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Thread Number: 84788
/ Tag: Ranges, Stoves, Ovens
Vintage oven...asbestos exposure? Please help! |
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Post# 1092511 , Reply# 1 10/9/2020 at 00:44 (1,294 days old) by MattL  (Flushing, MI) |
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There is nothing wrong with asbestos insulation as long as it's not disturbed.The range is pretty much a sealed box so really not an issue. I'm sure others here who have dealt with older ranges will have more info. | ||
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Post# 1092512 , Reply# 2 10/9/2020 at 01:00 (1,293 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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Asbestos In Older Oven Insulation Yes there probably is some asbestos mixed in with the fiber-glass insulation in your old range, it was very common to mix asbestos like this.
The small amount of asbestos that you will be exposed to cleaning and using your range will not ever hurt you, and FGI is believed to be about as bad as asbestos anyway.
Any cough you got cleaning the range was likely from spray cleaners and maybe general dust.
John L. | ||
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Post# 1092525 , Reply# 5 10/9/2020 at 03:50 (1,293 days old) by SudsMaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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I studied asbestos back in university in the 1970's, and I'm leaning between Gizmo and the others with regard to the potential hazards as described in the OP.
Yes, asbestos is bad news. However, as I recall, for toxicity, much depends on the length of the asbestos fibers. The biggest danger is when asbestos is turned into something solid, like fire-resistant exterior building shingles, and then sawed or otherwise machined. This can create fibers of the size that is most hazardous to breathe in. The size is important because it must fall in between the size that is cleared from the lungs by natural processes because it is too big, or cleared like regular dust because it is too small. There is a particular size that is just the right size to invade lung tissues, where it never leaves, and over time causes irritation and eventually a form of cancer. Sorry, I don't remember the exact size but I'm sure that could be looked up. I am guessing that the asbestos fibers in a range would be on the large size and thus not particularly dangerous. The dust mentioned probably should be tested, though. I'm guessing it's just ordinary household dust, though, which has accumulated in and around the range over the years. Asbestos doesn't burn, so perhaps one could do a quick test by holding a dust or fiber sample to a flame; if it burns right up it's probably relatively harmless household dust. The trick would be holding it in the flame, I suppose. The house I live in was built in 1941, with heating from a floor register centrally located. Typical for older homes in this area. At some point (probably 60's or 70's), it was updated to a forced air central heating system in the crawl space. About 15 years ago I addressed the insulation on the ductwork; it was obvious to me that it was asbestos (thin sheets that you dip in water and apply like plaster). I did not bother trying to remove it, as that would create more potentially hazardous fibers. Rather, I covered it all up with fiberglass/foil insulation that I simply wrapped around the ductwork in a spiral fashion, raising as little dust as possible. Oh, and the chimney for the forced air furnace is asbestos pipe; I left that alone. In the workshop here there's actually some pieces of hardboard that is obviously made from compressed asbestos. I hung onto them but will never attempt to cut or form them, as that likely would create fiber particles of the most toxic size. They are not crumbly; otherwise I would have got rid of them long ago. Lesson for the day is if you encounter asbestos in the home or old appliance, don't disturb it. If you must be exposed to dust created from it, wear a P100 mask/respirator. Above all, do not attempt to cut, grind, or otherwise machine it. | ||
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Post# 1092535 , Reply# 6 10/9/2020 at 05:59 (1,293 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD) |
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Were you not using a mask or respirator while doing this dust-producing work? At the first sign of particle-producing insulation, put on a filtering mechanism. I don't ever recall finding such a situation when working on old ranges, but I know that it was present. | ||
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Post# 1092571 , Reply# 7 10/9/2020 at 10:48 (1,293 days old) by dermacie (my forever home (Glenshaw, PA)) |
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Post# 1092573 , Reply# 8 10/9/2020 at 11:39 (1,293 days old) by SudsMaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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Again, asbestos tile and shingles are not a problem as long as they are not cut, sawed, or otherwise broken up to release fibers and dust.
That said, I'm not aware of any studies that say you have to breathe in a lot for it to be problem. Theoretically it could take only one asbestos fiber of the worst length to start a cancer later on. | ||
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Post# 1092581 , Reply# 9 10/9/2020 at 13:12 (1,293 days old) by robbinsandmyers (Conn) |
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Asbestos is bad news..... | ||
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Post# 1092592 , Reply# 10 10/9/2020 at 14:13 (1,293 days old) by SudsMaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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I guess at one time asbestos shingles made sense, for they are probably fire-proof. But it's of little import, since most roofing isn't fire-proof. I haven't seen a lot of homes out here with asbestos shingles, although I believe one of the houses I shared in college had them. That was back in the early 70's, and the homeowner probably could have removed them then without as much expense as it would incur today. That landlord might be dead and gone by now, so it may be somebody else's problem.
Fortunately my current home, which I own, has mostly stucco siding, with the exception of horizontal wood siding up front. Since I bought in the late 90's, I'm sure I would have been told if there was asbestos on the exterior. It is on the heating system ductwork, though. I'm not sure how much it would cost to dispose of today. We have a county hazardous waste program for homeowners, where there is typically no charge for truckloads. Who knows. You'd think that the government would want people to get rid of this stuff safely and make it as reasonable as possible to dispose of it. | ||
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Post# 1092622 , Reply# 11 10/9/2020 at 19:21 (1,293 days old) by reactor (Oak Ridge, Tennessee-- ) |
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and more on asbestos
As most have previously mentioned, the EPA generally does not require remediation or removal of many products utilizing asbestos as long as the asbestos remains in situ, or as others have said, undisturbed.
Asbestos is only dangerous if breathed into the lungs. Here in Oak Ridge, TN we have thousands of homes built by the Government during WWII using cemestos. Cemestos was a mixture of concrete and asbestos. Houses were built with exterior walls that were prefabricated of panels made from this material. The EPA has allowed these houses to stand citing that there is no potential danger unless the panels are disturbed, e.g., cut, drilled, etc. In which case it has to be done under EPA standards. Even if your oven insulation is 100 percent asbestos, which I doubt, it poses no danger if you leave the material undisturbed, in situ. If I were you, I would just take metalized duct tape (Lowes, Home Depot and even WalMart carry it) and place it over those openings on the back of the range. Then you can occasionally wipe the back off with no worries of disturbing anything. | ||
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Post# 1092627 , Reply# 12 10/9/2020 at 20:30 (1,293 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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Asbestos in Home construction Hi Rich, Your stucco and any plaster or even dry-wall would very likely have asbestos in them if they are older than around 1980.
The 2nd story of my 1955 home has asbestos-cement siding, and when we doubled the size of the home in 1987 we used cement siding that looks the same as the original ACS.
Various cement siding products are coming back as well as roofing products because of fire resistance, durability, and great looks.
When we were doing the addition in 1987 there were not any other cost effective that I liked, flammable vinyl and easily dented aluminum were not acceptable to me, so the house is 1/2 brick and block and the upper parts are cement siding.
To be harmed by asbestos you need a lot of exposure one particle is about as likely to cause lung cancer as one cigarette is, LOL
John L. | ||
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Post# 1092648 , Reply# 14 10/10/2020 at 00:38 (1,293 days old) by robbinsandmyers (Conn) |
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Lots of old houses around here still have asbestos shingles, as well as the one I grew up in that were installed in 1963 that have since been covered in vinyl. Never seen asbestos roofing though. But I have seen ancient asphalt shingle siding from the 30's-40's made to look like brick or block on houses fully involved with fire and once that stuff caught fire it was like pouring gas on that house.
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Post# 1092662 , Reply# 16 10/10/2020 at 04:33 (1,292 days old) by mrboilwash (Munich,Germany) |
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Stupid question  | ||
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Post# 1092663 , Reply# 17 10/10/2020 at 04:38 (1,292 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN) |
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| Post# 1092706 , Reply# 19 10/10/2020 at 11:21 (1,292 days old) by Anolis (Florida) | ||
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Thank you for all of your replies. As much as it breaks my heart, I don’t think I’m willing to risk my health for an oven. The insulation appears to be somewhat broken down, as that same metallic dust has settled into the bottom storage drawer just below the insulation. | ||
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Post# 1092738 , Reply# 20 10/10/2020 at 15:04 (1,292 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles de Porciúncula) |
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This group is full of very helpful people. I'm sure somebody here will be clad to save you from such horrible exposure by taking the whole stove off your hands. If you were closer, I'd be the first in line. | ||
| Post# 1094808 , Reply# 21 10/27/2020 at 13:25 (1,275 days old) by Anolis (Florida) | ||
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UPDATE Good news! Test results came back negative for asbestos. It seems Frigidaire stopped using asbestos in their insulation after the war. (Turned out to be mostly fiberglass.) | ||
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