Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2008 21:23:13 -0400
Reply-To: Oliver Mueller-Heubach <groundhogging@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Oliver Mueller-Heubach <groundhogging@MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: Heater Duct Asbestos?
In-Reply-To: <20080807005921.476497F4042@pop6.cfu.net>
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hehe- hadn't heard it for a while either- and I asked for it.
I know our geology prof at Pitt (the unapologetic champion of all
things useful yet hazardous) showed us natural, crystalline asbestos
and those were white/clear. Also, when I used to work on old tube
radios from the 1920s-30s, oftentimes there would be a white or grey
asbestos pad protecting the cabinet or other parts from the heat of
tubes, transformers, etc.
Doing archaeology in dirt basements for work, we occasionally come
across fluffy white, grey, or green clumps of asbestos (as soon as we
see it, we don the tyvek suits and masks) . I get the feeling the
color is essentially white, but whatever they use as adhesive or
felting/binding agent turns it different colors.
Whenever I see what appears to be it, I usually get it wet so it
can't get airborn, scrape it off and tape it up in a bag. As far as
the heater ducts, it is there for a reason and asbestos really is
wonderful at what it does- but a direct feed to the air circulation
in the van weirds me out a bit. I've heard it said a few times that
someday soon they are going to show that pink insulation is as bad or
worse for the lungs because of the longer, barbed fibers, etc. I like
to limit my time around both.
So, I have gone ahead and sealed the wrappings in aluminum foil with
aluminum tape and stuck them back in the pipe and installed it. No
ill effects so far, but only went to the gas station and back.
On Aug 6, 2008, at 8:58 PM, Max Wellhouse wrote:
> I'm no scientist, but every time I've found asbestos in either our
> old house in Arkansas(built in 1943) or in the banana coolers at the
> warehouse where I worked, the asbestos had a distinctive "mint green"
> color to it. Not sure about the floor tiles at our current church
> though, haven't peeled them up yet
>
> I realize the old timey brake shoes that had asbestos in them
> probably weren't mint green, but YMMV. Yes, I don't know what I'm
> talking about, but I try asbestos I can.
>
> Been a while sincha heard that one.....
>
> DM&FS
>
>
>
>
> At 03:10 PM 8/6/2008, Oliver Mueller-Heubach wrote:
>> Hi- having inadvertently soaked the guts of one accordion tube (80
>> Westy), I have it out in the sun to dry. The inside is a wire basket
>> tube with a white wrap and a grey wrap. The grey looks to be recycled
>> cotton fluff, but the white is, I'm guessing, friable asbestos, or?
>> If it is, I'm not too thrilled about it being in the heater line (now
>> that I know what is in there, it makes me paranoid). So, can I just
>> encapsulate the wire tube/insulation in aluminum foil? With it being
>> a plastic tube and having the cotton wrap it can't get hot enough to
>> burn the foil, right? Thanks
>>
>> Oliver Mueller-Heubach
>> groundhogging@mac.com
Oliver Mueller-Heubach
groundhogging@mac.com
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