Non-thumper: asbestos

[andy230]

Hello all,

Asbestos flue pipes as used in central heating.  Any info??

The survey came back on the flat I'm rashly going to plough all my savings and earnings into with the girlfriend.  (She of the small hands and exotic eastern extraction!). 

Apparently they reckon that "the flue from the CH is likely to contain asbestos, in keeping with the age of the property"  It was built in 74. 

What are the implications of this?  Is it just dearer to dispose of when I want a new boiler?  There are also other similar pipes up thru the loft space.  These also look to be in good nick. 

Presumably this means I can't take out my own boiler when it packs up?  (would get "a man" to fit a new one, but would probably do the monkey work myself if it were safe)

cheers for now

a

[squirrelciv]

Nasty stuff only when it turns to dust. Upto 2 years ago it was safe to dump concrete encased asbestos with other hardcore, but now that's a nono. As my Dad has a shadow on his lung as a result of working under an asbestos roof for years, I would get it professionally sorted now. Might also find it in any old artex ceilings as well, so don't go at them with a scraper till you get it checked out.
If you do it now, you can lose the costs in the mortgage and it might be a point to help drive down the price :-)

[SteveL]

well, depends on how much you believe about this asbestos thingy. Your pipes probably have white asbestos in them, and the exposed bits are probably painted, so present no problem atall whilst left undisturbed.
And little problem when removed.
You can remove them yourself as far as I know, you need to take normal precautions against inhaling dust etc (overalls, mask gloves) and use a vaccuum cleaner with a good filter on it to clear up ALL the cr*p, then dispose of the mask, gloves, overalls and vac filter and dust bag) into the same bin liner (well known terrorist) as the unwanted pipework.(obviously you should avoid breaking the pipes up if atall possible, or cutting them up.
Then contact your local council and tell them some pillock left some bags of waste by your gate....

[andy230]

Thank you chaps, thats (vaguely!) reassuring.

However, I don't think they're painted, and yes they do look like white asbestos.  Something like a grey ceramic??

I will paint them when I move in.  (More fingers in ears- LA LA LA LA LAAAA!)

Cheers

a

[guest27]

Here in sunny Port Talbot we have a seperate bin at the tip for asbestos sheet, pipes, roofing panels etc.  The reccomendation form the council is proper dust mask etc.  Keep the bits as big a possible and wrap / seal in plastic.  Take to tip.  I have removed a load of sheeting from the house - have a couple more sheets to go, and some old roofing panels / gutter etc.  Due to the age of the housing stock around here there is still alot of it about.  The Old man (registered as officially 'fu**ed' by asbestos) but also having been licenced to handle it recons that this is a sensible approach - there is not a lot of the fibre in the concrete and it is not the nasty horrid stuff he handled years ago - where they pushed handfuls of the fibres into pipes etc to fireproof the cables within. - Oh and played snowballs with the fibres etc...

R