Storage Heaters - Unidare Softline & Asbestos

Madthinker

Hi,

We have bought a house with 5 Unidare Softline storage heaters. I cannot find any identification numbers on the outside other than the format shown in the photo.

The number are:

Ser S 705437 518

Ser S 705466 518

Ser S 705440 518

Ser S 706065 524

Ser S 705144 518

I have tried looking for these numbers online lists of serial numbers for models that are known to/not to contain asbestos.

E.g. I can't find the above in these lists:
https://www.armco.org.uk/asbestos-survey-news/storage-heaters-that-contain-asbestos/
http://www.storageheaters.com/asbestos-list.htm
https://help.gdhv.co.uk/support/solutions/articles/79000133385-how-do-i-check-if-my-storage-heater-has-asbestos-or-not-

Can anyone confirm - am I looking at the right number, or am I missing something?

They were put in after the last occupants moved in, in 1988, so am pretty sure they don't contain asbestos, but want to confirm.

Thanks

subjecttocontract

My understanding is that provided asbestos is undisturbed it will not cause a problem.

Madthinker

Thanks.

We are having them removed, so the purpose of confirming whether they contain asbestos is so we know how they should be disposed of. 

danrv

I contacted Dimplex before dismantling my Unidare R10/73 warm air heater.
Many of the old storage heater brands are connected with them.
With the Serial No. from the rating plate, they confirmed that it was manufactured using no asbestos containing materials.

Albermarle

Similar thread from last year.
Storage heater help — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Section62

subjecttocontract said:

My understanding is that provided asbestos is undisturbed it will not cause a problem.

Depends on the type of asbestos and the meaning of 'undisturbed'.  And 'in good condition' is usually also fitted into that statement somehow.

Generally 'undisturbed' is taken to mean not worked on or removed, but for some forms of asbestos - such as loose-fill insulation - a strong draught can be enough to 'disturb' fibres into the air.

Also if the absbestos-containing material is not in good condition then it can be shedding fibres without being 'disturbed'.

In the OP's case they will need to know what they are dealing with in order to arrange safe removal and disposal of the heaters.

subjecttocontract

I wouldn't have even considered wether the heater contained asbestos. I remember replacing a couple of storage heaters with new ones when we had some rental flats but can't remember now how I disposed of the old ones. I probably left them out for the scrap metal merchants.

A quick check online shows that for Unidare the use of asbestos in storage heaters was stopped in 1973. All made from 1974 onwards are asbestos free. You can check serial numbers online if you think yours are pre 1974. See

storageheaters.com/storage-heaters-asbestos.htm 

Madthinker

Thanks all.

I have now found some installation instructions which means the models must be one of S512, S518 or S524.

However, I do not see these models, or the 'S' series as a whole on any lists.

I also scanned the documentation for any clues/dates that might indicate that it was produced after some year (Tele, postcode, electrical standards), but to no avail.

Any ideas?

danrv

A few pics from when I dismantled my Unidare warm air heater.  After disconnecting the two power supplies, I carefully took it apart bit by bit.
As a precaution, I sprayed the internals with diluted PVA in a garden sprayer and wore PPE.

As for your S series heaters, I would contact Dimplex. The later Softline models I don't think contain asbestos.

diveunderthebonnet

Someone stated that asbestos was not used after 1973/1974 ,do your heaters look over 50 years old? if younger then you should be ok.