# Forum Home Renovation Asbestos  Is this asbestos?

## bigben

Hi, 
I have an old disconnected Everhot electric hot water heater in my roofspace. I was thinking about using some of our roofspace for storage but will need to get rid of this heater first. I prized open the top cover and noticed the white insulaton and am concened it may be asbestos. I will get some tested but as a general rule, would it be likely that it is? It is fibrous like fibrglass. It doesn't feel like wool. There is no date on the heater so I cannot determine its age. See pics. 
Ben

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## cyclic

Yep 
Probably 1950's-

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## joynz

Let us know how the testing goes.

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## bigben

Ok. I'm dropping a sample off tomorrow. Results in 5 days.
Ben  
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## Bloss

Testing only way to know - looks more like rock wool but can't really tell by looking (at a pic or the actual stuff really). 
But of course as we all do when climbing onto a roof space or doing anything that creates or might expose us to dust you had on a mask, goggles and gloves etc so no possibility of exposure eh . . .

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## ASBESTOLOGIST

No its not

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## Bloss

> No its not

  mmm - a bit of a worry to see such certainty from those pictures. I have seen asbestos that looks just like that and in water tank jacket too. 
As my post said most likely rock wool, but a hard and fast 'no its not' is not a reasonable reply. In any case OP is getting a test done. 
My main point is that everyone should take proper care and use simple and well known safety precautions when there is any chance of encountering asbestos our dusts of any joined. Then it any risk is minimised regardless of what a test might be or what the substance might be. 
But falling on deaf ears it seems - most posts tend to be after a substance has been found - and so exposure to risk has already occurred.

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## ASBESTOLOGIST

mmmm- No is not -AGAIN

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## plum

> mmmm- No is not -AGAIN

  Agree, have been through this test on these hotties.  Scrap value of copper about $120.

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## cyclic

My apologies, I always considered it to be Asbestos and treated it accordingly.

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## bigben

Just got the results back and it is NOT asbestos - 10 points for you Asbestologist.
They didn't actually say what it was other than a 'synthetic fibre material'.  But that was sufficient for me. By the way the service was free of charge for a YES/NO response for up to 2 samples. 
Now I can get back to the quandary of how to get this heater out of my roof space. 
Thanks for the replies...  
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## plum

If you can't cut a joist and lower it, cutting the thing up in place is something I've done. Really messy, lots of protective gear needed. If using a grinder, be careful with stray sparks.

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## plum

Might be worth letting us know who you used for this service.

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## intertd6

Just a point worth checking on your system of that vintage,  sometimes pipes could be lagged in asbestos.
inter

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## OBBob

> If you can't cut a joist and lower it, cutting the thing up in place is something I've done. Really messy, lots of protective gear needed. If using a grinder, be careful with stray sparks.

  Are they too solid for a reciprocating hacksaw? The idea of a grinder in the roof space is a bit scary (to the uninitiated)  :Smilie: .

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## phild01

> Are they too solid for a reciprocating hacksaw? The idea of a grinder in the roof space is a bit scary (to the uninitiated) .

   Yes, they can start fires :Shock:

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## Uncle Bob

Some Gilbrows and elbow grease would work too.

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## phild01

What is a gilbrow?

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## Uncle Bob

> What is a gilbrow?

  Real tinsnips for when you need a bit more leverage than Wiss give

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## phild01

> Real tinsnips for when you need a bit more leverage than Wiss give

   Got a pair of those somewhere long ago, didn't know the name :Smilie:  ... would have been a no-name knockoff.

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## peejay

To asbestosologist.  Can I ask how you were so sure that the water heater "insulation" wasn't asbestos ? Whilst I didn't think it was, I'd be interested in why you thought that.

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## goldie1

I have split the outer tank with a hatchet and a brickies hammer. Quite often the insulation between  
the tanks is cork chips

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## travelislife

> Just got the results back and it is NOT asbestos - 10 points for you Asbestologist.
> They didn't actually say what it was other than a 'synthetic fibre material'.  But that was sufficient for me. By the way the service was free of charge for a YES/NO response for up to 2 samples. 
> Now I can get back to the quandary of how to get this heater out of my roof space. 
> Thanks for the replies...  
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  Where did you get the samples tested bigben?

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## ASBESTOLOGIST

Prensa

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## breakerboy2000

> Where did you get the samples tested bigben?

  
I also want to know, when I had 2 samples tested I had to pay 70 each.

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## ASBESTOLOGIST

yes there are some Laboratories that do charge for their services. you can pay $100 at some

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## joynz

It can also depend on whether you get a written report.  I had some Lino backing (that was stuck to the floorboards) tested.  I was happy to pay for the results for each sample since I needed the written results in case the floor sander needed confirmation that it did not contain asbestos. 
 I have also had several samples tested at the same lab, for free, when I did not need a written result.

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## bigben

Yep, Prensa in Melbourne. You just get a phone call with a Yes or No. Its around $50 if you want a written report.

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