There are asbestos wrapped pipes in my basement.
by
Linda
+6
They are mostly wrapped in a thin fabric but some of it is missing. I think it is not to be disturbed. What is the safest way to deal with this?
If on wall box them in or if they are on the ceiling, you could put a false ceiling below them. Dont disturb them and be careful to always wear a mask when working around them.
Do not disturb the asbestos. That is when fibers can break off, get into the air and it is a cancer risk. If you want it removed you really do need to get a company that specializes in it
If you ever hope to sell your home , don't just cover them up . The new homeowner can come back on you if you dont disclose the hazardous material .
You need to have someone who is an expert in the removal of asbestos remove the stuff. If you leave it , the fibers will continue to break down and continue to be hazardous. Not sure how much pipe you have covered in the asbestos but just leaving it there is a hazard to you and your family and anyone else who comes in contact with it . If it were me , I would bite the bullet and hire someone who is an expert to handle this .
I have the same situation with a house we bought. Our furnace was checked, had 28 cracks in it and that's how we found out the pipes had asbestos. What can we do? So, technically we can sue the homeowners that didn't disclose this to us about the asbestos?
If you are not moving, carefully cover with plastic and leave it alone [must be done by homeowner to be legal]
Get a professional to either remove it or cover it up. It is dangerous for you to mess with it.
Asbestos revoval isn't a DIY project. As soon as the pipes are disturbed the asbestos becomes friable and it is in the air, in the dust. No amount of asbestoes is safe to inhale. It isn't cheap to have it removed, but it needs to be done.
WOW! You definitely need to leave it alone and have it professionally removed. Any little movement, breeze can dislodge the asbestos into the air. The professional will also do an air quality test to see if any of the rest of the living quarters are contaminated. This is going to be expensive. Get in touch with your homeowners insurance and see if they can help in covering some of the cost.