Advice about Asbestos
Parent Q&A
Archived Q&A and Reviews
- New furnace/asbestos abatement
- To abate or not to abate? Asbestos In ducts
- Landlord wants to ''encapsulate'' asbestos
- Asbestos testing and removal
- Asbestos tape throughout the ductwork
- Heating ducts have asbestos
- Pipes in basement wrapped in asbestos
- Is there asbestos in our popcorn ceiling?
- Asbestos Insulation on Heating Ducts
- Related page: Heating Ducts
- See also: Asbestos in kitchen floor
New furnace/asbestos abatement
Sept 2008
We are looking to replace a very old furnace and also have some asbestos abatement work done. Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks! sarah H
Try Marius Construction-510-828-6551. This is a real specialty and Marius is licensed for it. He has done remarkable work on my 1910 Craftsman. I keep hiring him over and over for different jobs because he is amazing with older homes. I had 2 huge 1950 era Atlas heaters and tons of asbestos ductwork that needed to go. Read his reviews on this and other sites and you will be very encouraged. Susan
I had American Air Conditioning put in my AC and was very impressed with their work. They were very reasonably priced and the work was done quickly and neatly. The installer was there on time, was polite, and answered all my questions. I found the company easy to work with and would highly recommend them. We also had to have asbestos removed and he advised and helped with that. His name is Anthony and the company is American Air Conditioning Company 510-417-2955 925-705-3800 Elizabeth
To abate or not to abate? Asbestos In ducts
April 2007
An inspector recently pointed out asbestos linings around our heating ducts and WITHIN our floor registers. The asbestos lining that is visible in the registers appears to be in pretty good condition, but it is hard to see it all. It is hard to tell if the ducts are in good shape, since they are covered with the asbestos lining as well as an additional layer of newer, non-asbestos lining. I know the asbestos isn't a problem if it isn't airborn. My concern is that if there is a leak in one of the ducts or damage that isn't visible in one of the registers, our heating system will blow asbestos throughout the house. So, why don't we get it abated? In researching that, it seems quite possible to create MORE of a hazard unless the company captures all of the dust it creates, which, with various factors including human error, seems very difficult to guarantee. Anyone else been in this situation? What did you do? confused homeowner
I did have a similar experience with the asbestos question. The advice I was given was that if the asbestos was intact, it could do more damage to the environment to try to remove it than it would to have a painter seal it over with paint. That is what I did. We hired a painter for about $200 to cover all the asbestos surrounding the ducts in the attic with paint and I think that has worked out.
Contact Peter Landry at Synergy Electric in San Leandro or Hayward. My general contractor husband has used him a lot and says, ''He's a great guy.'' He can give you an estimate and explain the process of removing the asbestos. burr
We went through this same debate, got estimates from a few abatement companies, and ultimately thus far have decided to do nothing for now. I was also concerned that ''abating'' might cause more harm than good, and since much of it wasn't accessible, it just seemed like an unsolvable problem. We decided to switch to plug-in electric heaters and just not use the furnace, and while it's not a real solution, I at least feel like I'm not blowing asbestos into the house every time I use the furnace. I am also curious what other people have done. m
Landlord wants to ''encapsulate'' asbestos
Nov 2006
The house we are renting has an old heating system with several exposed air ducts that are wrapped in materials containing over 50% asbestos (we had it tested). Our landlord wants to ''encapsulate'' the ducts because it's cheaper than removing and replacing the ducts. I have heard that encapsulation is not a safe solution because the asbestos fibers are so fine that they penetrate the encapsulation materials and can still get into the air flow. Can anyone recommend an expert I can consult with on this topic? Thank you Concerned tenant
We had asbestos flooring removed quickly and efficiently by Synergy (www.synergycompanies.org). They came for the evaluation the day after I called and scheduled the removal for two days later. I was impressed and relieved by their prompt assistance! shelly
Asbestos insulation on heating ducts and Asbestos removal - I recommend you just get it taken care. It is friable; it is hazardous, but minimally so in the residential settings. The best solution is not to paint or encapsulate but have a heating company bid on replacing with new flex ducting (then the insides of the ducts will be new and clean-smelling!) ...they in turn should have a certified asbestos removal company they like to work with.
To make a long story short, we lived with old ducts and banged our heads on the asbestos covering when we worked in the basement for 17 years. The musty smell from the ducts bothered me so much we barely turned our heater on at all and I got inflamed eyes as well for months. Once I got a bid for cleaning the ducts that was $3,000 so that discouraged me. We hired Harry Clark Plumbing/Heating in oakland to do the new job a few weeks ago and they had us use Synergy Companies for the asbestos removal. We had only a few duct lines - total cost for both synchronized jobs - around $2,700. The work only took 2 days total and they found lots to be improved on -there we gaps around the old pipes, the old connections for the venting flue was not up to code, etc. Now my house gets warm much quicker and my eyes are happy. Wish I had done it sooner. You can check the big furnace companies like Atlas, HC, etc.in the yellow pages. All probably reputatable if they have stayed in business awhile. The bad news: this is their busy time of year. Place a call by late Spring to get a bid and get on their work schedule. Judy
Asbestos testing and removal
Nov 2006
Hi I am looking for a referral for someone to see if we have asbestos insulation, and if so to remove it safely, or to contain it safely. Thanks for referrals.
For Asbestos abatement and the question above about asbestos advice, I recommend Synergy. They have worked on my house twice - once when I moved in and had some small encapsulation work done, and more recently when I finally had all the asbestos covered ductwork removed. They are extremely professional, absolute topic experts and in both cases the price of their work came in exactly as quoted Rose
We had asbestos flooring removed quickly and efficiently by Synergy (www.synergycompanies.org). They came for the evaluation the day after I called and scheduled the removal for two days later. I was impressed and relieved by their prompt assistance! Shelly
Asbestos tape throughout the ductwork
August 2005
We purchased our house in 2002. A couple of days ago we had our HVAC system inspected for the first time since we moved in, and found out there is asbestos tape all throughout the ductwork under the house. We never would have bought our house had we known there was this problem - we have an infant and a toddler. When we purchased our home, in the disclosure checklist, the box relating to the presence of ''Asbestos'' was ticked ''no.'' The detection of asbestos was beyond the scope of our home inspectors. We contacted our real estate agent and got a copy of our closing file. As we looked through all of the documents, we found out that the original homeowner (who sold the house to the people we purchased it from) ticked ''unknown'' regarding the presence of asbestos in HIS disclosure document 5 years ago during that sale. We also saw a DIFFERENT home inspection, again conducted during the purchase prior to ours, that indicated there was in fact asbestos present. So, I think we have established that the people we purchased the house from knew there was asbestos and then lied about it on the disclosure. My childhood friend's mom died of asbestos exposure, from Mesothelioma and they don't know how she ever got exposed. I am so scared and angry about everything that I cannot even begin to think about what to do about the situation. What about my kids' health? What about my health? Do we need to have the house checked? The asbestos removed/abated? What about the costs? Do I need to find a good lawyer regarding the homeowner & real estate agent lying to us about the presence of asbestos? What would you do???? Want to have a healthy home
Hi- I totally understand your frustration. Here is my understanding of asbestos, (and I'm not a scientist or anything, just concerned parent like you.) Asbestos generally poses no problem until removed or tampered with. When we bought our home and renovated it, asbestos was everywhere- asbestos shingles, around wiring and plumbing, and in the old heater. We did not have children at the time, but we researched our options and had all the different types of asbestos tested. (I can't remember where, but the lab was somewhere in Emeryville or Berkeley near Scharffenberger Chocolates.) There are friable and non-friable types of asbestos. Supposedly the non-friable types are fine to remove by yourself, but we didn't want to take any chances. As far as the former owner not disclosing the information, contact your real estate agent or if they can't help you, their broker. You may want to know what your options are. But for me, I would get rid of the asbestos and take a vacation while it's being done. Michelle
Heating ducts have asbestos
July 2004
Hello, We have an older house and our heating ducts have asbestos. We maintain the furnace and have had the ducts blown out etc. and are told as long as we keep everything patched and cleaned, etc. we should be okay. But I am a little paranoid having children in the house with asbestos, let alone my husband and myself. Is this rediculously expesnive to do? (We are limited in funds). Has anyone else out there been through this, and if so who did you use for removal? Is it worth doing, or am I just being paranoid? Thanks. Lisa
If the asbestos surrounding your pipes is intact, you are MUCH better off not doing anything other than wrapping them with some material. Asbestos removal should not be done in this case, since it is the loose asbestos which is a health risk. By removing intact asbestos, you will be creating a much greater risk than what you have. If you do decide to have it removed, you will need to get a contractor who has been trained and certified in asbestos removal and cleanup, and it won't be cheap. Anonymous
Pipes in basement wrapped in asbestos
Feb 2004
I have some pipes in my basement that are wrapped in asbestos. I'd like to have the asbestos removed by a reliable licensed contractor. Any recommendations? Dennis
We just had quotes to have asbestos removed from our 1925 furnace. We were told that 95% of the asbestos removal in the Bay Area was made by Synergy. Peter came to our house and gave us a very reasonable estimate. Synergy was also recommended by all 3 heating system people who came to give us quotes. good luck
Is there asbestos in our popcorn ceiling?
Jan 2004
I want to find out if there is asbestos in the ''acoustic'' popcorn-style ceilings of ours before we move forward with our plans for a remodel. We have young children and if it's a risk, I'd rather put off the remodel. I also want to make sure we don't have asbestos in our vents, which was the case before we bought the house and before it was ''professionally cleaned.'' Does anyone have recommendations for people who can do this? Am I better off sending a piece of the popcorn to a lab? Should I trust the professionals we used 1.5 yrs ago to do another check of our vents? Any help is appreciated. Taking baby steps
in response to a question regarding asbestos and abatement, i would recommend using Synergy. Sal is the owner and they were wonderful in checking out our 1924 home. They performed the check for free, then gave an estimate for removal which was very reasonable. They were referred to us by our realtor and we were very happy with the service. Everyone seems to know them. When we had the furnace replaced, the first thing the guy said was, ''Looks like Sal has been here.'' Their number is (510) 429-9600
When my husband and I bought our last house, it had the popcorn ceiling and some really old linoleum. We had it all tested by a company called Asbestos TEM. I don't recall the phone number, but they are located in Berkeley, near Gilman and 7th. I think that we paid around $40 for each item tested. happycamper
Asbestos Insulation on Heating Ducts
Sept 2003
We have to replace our 40 year old furnace. Tom from Walter Mork (who is fabulous) pointed out that the heating ducts are surrounded by Asbestos taping. He checked inside the house and looked in all the ''registers'' for evidence of asbestos INSIDE the ducts. To the naked eye, asbestos did not appear to be present. He took digital photos leaning into the register and placing the camera deeper into the duct. He called later to say that indeed, upon closer inspection of these photographs,he has found what looks to be asbestos dust inside one of the registers.
He said that a company called Synergy something generally does the removal. It will cost around 8K to remove and replace b/c the house is long.
Do you know of a company that can test for asbestos presense within the ducts? What are you thoughts about asbestos taped ducts? What about just sealing off that register? A few of the ducts are in areas that humans visit with some frequency especially those in our storage area in the basement. Can you recommend Synergy for duct removal or other companies? Aaaargh. help. thanks Justine
We also have ductwork under our 1966 home that is wrapped with asbestos insulation. When we replaced our furnace this summer, we sought opinions from several heating contractors, as well as from Synergy, regarding what to do with the asbestos. The general consensus was, as long as the insulation stays intact and on the outside of the ducts, it is not going to harm your family. Problems may happen if the ducts leak, and if the wrapping gets wet or starts to deteriorate in some way. Then, we were told, the fibers could get loose, get into the ducts, and blow into the house. Instead of having Synergy remove the asbestos, we chose to go a less expensive route, which was to have the ducts sealed with a process called ''Aeroseal.'' In this process, a rubberized material is sent via high pressure blower into your ducts (which have been temporarily sealed at the vents), and adheres to any leaks/holes. Sounded a bit farfetched when I first heard of it, but I looked into it and found that the technology was developed at LBL, and is endorsed by the DoE, etc. There are a few East Bay companies who use the Aeroseal process. We used Dependable Heating and were happy with them. The duct sealing for our 1600 square foot home was $650. I would recommend it as an alternative to asbestos removal if you don't have a huge problem and/or just don't want to spend the money on the removal. Cheri
Synergy did the work in our home and their work has since been ''approved'' by our kitchen contractor and the structural engineers he has brought in to work on the foundation. They were efficient, quiet, pleasant to work with and CLEAN! Good luck- chris
We hired Synergy for removal of our old asbestos lined heating duct system when we replaced our furnace. They were everything you would want in a company dealing with disposal of hazardous waste-- thorough, timely, and careful. They will seal off the work area (especially the registers that open up into the house) and dispose of everything that they remove. Good luck and I'm sure you'll feel better once you know it is out of your house. LUISA
Dec 2001
Can anyone recommend an HVAC company that specializes in removing old ductwork that has asbestos insulation, and putting in new ducts? I want to be sure that the new ducts are properly sealed and tested for airtightness, and I understand that not many HVAC companies are careful about this. -- Mark
We went through this with our fixer since 1995 and found that Asbestos abatement companies do only asbestos removal and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) firms will only do new installations. If you have ducts with asbestos, the HVAC firms will work with them, but won't replace them. Make sure you look at the total cost of the new system as it was just as expensive to insulate over the existing asbestos ductwork as it was to remove them and replace with new ducts when we did our work.
We used PW Stephens in Hayward, 510-887-6577, and also had a quote from one other firm. The reason we went with PW was they have been around and were recommended by every heating company we spoke with. They weren't the cheapest but not too much more then the other bid we had.
For replacing the ductwork and the heater, we went with Atlas Heating, and were very happy with our decision. We have since done an addition and they also were able to add the heating vents for this without major changes to the original system. I'm not sure what you're referring to with testing ducts for airtightness, but the system has to be properly installed to function properly and any established and licensed HVAC company should be installing airtight ductwork. -Ed
There was asbestos tile in our home when we bought it 10 years ago. My husband just suited up and took it out, and there's certain places you can dispose of it. Would recommend you look up some DIY videos and go for it. It would be pretty expensive to have a professional in for such a small space (because of the mobilization costs).
A decade ago, I encountered a similar small need (it was one panel of backer board behind the shower in a bathroom demo). I used a company called Synergy. It was no problem that it was such a small job. I think this is them, they are in Hayward: https://synergyenterprisesenv.com/services/asbestos-removal/
Agreed, Synergy specializes in this and is fine with small jobs. (They typically sub to larger contractors to do just this piece of the project.) You can probably DIY it if the tile relatively intact and floating, but if it's glued down and you'd have to chip it up to get it off, the risks wouldn't be worth it for me, especially since there are strict rules/costs for disposal. (I'm also assuming you have had it tested and know for sure that it's asbestos.) If you are having a contractor install the new flooring, you can also ask them to handle it; most will have encountered this before.