple visual inspection may suffice with regards to insulation surrounding pipes.
What Type of Asbestos Pipe Insulation Do You Have?
Asbestos paper pipe wrap will usually have a corrugated appearance while fiberglass pipe insulation will have a yellow fiberglass interior. Peeling back the edge of the insulation wrap of either variety will allow you to see the type. However, whenever an inspection is being performed a face mask and goggles should be used for safety. Asbestos fibers are microscopic in size and are not visible to the naked eye.
There are different types of asbestos found in corrugated asbestos pipe insulation and identifying the precise type requires polarized light microscopy. However, in many cases a positive identification of asbestos-containing pipe insulation can be made simply by visual inspection.
In some cases you will find a spray-on foam insulation that has been sprayed over the top of the pipe insulation. When this has occurred it is sometimes possible to simply leave it all in place instead of removing the asbestos-containing insulation surrounding the pipes. For example, the spray foam may be encapsulating the pipe insulation inside the cavity of a wall and will not be a hazard. Therefore, it can remain in place and undisturbed.
If you own a building that has asbestos pipe insulation and want to completely remove it, it is usually best to hire a professional abatement contractor. If you decide to take on the asbestos pipe insulation removal job yourself you must receive proper training and instructions so that you will be able to follow all applicable laws when removal is performed. You cannot simply unwrap the insulation from a pipe and throw it into your trash can. You must take all necessary safety precautions, including using protective safety gear and clothing, as well as perform proper and legal disposal of the hazardous materials. The asbestos removal cost may be higher when hiring a professional abatement contractor, but the extra cost will usually be well worth having the job done safely and correctly. By doing the job of removing asbestos pipe insulation or other removal jobs safely, you will sleep better at night.
Asbestos Pipe Insulation Removal