Asbestos Use in Electric or Gas Heaters

Common Uses of Asbestos in Electric Heaters

• Asbestos cement millboard in some electric heaters: Asbestos or transite asbestos (asbestos-cement) was used in some heating cabinets as an insulating panel or as a mounting panel for electric heating elements.
  
  Asbestos was widely used to carry electric heating elements, in heat-resistant wiring, and possibly in other components in electric heaters manufactured (in the U.S.) up to 1974.
  
  Asbestos was also used in the electrical wire insulation in some electric heaters as it was in similar high-heat appliances like toasters.
  
  See details at ASBESTOS ELECTRICAL WIRE INSULATION
• Asbestos was used in electric wall mounted night storage heaters: discussed separately in NIGHT STORAGE HEATERS & HEAT SINK RADIATORS, some storage heaters contain asbestos.
  
  See ASBESTOS, in the UK, YOUR QUICK GUIDE [PDF] UK Health & Safety Executive, Web: www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos
  
  The UK asbestos web page includes an offer of a smartphone app that helps list or identify asbestos-containing products.
  
  UK STORAGE HEATERS CONTAINING ASBESTOS [PDF]
  
  PRODUCTS that MIGHT CONTAIN ASBESTOS (in the UK) [PDF] U.K. Health & Safety Executive
• Asbestos cement millboard in some gas heaters: was used as a heat shield
  
  And as we list seprately at ASBESTOS in UNUSUAL PLACES asbestos was used in some gas fireplace logs or other fireplace components
  

Does our Skope Fan Heater use Asbestos? Is it safe to use?

At ASBESTOS ELECTRICAL WIRE INSULATION  our reader asked:

We have an old Skope fan heater on the wall in our holiday home in New Zealand and was wondering if it had the potential to have asbestos in it and if its safe to use?

It was purchased about 85-86 and is made of stamped metal. The white fluffy stuff in the grills i am hoping is just dust, but thought I'd ask. On 2026-06-27 by John

Answer by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - asbestos unlikely In a 1985 electric heater in New Zealand

@John,

The light gray fluffy deposits on the steel heater's front cover around the grill openings on your heater is accumulated house dust, not asbestos. Below is my enlargement of a section of your photo.

House dust is commonly deposited on heater openings by the convection currents of air caused by heat or by a fan in some heater models.

We explain at HOUSE DUST ANALYSIS that the primary components of house dust are fabric fibers and skin cells.

To remove this dust you can simply damp wipe the cover or more effective would be gentle vacuuming.

Your Skope fan heater is indeed an older unit, but Skope still offers support in New Zealand: by calling the company's New Zealand office at 0800 947 5673 or email to skope@skope.com.

When we were in Christchurch I found that Skope units could be serviced or repaired by Cali Comfort Solutions Ltd +6433470366 info@calicomfort.co.nz but I'm not sure how much of the country they cover.

About the use of asbestos in Skope heaters in New Zealand and Australia, I'm still researching but I've not found specific reference confirming asbestos use in those appliances. However some older night heaters used asbestos in electric wire insulation and on insulating asbestos-cement boards (not friable if not damaged) up to about 1975.

Bottom line: As your heater is ten years newer it's not likely to contain asbestos.

My OPINION is that if not mechanically damaged, even those 1950-s to 1970's older heaters are not likely to release detectable levels of asbestos fibers into building air.

But Fibre Safe (a company whose business includes asbestos abatement on heaters) found what looks to me like friable asbestos packer washers on the feet of some older night storage heaters (that was NOT a Skope heater nor therefore was it your unit). See https://fibresafe.com/asbestos-in-heating-appliances/

I searched the web for any report of finding asbestos in Skope heaters and reviewed the results where the word "Skope" appeared - NONE of them actually cited finding asbestos in Skope wall heaters.

Thank you for a helpful question.

Also see NIGHT STORAGE HEATERS & HEAT SINK RADIATORS  where we cite evidence of the use of asbestos in certain wall mounted night-storage heaters.

Also see ASBESTOS ELECTRICAL WIRE INSULATION for more about asbestos insulation on electrical wires in electric heaters and where this Q&A were originally posted.

For similar asbestos uses such as in refrigerators, irons, and toasters see ASBESTOS USE in APPLIANCES.

UK STORAGE HEATERS CONTAINING ASBESTOS [PDF]

 - Daniel Friedman

Followup by John: Skope says no asbestos in their heaters

@InspectApedia Publisher, thank you for your response, I have contacted Skope just in case, I will be sure to let all know of their response, though I expect it'll be similar to your assessment!

... 2026/7/02: @InspectApedia Publisher, so just got a reply from Skope, and you are indeed correct, they said "when we did heating that they didn't have any asbestos parts"

Good outcome and thanks for your input.

Paint or Seal Asbestos in Old Heaters?

Can I Paint the Asbestos "Core" in an old Humphrey Fireplace Heater?

We have an antique brass and asbestos Humphrey Fireplace heater. It uses an asbestos core 18 in. c 8 in. core to hold ten asbestos heating coils. I am refurbishing and polishing the brass and would like to paint the asbestos core with high heats Rust-Oleum paint. Not paint the coils. Is it alright to paint the core this way? On 2020-07-10 by Ava Jean Lokkesmoe

Answer by (mod) -

Ava

Painting won't hurt asbestos material but be sure not to use paint on a heater without assuring that the temperatures provided by the heater will not exceed the permissible rating of the paint.

Here is a useful guide

• Australia: "SEALING, PAINTING, COATING AND CLEANING OF ASBESTOS CEMENT PRODUCTS" [PDF], Victoria Government, Australia, retrieved 2019/08/28 original source: http://www.asbestos.vic.gov.au/in-the-workplace/sealing-painting-coating-and-cleaning-asbestos-cement-products

Paint / Seal Asbestos Heater Components?

What is the asbestos exposure risk from scraping off stove heater cement and rope door gaskets?

What is the risk of exposure to floating asbestos fibres when scraping off dry rope gaskets and stove cement from old cast iron stoves ? IF there is an appreciable risk what procedure would you recommend? On 2017-12-15 by sanjaykapur101

by (mod) - wet the material and follow good asbestos removal procedures.

Sanjay

The risk from removing any small amount of asbestos-containing rope or fabric on a heater or appliance is probably modest and depends largely on the condition of the material (dry gaskets are not so friable) and on how badly the material is disturbed, chopped, sawn , ground, made into dust and on whether or not you use a proper removal method and dust control and personal protective gear such as a HEPA respirator.

In my opinion it would make sense to minimize the dust by wetting the material.

See ASBESTOS REMOVAL, WETTING GUIDE 

Here is another useful guide

• Australia: SAFE PRACTICES for HOMEOWNERS REPAIRING or REMOVING SMALL AMOUNTS of ASBESTOS MATERIALS [PDF] retrieved 2019/08/28 original source: https://asbestosawareness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Fact-Sheet-2-Detailed-Asbestos-Management-1.pdf

Does this Vintage Arvin Space Heater Model 37H25-1 contain asbestos?

I have a Vintage Arvin Space Heater, 1320 Watts (Model 37H25-1). Do you know what year that model was made?

I'm asking because it still works great & I use it when I'm in the basement, but I was reading there is a risk that units made before 1974 contain asbestos. - Mike, Ja

Discussion by InspectApedia Publisher (mod) - here's where to look for asbestos in old electric heaters

@Mikey,

Where asbestos was used in electric heaters it's often visible as a grey-white board that carries electrical wires or occasionally as electrical wire insulation.

If you don't see any such panels inside your heater the chances that it used asbestos are much less.

If you are in the UK, it's worth noting that electric heaters made after 1974 would not be expected to include asbestos as in the UK asbestos storage and heater insulation using asbestos was withdrawn in 1973.

For other readers, some UK heaters such as the Dimplex XL/XLS never used asbestos.

See this list of UK HEATERS THAT INCLUDED ADBESTOS [PDF] - courtesy of Armco Asbestos Surveys, Armco Asbestos Consultants
Unit 1, Bury Business Centre, Kay Street, Bury BL9 6BU UK, - retrieved 2023/01/04, original source: https://www.armco.org.uk/asbestos-survey-news/storage-heaters-that-contain-asbestos/

PDF copy here at

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/UK-storage-heaters-containing-asbestos-Aug-2019.pdf

Certainly some other older Arvin electric heaters that we've seen dis-assembled used metal and ceramic parts to suspend the heater coils - we didn't see anything that looked asbestos-suspect in a YouTube video posted by

davida1hiwaaynet about 10 years ago - excerpted below

Continuing and for other readers: We don't know which Arvin products did contain asbestos, but evidently some did, as Arvin is named in asbestos litigation.

Arvin Industries, Inc., a predecessor of Meritor, acquired Maremont in 1986.

Watch out: Maremont and many other companies are defendants in suits brought by individuals claiming personal injuries as a result of exposure to asbestos-containing products.

Followup by Mikey

Does this include space heaters (specifically this model), or does it only apply to storage heaters? I've searched everywhere online but have not found a definitive answer. I included a picture of the unit & the sticker on the bottom, which has all the info.

Other Uses of Asbestos in Heaters & Heating Systems & Equipment

• ASBESTOS AIR DUCTS
• ASBESTOS BOILER INSULATION
• ASBESTOS DUCT VIBRATION DAMPENERS
• ASBESTOS ELECTRICAL WIRE INSULATION - asbestos insulation on electrical wires in electric heaters.
• ASBESTOS in GAS FIREPLACE COALS, EMBERS, or LOGS
• ASBESTOS PIPE INSULATION
• ASBESTOS STYROFOAM PANELS
• NIGHT STORAGE HEATERS & HEAT SINK RADIATORS 
• TRANSITE PIPE AIR DUCT ASBESTOS RISKS
• TRANSITE PIPE CHIMNEYS & FLUES

Research on Use of Asbestos in Electric or Gas Heaters

• 16 CFR Chapter 11, Consumer Products Containing Asbestos, Advance Notice of Proposed Rule making", [PDF] U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, CPSC, U.S. Federal Register, Vol. 44. No 201, 17 October 1979, Proposed Rules, 60057. This document cites a long list of consumer products that contained asbestos.
  
  P. 60061 in this document cites appliances that contained asbestos including air conditioners, dishwashers, hand held mixers, portable electric heaters, popcorn poppers, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners and waffle makers and on P. 60068, Catalytic heater mantles.
• Archer, S. R., and T. R. Blackwood. Status assessment of toxic chemicals: asbestos. Vol. 1. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory, 1979. In this text, table 4. U.S. Asbestos Uses (3)
  
  This book is available as a free e-book via Google Play. Link:
  https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=U57ObCey-wcC&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PP1
• ASBESTOS HISTORY & PROPERTIES [Book online] D.V. Roasato, engineering consultant, Newton MA, Reinhold Publishing Co., NY, 1959, Library of Congress Catalog No. 59-12535. We have re-published this text as an online book at InspectApedia. Excerpts & adaptations are also found in InspectApedia.com articles on asbestos history, production & visual identification in and on buildings.
• "Asbestos in Plastic Compositions", A.B. Cummins, Modern Plastics [un-dated, pre 1952]
• "Asbestos in Your Home," Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority, Spokane WA 509-477-4727 www.scapa.org provides a one-page image, a .pdf file drawing of a house warning of some possible sources of asbestos in the home. The sources are not ranked according to actual risk of releasing hazardous levels of airborne asbestos fibers and the list is useful but incomplete.
• Chrysotile [asbestos] and Its Uses, Louis Perron, Minerals and Metals Sector, Canadian Minerals Yearbook, 2002, Natural Resources Canada, web search 03/01/2011, original source: http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/mms-smm/busi-indu/cmy-amc/content/2002/20.pdf
• Blake, C.L., Harbison, S.C., Johnson, G.T. and Harbison, R.D., 2011. Airborne asbestos exposures associated with work on asbestos fire sleeve materials. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 61(2), pp.236-242.
• Capek, J.V. Electrical Heater [Patent listing by Google] U.S. Patent 424921, granted 1890-04-01 to John Capek of New York and Greenwich Connecticut refers to patent No. 395,950, dated January 8, 1889, by Capek, an early patent example explicitly citing use of asbestos in electric heaters
  
  Excerpt: ... in order to guard agasint danger of fire most effectively I prefer to emply a non-combustible material, and more especially I prefer to use asbestos ... placing at each end a small block of asbestos...
• EPA Guidance for Controlling Asbestos-Containing Materials in buildings, NIAST, National Institute on Abatement Sciences & Technology, [republishing EPA public documents] 1985 ed., Exposure Evaluation Division, Office of Toxic Substances, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington,D.C. 20460
• Goodman, Julie E., Michael K. Peterson, Lisa A. Bailey, Laura E. Kerper, and David G. Dodge. "Electricians’ chrysotile asbestos exposure from electrical products and risks of mesothelioma and lung cancer." Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 68, no. 1 (2014): 8-15.
• Hwang, Sung Ho, and Wha Me Park. "Evaluation of asbestos-containing products and released fibers in home appliances." Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association 66, no. 9 (2016): 922-929. Abstract excerpt:
  
  The purpose of this study was to detect asbestos-containing products and released asbestos fibers from home appliances.
• Jackson, C. M. "A simple electric heater and thermo‐regulator for paraffin ovens, incubators, etc." The Anatomical Record 4, no. 3 (1910): 139-142.
  
  Another early example explicitly citing use of asbestos in electric heaters
• Ross, William H. "An Electric Heater for Ether Extractions." Industrial & Engineering Chemistry 3, no. 12 (1911): 929-930.
• Sketcher, Brian. Electricians Guide to Asbestos. AAQ Pty Ltd, 2013.
  
  Excerpt: ... box linings, cable wraps or sheaths particularly to mains connections and to the electrodes of electrical heaters in airconditioning systems. Asbestos packing in electrical risers …