Lagging for large pipes

grumbler

Section62 said:

grumbler said:

No, it's not asbestos. And there is no point in adding asbestos to this sort of insulation.

...

Asbestos was added to all kinds of materials, and not necessarily because it made sense.

No, only when it did make sense to add it because of its more or less unique properties - natural mineral fibres and extremely high melting temperature. In this case we see some hemp/jute-like  plant fibres - there is no point in adding asbestos fibres. And 100C isn't some extreme temperature.

In this particular case it would be the paper-type material I'd have the greater concern over.

Where do you see paper-type? I see some transparent starch-like glue holding the fibres together. Asbestos is light grey and not transparent. And I see some light metal under the steel pipe.

FFHillbilly

I don't think that looks like asbestos but I would never tell anyone that it's definitely not asbestos and it's safe.
theres loads of asbestos training vids online I'd recommend looking at them and as a a start making your own decision. 
there is also the option of taking a sample to your local tip to see if you can take it there, it's recommended to wear a suit and mask and collect a sample and put it in a sealed bag, my local tip will then say whether or not its asbestos or not and just stake it from there

ComicGeek

grumbler said:

Section62 said:

grumbler said:

No, it's not asbestos. And there is no point in adding asbestos to this sort of insulation.

...

Asbestos was added to all kinds of materials, and not necessarily because it made sense.

No, only when it did make sense to add it because of its more or less unique properties - natural mineral fibres and extremely high melting temperature. In this case we see some hemp/jute-like  plant fibres - there is no point in adding asbestos fibres. And 100C isn't some extreme temperature.

The majority of the old original boiler rooms that I see (with maximum water temperatures of 72-80 degrees) have wrapped insulation containing asbestos. Pipe work lagging (and insulation to tanks) is the most common place I see it when I do building surveys - all the buildings that I see survey have asbestos registers, and pipework is by far the most common place, mainly because the other stuff has probably been long removed and no one would be thinking of touching pipework insulation.

That really should be tested!

Section62

grumbler said:

Section62 said:

grumbler said:

No, it's not asbestos. And there is no point in adding asbestos to this sort of insulation.

...

Asbestos was added to all kinds of materials, and not necessarily because it made sense.

No, only when it did make sense to add it because of its more or less unique properties - natural mineral fibres and extremely high melting temperature. In this case we see some hemp/jute-like  plant fibres - there is no point in adding asbestos fibres. And 100C isn't some extreme temperature.

Temperature resistance is just one property of asbestos.  There are others including being water/rot-resistant.  The fibres can add strength to other materials.  They can add bulk.  And one of the most important properties was the fact it was cheap.

One of the less obvious uses was in the manufacture of toilet cisterns and window boards.  Neither of which would normally be exposed to "extreme temperature".

Lagging water pipes with asbestos fibre was a cheap way of insulating them, sometimes just because it was what was to hand. It wasn't solely because the pipe was so hot that asbestos was essential.

grumbler said:

In this particular case it would be the paper-type material I'd have the greater concern over.

Where do you see paper-type? I see some transparent starch-like glue holding the fibres together. Asbestos is light grey and not transparent. And I see some light metal under the steel pipe.

The colour of asbestos-containing materials varies widely.  It is dangerous nonsense to suggest that all asbestos is "light grey".

Mixing asbestos fibre with "transparent starch-like glue" (if that's what it is) would have been seen as a good way of strengthening the material.

Asbestos fibres typically aren't visible to the naked eye - so if they are added to a semi-translucent binder the result may well be a semi-translucent material, not necessarily something which is "light grey".  (The actual colour will depend in part on the fibre to binder ratio).