# Asbestos Opinion



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Really need pictures to see what you are talking about.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> Do I have any reason to believe that there may be asbestos in this hard material?


Yup. Notice the hairy fibers?


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## waldenpp (Nov 7, 2011)

There are no hairy fibers. I will take a picture and appreciate your help. The guy who built the home was a builder and built it for himself and family so I am trying to figure out if that had anything to do with it. Also, all plumbing is copper and there are no asbestos wrapped pipes so perhaps he was being cautious. Just bought the house in NJ.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Is this on the floor or wall?


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> There are no hairy fibers.


Well then maybe there is no asbestos. It could go either way. Asbestos in those plaster products was common back then. I doubt that in 1950 a builder would have any concerns about asbestos, it was being used in many products back then just as it is now, just not as much these days.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

It's a "mud" job. The hard stuff is a concrete material.
Seal the room
Vent to the exterior.
Wear protective equipment.
Have a first aid kit handy, because you will bleed.


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## waldenpp (Nov 7, 2011)

Here are two pictures that I took. Any asbestos in a mud job? I was using a hammer drill today and it sucks. No hairy fibers but dusty, obviously - I wore a ventilator - 100. One other question - there is a vent in the picture and there is some dust or dusty material sticking to it. I dont know if it is just dust or some sort of insulation. I dont see how it can be insulation since it is not wrapped in anything, just jammed on the side of the vent between a beam. When I look down the side of the vent it looks straight down into the basement, meaning there is nothing that would hold the insulation in place - so maybe its dust. Also, the vent had a black piece of material on it protecting it from the rock board. Can this black insulation sheet have asbestos? Thanks!


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

That's a typical plaster installation. Whether or not it contains any asbestos is anybodies guess. I would say based on the vintage and the technique that it does. There's one way to find out for sure.


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

It's kind of hit or miss whether there is asbestos in this stuff. Only one way to be sure. Have it tested. Usually, plaster of that vintage does not, but the drywall like material behind the hard coat is called "rock lath" and it sometimes does have it. You are already so far into this project that it's a moot point whether it has it or not. Damp wipe everything and keep the dust under control. Don't drag dusty bags of the stuff through the rest of your house and HEPA vac everything.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

There is probably also lead in the paint.


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## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

There may be alien DNA there, too.


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## waldenpp (Nov 7, 2011)

My plan of action:

Demo with bathroom door closed – the other side of the bathroom door or entry is blocked off with plastic sheeting leading 15 ft to the outside. The only way to get in or out of the bathroom will be to go through a back door from the yard which will lead through a “plastic sheeted” tunnel past the laundry room and into the bathroom. The laundry room has to go too - it is also part of the equation and tunneled with the bathroom.I will have a window fan in the bathroom. I will wear a respirator, goggles and hat. I will shake off and change clothes outside. I will clean exposed area with a hepa vac and wipe down with damp clothes.


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

Sounds like you have a pretty good plan in place. Just make sure you wear a true respirator, not one of those white dust cups. You should have an N95 rated half face respirator with P100 cartidges.


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## waldenpp (Nov 7, 2011)

Just an FYI - I had the samples tested and got an answer in 24 hours. No Asbestos!


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

Great. Smart move on the test. I would still keep your engineering controls in place to control the dust. It will make clean up that much easier and you still don't want to be breathing the non-asbestos crap.


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