Q&A about asbestos pipe insulation in buildings set #3.

Recent FAQs about how to recognize asbestos insulation on heating or water pipes and what to do about it.

This article series provides photographs of abandoned and partly-covered-up asbestos pipe insulation in buildings to assist in the recognition of that material.

Questions & answers on Asbestos pipe insulation

These questions & answers or comments about asbestos-containing pipe insulation and asbestos pipe insulation removal and disposal procedures and costs were posted originally at ASBESTOS PIPE INSULATION - be sure to read that article.

Watch out: asbestos pipe inslulation in good condition is usually best left alone or encapsulated: left alone, in place, undisturbed, risks and costs are minimized. But if asbestos pipe insulation is in poor condition, shedding, damaged, falling-off, or if it is in a location where it is likely to be damaged, it should be removed and the pipes cleaned and sealed.

For asbestos pipe insulation that is in poor condition, falling off it is beyond encapsulation and needs to be removed by a professional.

This article series assists building buyers, owners or inspectors who need to identify asbestos materials (or probable-asbestos) in buildings by simple visual inspection.

Photo: corrugated asbestos paper on a roof drain pipe in a commercial building.

[Click to enlarge any image]

On 2023-07-27 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Conor,

See various pipe insulation materials and identification photos at

PIPE INSULATION CHOICES, MATERIALS, TYPES

On 2023-07-27 by Craig

@InspectApedia Publisher, Thank you!

On 2023-07-27 by InspectApedia Publisher - pipe wrap looks like painted jute

@Craig,

I agree that that pipe wrap looks like a painted cotton or maybe jute fabric but honestly I can't be certain from just the photo.

Where is the building?

On 2023-07-26 by Craig

Home built 1960 - basement refinished at later date. Appears to be a cotton cloth coated with a yellow sealer over cold water pipes to prevent condensation above ceiling tiles. I don't think it is asbestos, but would like another opinion.

The white cloth is soft to the touch where not covered with the yellow paint/sealer. I understand positive/negative confirmation is not possible based on image alone, your opinion on likelihood is appreciated. Thank you.

On 2023-07-26 y InspectApedia Publisher

@Conor,

Something else, perhaps jute.

On 2023-07-26 by Conor

Lagging on copper pipe for radiator, what's the thoughts, asbestos or something else?

On 2023-07-25 by InspectApedia Publisher - attic strut looks to be wrapped in elastic bandage not insulation

@Jarvin,

I agree that the material in your photo looks like an elastic bandage - not something that would be an asbestos insulation product.

I would unwrap it from the wooden member - post another photo of what you see.

Perhaps it was put there to buffer impact after someone bumped their shin, or perhaps simply wrapped by a child.

Let's see what you find.

On 2023-07-25 by Jarvin

Hi, I know this isn't a pipe but I thought this was probably still the best place to ask! I have this wrap around a single wooden roof strut in my attic space. I can't think why you would insulate a strut, but it struck me that it looked a little like it could be some sort of wrap insulation.

The property was renovated in the 1970s. It looks like a bandage to me, but I was concerned it could be some sort of ACM. What do you think? Thanks in advance.

On 2023-07-13 by Anonymous

@InspectApedia Publisher, so does a pipe asbestos encapsulation comes with a color of off-white that appears with a bit of green tone

On 2023-07-13 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Anonymous, thank you for that added detail.

On 2023-07-13 y Anonymous

@InspectApedia Publisher, for the information I only know it was built at 1956 and it was confirmed that asbestos was on the pipe after the removal, but it was encapsulated with sealant, and the color seems to be off-white with a tiny bit of green tone, so I just wanted to know if there is such color for asbestos encapsulation product.

I was doubting that it was not an actual encapsulation because I wasn't sure if there is this kind of color. But As I mentioned before the surface of the paint was smooth, thick, and hard.

On 2023-07-12 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Anonymous,

With respect, I've answered this already to the best of my ability and I'm skeptical that anyone can provide a more useful answer given that we have no actual information about the building concerned or the insulation concerned.

On 2023-07-12 by Anonymous

@InspectApedia Publisher, I can't get a picture of it the homeowner already removed it. So just in general does this kind of asbestos encapsulation comes with different color whether for options or standard

On 2023-07-08 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Anonymous,

It may help to note that painting pipe may or may not have had anything at all to do with a proper asbestos mitigation job. From text, nobody can say more.

Apologies for having to repeat, but with respect, any more comment about this when we can't see the material we are discussing is so speculative as to be of no use.

On 2023-07-08 by Anonymous

@InspectApedia Publisher, I was just wondering if there were this kind of color available for asbestos encapsulation, because there wasn't much information about it when I looked up onto the internet

On 2023-07-07 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Anonymous,

It may help to note that painting pipe may or may not have had anything at all to do with a proper asbestos mitigation job. From text, nobody can say more.

With respect, any more comment about this when we can't see the material we are discussing is so speculative as to be of no use.

On 2023-07-07 by Anonymous

@InspectApedia Publisher, you mean painted the encapsulation or the pipe just don't have encapsulation. The coating was quite thick and have a smooth texture, also in intact

Did you mean the encapsulation appears to be a bit of green is because of the underlying color of the insulation is green?

On 2023-07-07 by InspectApedia Publisher - Is there a standard color for encapsulation coating

@Anonymous,

Depending on just what paint was used to paint pipe insulation it could be any color - thus a potential sign that someone simply painted the pipe.

There is no standard color for paints specifically sold as asbestos remediation encapsulant coatings, but on pipe or pipe insulation, white is most common.

On 2023-07-07 by Anonymous

I have a heating pipe that looks encapsulated, but the color appears to be off-white and a bit green. Is there such color for encapsulation coating?

On 2023-07-06 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - Was the use of amosite on heating pipe rare?

@Anonymous,

Please do take a look at the article above where we describe the various forms of asbestos used in insulation and where we start by naming the principal insulating material and asbestos form on heating pipes - that was Chrysotile asbestos.

By definition, once we say that material C was the principal (that is, main or most-often or dominant) material used in an application, any other material would be less common. To try to pin down "less common" to mean "rare" without a quantitative definition of those terms is to slip, trip, and then fall into an asbestos quagmire.

We would sure welcome any suggestions you might have for making that information more clear.

On 2023-07-06 by Anonymous - were other types of asbestos typically be used on furnaces pipe insulation?

Was the use of amosite on heating pipe rare?

@InspectApedia Publisher, also were other types of asbestos typically be used on furnaces pipe insulation in particular setting like larger house with industrial level furnaces rather than normal residential because of their higher heat resistant?

On 2023-07-06 by Anonymous

@InspectApedia Publisher, what i meant was that I just wanted to know if chrysotile was the type of asbestos that people would encounter on furnaces pipe. I already know that any type of asbestos is dangerous.

On 2023-07-06 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - knowing which specific asbestos form is in the insulation on pipes or on a boiler etc. does not change what steps or cautions are appropriate.

@Anonymous,

Thanks. I don't mean that the asbestos insulation isn't a potential hazard, I intended to say that knowing which specific asbestos form is in the insulation on pipes or on a boiler etc. does not change what steps or cautions are appropriate.

About the only time I am concerned with identifying exactly which asbestos is present is when a doctor, treating someone, says that information would be helpful.

On 2023-07-05 by Anonymous

@InspectApedia Publisher, thank you for clarifying, i was just confused of you saying that it is moot.

On 2023-07-05 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - principally Chrysotile asbestos (white asbestos) was used in pipe insulation and pipe wrap

@Anonymous,

at the start of the article above on this page we state

Chrysotile (white) asbestos

World wide from about 1900 up to the 1970's in the U.S. and into the 1980's in some other countries, asbestos, principally Chrysotile asbestos (white asbestos) was used in pipe insulation and pipe wrap to retain heat in heating and hot water systems and to avoid condensation on cold water supply piping.

Chrysotile is a serpentine (winding or curly fiber) asbestos form that comprised most of the world's asbestos-products.

do let me know if you have suggestions for clarity or other improvements in our article.

Thanks.

DF

On 2023-07-05 by Anonymous

@InspectApedia Publisher, then in general on residential furnaces pipe, what type of asbestos would typically be used? it is just like what you said, the predominant would be chrysotile?

On 2023-07-05 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - guessing at which form of asbestos was used shouldn't change what precautions you should follow

@Anonymous,

I appreciate that there has been discussion about which asbestos was used where, but in my OPINION it's moot. While some forms of asbestos are considered more hazardous than others, none of them is safe when disturbed or made into a dusty mess in a home, and the same precautions pertain - they don't vary depending on a lab analysis of just which asbestos type fibers are present.

On 2023-07-05 principally Chrysotile asbestos (white asbestos) was used in pipe insulation and pipe wrap by Anonymous

@InspectApedia Publisher, also how likely that a house built at 1950 NY, that the asbestos on furnaces would be chrysotile rather than other types? was amosite used in residential settings?

On 2023-07-05 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - felt pipe insulation (not asbestos)

@Chris,

Your photos look to me like several layers of felt insulation with a fabric external or surface wrap.

On 2023-07-05 by Chris

Adding another picture to my previous post

On 2023-07-05 by Chris

Hi,

I found underneath my suspended floors old pipes with this lagging. Does it seem to you like asbestos or not? The house is build in the 30s and is in England.
Thank you

On 2023-07-05 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - Crocidolite (blue asbestos) was used in spray-on insulating coatings

@Strelixias,

From the page above we have this quote:

Crocidolite (blue asbestos) was used in spray-on insulating coatings such as on boilers, steam engines, and sometimes as heating or other pipe insulation.

I would add, however that most heating pipe insulation was the corrugated asbestos paper type for straight runs and more-often we see a past or lagging type asbestos insulation at the elbows and bends of that piping.

On 2023-07-05 by Strelixias

Was Crocidolite typically used as spray on insulation on pipes or as a wrap like chrysotile

On 2023-07-02 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - is this asbestos heating pipe insulation?

@Sam,

I'm not sure what that is. It certainly does not match the usual gray corrugated paper form of asbestos pipe insulation which is most common. But just from the photo and the fact that it doesn't look like the usual product isn't enough for me to rule it out.

All that duct tape looks like somebody was trying to cover it up.

To be safe you should avoid making a dusty mess of the material.

On 2023-07-02 by Sam

Is this asbestos? Our home was built in the the 1920s but we rent.

On 2023-05 by InspectApedia Editor (mod)

@Lynda,

Your hairy photo looks like jute or similar insulation.

Your "animal skin" cover, as we see in an enlarged portion of your photo (below) looks like a synthetic fabric, perhaps plastic backed with canvas or cotton.

That's quite odd: hand-stitched. It's as if someone were providing a cover to prevent injury that would occur if a person bumped into a projecting something somewhere in your building.

Where is this 1914 building: country and city?

What sort of mechanical equipment, control, or pipes have been covered?

If that plastic at left in the photo is on the underside of floor joists over a basement or crawl space, that's not the best building practice and it could trap moisture on the "wrong side" of the Barrier. Use housewrap in such locations instead.

On 2023-05-12 by Lynda

Part 2 to 1914. Pipe covered in what looks like animal skin? Again, looking to see if there is a chance pipe is insulated with asbestos.

On 2023-05-12 by Lynda

Our house is 1914 and we're renovating the basement. We believe pipes are wrapped in animal skin (can't see inside) and then this which looks like burlap and horse. Want to confirm at first look that it is not asbestos.

On 2023-05-12 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - foam pipe installation

@Anonymous, Morgan

Yes I agree it sure looks like foam pipe installation

On 2023-05-10 by Morgan

@InspectApedia Editor , Yes, it is in the US. Apologies for leaving that out. Thank you! Any idea what it might be? Foam?

On 2023-05-10 by InspectApedia Editor (mod)

@Morgan,

If your home is in North America, the last year of allowed asbestos use in homes was 1986.

On 2023-05-10 by Morgan

On 2023-05-10 by Morgan

Hopefully, I am being very silly; I am here,
so I’m obviously a cautious person. House was built in 1989.

Had to get to the water shut off today (there is a leak!), and had to go into the first floor living room storage closet to reveal the valve from behind this little wooden hutch covering the valve. However, the piping around the bottom looked weird to me, and I thought I’d ask an expert.

On 2023-04-14 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod)

@patty,

What are looking at ?

An air handler?
Ductwork ?
Building framing?
Spray on material or remnants from spray-on insulation?

Do post more photos, one per comment.

If that's ductwork that's shedding fiberglass, wet, or moldy it's an indoor air quality hazard.

If it's spray-on fire coating it could be an asbestos hazard.

Really we can't tell what's dust, cobwebs, deposits from leaks, or something else from just this one photo.

If there have been leaks there could also be a mold hazard in your home.

Have you seen a doctor?

Have you asked your health department for help?

On 2023-04-14 by patty

I have been at my apt 3 months and before moving in didnt hae these problems but the past 2 months have noticed me and husband who has asthma becoming short of breathe and more tired then usual then tthe last month i been spitting up like lil hair or dust constantly each time i spit in my mouth feels like there is a bunch of tiny hairs i have gotten to the point were i have trouble breathing and the landlord wouldnt look into untill i did myself just to try and change the filter and ran into all this and its way worse then what the picture shows

[Photo above]

On 2023-01-14 by InspectApedia Publisher (mod)

@Kaj,

That looks like a combination of fiberglass and crepe paper.

On 2023-01-14 by Kaj

Is this asbeso? The insulation shine when i use a flashlight on it

On 2022-12-19 by InspectApedia (Editor) (mod) - asbestos scraps left on pipe indicates improper / amateur asbestos abatement job

@Jason,

Thanks for the additional details. I agree that hard surfaces are much-easier to clean of dust of any sort.

Given the signs of an amateur asbestos-removal-job in the first place, keep alert to discover other short-cuts or snafus.

On 2022-12-19 1 by Jason

@InspectApedia (Editor), thanks for the help! Just had a consultation with a removal professional. He wasnt too concerned about contamination, in part because there isnt much left and we dont know how long ago it was removed.

I think it could have been as recent as 2018 when a flipper installed a new boiler but it could have been much older.

Going to have them clean up and paint seal the exposed pipes and add some fiberglass insulation to close up the gap where those pipes that are still covered are sitting.

Also getting a hepa air purifier just as an extra precaution. Our house is all old hardwood floors anways so most dust should have been removed over the years from regular cleaning.

On 2022-12-15 by InspectApedia (Editor) (mod) - how risky are small amounts of asbestos insulation left on pipe?

@Jason,

That photo is almost certainly a left-over scrap of asbestos pipe insulation.

Watch out: my concern when I see incomplete asbestos pipe insulation removal is that it was evidently not a job done by a trained professional - a pro should not leave asbestos in place on pipes like that and often they'll also use an encapsulant paint to lock down any remaining dust at the end of the job.

So the risk is that an amateur asbestos rip-off job may have contaminated the building.

I would:

- look for other examples of this work and if you're finding more of them you might want an onsite evaluation by an asbestos abatement company

- consider collecting 1 or 2 representative samples of settled dust to screen the building to be sure that there is no worrisome asbestos dust contamination that needs to be cleaned-up.

DO NOT PANIC about this - the panic would be a greater health worry than that asbestos scrap.

Do keep me posted.

On 2022-12-15 by Jason

@InspectApedia (Editor), its in eastern pa and the building was listed as 1900s when we bought the home earlier this year. Its impossible to really asses how intact it is without pulling off some old planks underneath.

Our washer and dryer is not far from that space on rhe next floor so i was concerned about dust being kicked around from the vibrations. I also included a second pic of the pipes that likely had the same material removed.

The pipe is only around an inch thick for reference. Are those remaining fragments also a concern?

On 2022-12-15 by InspectApedia (Editor) (mod) - asbestos insulation remnants on pipe

@Jason,

I'm not sure about all the stuff I see in your photo but at least in the upper center that looks like pipe insulation that could be asbestos.

Where is the building and how old is it.

YES leave it alone for now.

Asbestos is safe and legal in buildings as long as it's in good condition and not being disturbed.

On 2022-12-15 by Jason

Any idea what this is? I found it in a small space above the door to my bilco door, around our radiator pipes

. I also notice what looks like fiberous material around more exposed sections of pipes so im wondering if a past owner removed most of it and left this more enclosed section. If so, should we have it removed or left alone?

On 2022-12-03 by InspectApedia (Editor) (mod) - magnesium carbonate asbestos (or not asbestos) pipe insulation

@terrance,

Thanks so much for the photo and Magnesia pipe insulation question. 100% MgCO3 won't contain asbestos but we warn that other products containing the same material did contain asbestos.

See details and your photo at

MAGNESIUM CARBONATE ASBESTOS PIPE INSULATION

On 2022-11-27 by terrance

I have several stickers that say 100 percent magnesium carbonate. Does this mean no asbestos?

On 2022-11-25 by InspectApedia (Editor) (mod)

@Matthew,

Glad to assist - working together helps us both.

About those possible asbestos remnants, it'd be no surprise to find a few tiny bits of asbestos on piping even after a professional asbestos remediation. On a 1929 home it's likely that asbestos pipe wrap was on the original heating or hot water pipe installation.

In my OPINION a little better job - still possible - is to spray-paint the cleaned, exposed piping so that any remnants are immobilized. There should be no meaningful asbestos hazard from what we're seeing. Of course we don't know what's under that foam but even if it's an asbestos wrap, it looks encapsulated.

On 2022-11-25 by Matthew

@InspectApedia (Editor), uff, I didn't even notice that possible asbestos remains on the pipe, thank you for taking a look at the image and annotating it like that!

On 2022-11-24 by InspectApedia (Editor) (mod) - multiple insulating materials on and around pipe

@Matthew,

There are at least two, maybe three insulating materials that I THINK I can see in your photo, annotated in a copy of your image.

On 2022-11-24 by Matthew

Thank you for all the information on this website, it's been very helpful with getting to grips with the old house we just moved into.

Our house was built in 1929. Recently I had some insulation work done that required the contractors to move a work bench in the basement. In doing so, they revealed the Steam Heat pipe in the picture I've attached.

I'm having trouble telling what sort of insulation it is, it doesn't seem to match any of the photos on your site, do you recognize it at all?

[Photo above]

On 2022-11-18 by InspectApedia (Editor) (mod)

@Kne,

I looked at your photo, even zoomed in, but I can not make out ANY of the actual pipe insulating material. What we see is a fabric wrapped over "something" and sealed at one end with what looks like silver duct tape.

Take a look at the asbestos pipe insulation illustrated above on this page. You can compare that to what you're seeing.

Or perhaps you can add a photo of the end of that wrapped stuff on the pipe so that we might have a better look.

While a lab test is generally required to confirm the identity of asbestos in many materials, SOME asbestos pipe insulation like that shown at the very top of this page is unmistakable since there was not another non-asbestos insulation used on piping and that looks the same.

On 2022-11-17 by Kne

What would be hard packed inside this material wrapped around the pipe? Resembles dark clay almost, holds form, owner says it's not asbestos. House built in 1890. Curious.

On 2022-11-14 by InspectApedia (Editor) (mod) - coarse brown fibers are not asbestos

@Martin,

That coarse brown fibrous material won't be asbestos. It looks a lot like jute or another organic insulating material.

On 2022-11-14 by Martin

Is this possibly asbestos.

On 2022-11-07 by InspectApedia (Editor) (mod) - fiberglass pipe wrap insulation is not asbestos

@Guy,

It looks like fiberglass pipe wrap

On 2022-11-07 by Guy

Wondering if this paper type insulation I took off my pipe in our crawl space is asbestos. I wore a respirator but yeah it was definitely floating around a bit.

Had no choice but to remove and replace the heat shrink underneath.

On 2022-11-01 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - does liner material inside my hot water convector radiator from the 1930s contain asbestos?

@Grace,

I'm sorry to say that from just your text and photo nobody can make an absolute statement about whether or not the little scrap of paper in that plastic bag contains asbestos or not.

Asbestos in paper and board forms was used in many heating system components and could have been a heat-insulating backer in a heating convector though in that location in thin paper form, it'd have had so little value that I am doubtful.

It would be more-helpful to see a photo of the heating convector unit in-situ, showing that tan paper in-place and in-use, presumably from which your little scrap sample was torn.

While you'd have to have a lab test done to prove for sure that your scrap is just paper not asbestos, you can see photos of what asbestos paper looks-like at

ASBESTOS PAPER DUCT INSULATION

Asbestos was used with thin kraft paper in some insulating products shown for example in this PDF from 1947

inspectapedia.com/insulation/Infra-insulation-1947.pdf

from which the crinkle insulation image below has been excerpted.

Typical heating convector construction and features are described at

WALL CONVECTORS HVAC

also take a peek at

ASBESTOS USE in APPLIANCES

On 2022-10-31 by Grace

I found liner material inside my.hot water convector radiator from the 1930s and an worried if it's asbestos

I was cleaning the fins before turning the heat on for the season and noticed what looked like paper between the fins and the front metal strip that is part of the housing for the fins. the house is super old and these are original radiators so I thought maybe a kid stuck paper in there.

used a flat head screw driver to try and push the paper out but when a chip fell to floor I saw it wasn't paper. the brown side faces the fins and yellow was the v dude attached to metal strip.

Again this liner or whatever it is is from 1930s. I cannot find anyone who. can identify if it had asbestos init not even Trane Hvac businesses.

On 2022-10-25 by InspectApedia (Editor)

@Fabio C,

That looks like fiberglass

On 2022-10-25 by Fabio C

Hi, Wondering if this is asbestos related, it was used to wrap the pipes going from radiatior to radiator. Thanks, Fabio

On 2022-10-07 by InspectApedia-911 (mod)

@James Durley,

Yellowish material is almost certainly fiberglass. It looks like there's some white stuff on the fiberglass but I can't quite make that out.

On 2022-10-07 by James Durley

Hi. I wonder if this is Asbestos. I saw this in someone's loft. It was wrapped around an old oil boiler flue. Someone has bagged the flue up and left in a void within the house. There is a picture zoomed into some that I can see on the floor in the void. The picture of the flue is hard to see but I didn't want to take out of the wrapping. Thanks.

...

On 2022-10-03 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - white corrugated paper-like material is probably asbestos pipe insulation

@Steve Schultz,

The white corrugated-paper-like material in your photo is probably asbestos pipe insulation.

The yellow material is probably fiberglass.

On 2022-10-03 by Steve Schultz

I know that I have some old radiator pipes wrapped in asbestos, but would like confirmation that the other insulation with the yellow coloring is not asbestos.

Also I am assuming the yellow colored powder is most likely fiberglass and not asbestos. Can someone confirm this for me? I am attaching 2 images (I think).

On 2022-10-11 by InspectApedia (mod)

@Saddie,

It is not a friable material, so even if it contains asbestos you'd be hard-pressed to detect a hazardous asbestos fibre or dust release from such a product under normal conditions.

DOES THIS MATERIAL CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if a BUILDING MATERIAL probably contains asbestos

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/DIY-Asbestos-Material-Test.php

can help you provide more contextual information that addresses the asbestos question.

On 2022-10-10 by Saddie

@InspectApedia , definitely not friable then. but I do see it was cut into in this and one more spot. based on the age and location of the house - do you think it contains asbestos?

On 2022-10-10 by InspectApedia (mod) - if not friable, there is little asbestos concern

@Saddie,

Friable means easily crumbled between your fingers, i.e. easy to make into a dust or small particles.

On 2022-10-10 by Saddie

@InspectApedia-911, the house was built in 1969, suburbia of Chicago. Hope this helps. When you say friable - what exactly do you mean?

On 2022-09-30 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - stick on wrap type pipe insulation

@Saddie,

That looks like a stick on wrap type pipe insulation. One cannot save from the photo whether or not it contains asbestos. But it would be useful to know the age and location of the building and a guess at the age of the wrap on material.

In any case if it is that the sticky type pipe wrap, it's not friable.

On 2022-09-30 by Saddie

When we moved in the inspector was not sure if this wrap was asbestos. I really would appreciate your input because my kids are starting to play more on that area and I need to know if it’s safe.

On 2022-09-25 by InspectApedia (Editor)

@MM

Thanks for the question and photo - sorry, but no we cannot assert that the pipe insulation in your photo is asbestos.

That dark gray material is not familiar to us. Comparing it with the asbestos pipe insulation on the page above we don't see a resemblance

It may be a cellulose material.

Short of an asbestos lab test, a sharp-focused close-up might allow us to offer a more-interesting opinion.

On 2022-09-25 by InspectApedia (Editor)

Re-posting from private email:

MM asked:

Are you able to identify the attached photo of the following as asbestos?

[Sent from the UK - Ed.]

On 2022-08-19 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - pipe insulation looks newer

@Max,

That looks like a rather new wrap on those pipes, possibly covering old pipe insulation and yes that older insulation may contain asbestos, though I can't see enough to have a confident opinion.

It would be helpful to know the country and city of location of the building and the building age.

On a 1908 house it's quite likely that asbestos pipe insulation would have been used on heating pipes and sometimes on water pipes too.

It's also plausible that a prior owner had asbestos pipe insulation either removed, or some removed and some encapsulated.

Your pipe wraps looked pretty new, hence my prior opinion.

Sometimes a careful inspection can find evidence of (incomplete) asbestos insulation removal - bits left at elbows and in hard-to-access areas such as where pipes head up into ceiling or wall cavities or down into enclosed floor cavities.

On 2022-08-19 by Max

Could you please help us identify if the pipe insulation containing asbestos? The house was build in 1908 in Chicago. The previous owner did a full renovation in ~2000. I dont' see any other (old) materials between the pipe and new wrap material.

...

On 2022-08-12 by InspectApedia (mod)

@Anonymous,

Your photo is showing two different brands of and colors of fiberglass insulation.

On 2022-08-12 by Anonymous

1969 Cardinal Camper, I'm unsure if asbestos comes in a yellow fiber texture. The pink in the photo is new standard insulation. The yellow is what I'm unsure about.

On 2022-08-08 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - powdery substance is likely UFFI in a circa 1914 house

@Dan,

Looks like UFFI foam. Read the description

at UFFI, HOW TO IDENTIFY in BUILDINGS

On 2022-08-08 by Dan

I'm wondering about this powdery substance that was used to insulate heating pipes in a circa 1914 house. It is powdery with fine, soft particles. The house is from around 1914 and this is powdery; pieces easily rub/break off and turn to dust. Is that likely to happen with foam insulation. Seems more like a fine sawdust, but not quite.

On 2022-08-02 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - corrugated asbestos paper with an external wrap or skin

@Aaron,

That's not animal fiber.

Almost certainly it's corrugated asbestos paper with an external wrap or skin.

I'd like to see a better photo in which you use a flash so that you can light up the end of the insulating material.

But you can certainly compare it with the photo shown here.

This is one of the few materials that can be reliably identified by visual inspection as asbestos corrugated paper because there was no look alike product that looks exactly the same but that was not an asbestos material.

On 2022-08-02 by Aaron

So our boss claims he tested this pipe wrap and it came back as animal fiber. I have a very hard time trusting this guy and at this point call b.s....... His only concern is everybody works. I feel he is putting the whole crew at risk requesting it to be removed. The home in question was built in 1929 in N.C. And the insulation is a wrap around boiler pipes.

I included a image I snapped today. Would I be in the wrong to remove a sample and have it tested it myself? I’m no expert but I have concerns on the material.

On 2022-07-06 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - balsam wool insulation

@Andrew,

That brown fibrous insulation is almost certainly a Balsam wool product. That's a wood fiber, not asbestos, a mineral.

On 2022-06-28 by Andrew

First, thank you so much for this wonderful resource!

I'm looking for help identifying the insulation in this image. House was built in ~1950 in Michigan. Unknown if this section of cast iron sewer pipe is original, although we believe it is. This is the main sewer line descending from the first floor of the house into the basement. It looks like balsam wool to me, but wanted a second opinion. Thanks!

On 2022-06-19 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - fiberglass and common fiberglass /plastic/paper/foil wraps

@Anonymous

OK so on a house that old certainly there could have been any number of asbestos-containing products, including drywall and joint compound visible in one of your photos.

But the pipe insulation in your photos looks like fiberglass and common fiberglass /plastic/paper/foil wraps.

Take a look at ASBESTOS PIPE INSULATION - the article above on this page

We've posted your photos and question (received by private email) on this page for you to see and to invite comment from others.

Note that asbestos fibres may be found in old mastic adhesives - as you've read, though that material is not normally friable so doesn't release particles to the air except if disturbed such as by demolition.

Note that asbestos could well be in drywall and joint compound and possibly in a foundation waterproofing paint in your home, depending on the age of those materials.

And of course asbestos was used in thousands of other products.

That's not a reason to be frightened. It's a reason to avoid disturbing suspect materials, cover them, or if there must be demolition, then use appropriate procedures.

On 2022-06-19 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - can there be some asbestos fibers mixed into this insulation?

Re-posting from private email:

Anonymous reader says -

First of all, I wanted to thank you immensely for your wonderful database. I'm grateful for all the wonderful information your provide. I truly can't thank you enough!

Secondly, I would like to seek your help regarding identifying the material in the three photos I've attached to this email. They're all pipe insulation found in my basement around regular (mostly) copper water supply pipes. I'm concerned about the insulation itself but also the white paper or plastic wrap that is also degraded and being reinforced with packing and/or aluminum tape.

The bit that concerns me most is the most damaged insulation around the pipe coming right out of the water meter. They may have been added at different times.

I suspect it's all fiberglass and the tape or casing is plastic or paper but perhaps it's asbestos or asbestos containing material. I'm no expert and I'm not sure about the oldest bit by the water meter in particular. We only bought the house a year ago. I also know from some research that even the fiberglass insulation can have asbestos in it:
...

This is simply black mastic or whatever you call it and I don't see that in the insulation in my house, though I've not torn it to look underneath so I can't be sure.

What I'm wondering is whether there can be some asbestos fibers mixed into this insulation especially the bit by the water meter, independent of any black mastic. I've lost count of all the things asbestos fibers were added to and perhaps this fiberglass insulation is among them. ...

I would very much appreciate your help with this matter since we have upcoming renovations next week or the one after that will involve this section of the basement. - Anonymous 2022/06/16

Follow-up:

The house was built in 1912 but, of course, there have been several renovations over the years in bits and pieces so to speak. It's a two-story, two-bedroom house. It's located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

...

On 2022-06-18 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - cellulose insulation

@Steve,

Looks like cellulose. Take a closer look for bits of newsprint.

On 2022-06-18 by Steve

House was built in 1945 and expanded in 1970. Found some of this on a hot water pipe. Black plastic over filling which may or may not be asbestos.

On 2022-06-13 by InspectApedia-911 (mod)

@Jim,

That brown and white coarse fibrous material is far more likely to be jute or hemp insulation and fiberglass or similar product.

On 2022-06-12 by Jim

Hi found this wrapped around radiator pipes inside wall while removing radiator.
is it possible asbestos?

On 2022-06-13 by Andrew

@InspectApedia-911, Thank you for your thorough answer! Much appreciated for taking the time - it is really helpful.

On 2022-06-10 by InspectApedia-911 (mod)

@Andrew,

Please find our discussion now at the reader Q&A found at

HEMP / JUTE INSULATION

Post added photos, questions, comments as you wish.

Thank you for the discussion.

On 2022-06-10 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - does reader need to worry about mixed fibers in insulation

@Andrew,

With a dissemblance that nowhere nearly matches the level of ducking and weaving in U.S. politics today, I note that I'm inspecting your insulation through the pinhole of a few photos - nowhere nearly as accurate as on-site or from a sample in our forensic laboratory.

But to me from your photos the material does not look like fiberglass or mineral wool.

PLEASE take a look at our insulation identification discussion, description, and photos found in the INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE - home - given in the list of Recommended Articles on this page.

There you can make additional visual comparisons.

Fiberglass and mineral wool don't look like plant fibres in colour, translucency, nor smoothness of the fibres.

--

I can't say what someone might possibly do or not about mixing insulation products but we don't normally find Jute mixed with asbestos nor fiberglass in simple jute insulating wraps for pipes. Doing so flies in the face of the reasons given for the production of that insulation in the first place.

BUT a more fact-based answer can be found by a judicious search of patent disclosures and technical articles.

For example see

K Arun Prasath and B Radha Krishnan, MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF WOVEN FABRIC BASALT/JUTE FIBRE REINFORCED POLYMERHYBRID COMPOSITES [PDF] Int. J. Mech. Eng. & Rob. Res. 2013, ISSN 2278 – 0149 www.ijmerr.com
Vol. 2, No. 4, October 2013 - retrieved 2022/06/10, original source: http://www.ijmerr.com/v2n4/ijmerr_v2n4_34.pdf

Abstract:
Composites are emerging as realistic alternatives to the metal alloys in many applications like automobiles, marine, aerospace applications, sports goods, etc. Fiber composites offer many advantages such as low specific gravity, tensile strength and modulus, compressive strength and modulus, better fatigue strength, etc.

Due to the low specific gravity the strength weight ratio and modulus weight ratio of these composite materials are markedly superior to those of metallic materials. In this work it is concerned general purpose poly ester-based polymer composites are developed by reinforcement of basalt fabric and jute fabric into general purpose poly ester matrix by compression moulding technique.

This study describes the basalt fiber and jute fibre reinforced hybrid composites with poly ester resin with different stacking sequence. Fabricated composite plates subjected to mechanical properties like Flexural strength, Impact strength test of the various specimens are calculated by using computer assisted Universal testing machine and Charpy Impact testing machine.

From the results it is found that pure basalt fibre combination maintains higher values in both flexural and tensile test. But for impact test basalt fibre is slightly lower than jute fibre reinforced composite.

You will read that this polymer-reinforced jute appears to be more of a specialty product than low-cost pipe-wrap such as that in your photos.

---

I would not lose a nanosecond's of sleep worrying about an environmental hazard from a bit of jute insulation that fell into a ceiling cavity.

But I would ask and investigate why it fell off: is there a moisture problem or rodent problem that raises other concerns? Is there a freeze risk concern? Is there an energy cost concern?

On 2022-06-10 by Andrew

@InspectApedia-911,

Thank you very much for your answer – It’s really helpful! It seems as some kind of fibre indeed.

If you don’t mind I would have a few more questions:

1. Based on the pictures do you think we can exclude mineral wool/rock wool and/or fibreglass, too?

2. Could the insulation on the pictures be some kind of a fibre combined with mineral wool or fibreglass?

3. It seems fibre-particles of the insulation came off and there are under the pipes – do you think it is problematic if these particles fall down from the concealed ceiling into our apartment (through the inspection hatches)?

Thank you again! Andrew

On 2022-06-06 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - jute insulation not asbestos

@Andrew,

That's not asbestos insulation - it looks like jute (hemp-flax insulation) or a similar fibre.

Illustrated here are batts of hemp flax thermo-hemp insulation as distributed in the UK by https://www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com/ described by the vendor as "Manufactured using discarded cocoa and coffee bean bags."

See details and compare your insulation with

HEMP / JUTE INSULATION https://inspectapedia.com/insulation/Jute-Insulation.php

and let me know what you think.

On 2022-06-06 by Andrew

Asbestos insulation?

...

On 2022-06-08 by InspectApedia-911 (mod)

@David wild,

If you're referring to that brown fibrous stuff in the center of your photo that looks like fiberboard. Typically a wood product.

On 2022-06-08 by David wild

Hi this is behind my fuse box, house is circa 1960 I'm unsure whether it's wood or hopefully not asbestos board. It has suffered from what looks like woodworm but is in poor condition.

 

...

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