ASBESTOS REMOVAL - LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Here's where to look for asbestos and what to do if you find it:

Heating ductwork. Some ducts, particularly in Southern California, are made largely of asbestos; other metal ducts are wrapped with a cellulose-asbestos, air-cell insulation. Both look a bit like off-white corrugated cardboard; asbestos-sheeting insulation has a similar appearance but not the corrugations. In addition, registers may have asbestos taping inside.

Ductwork made of asbestos is a major concern because when it begins to deteriorate, fibers are blown into the house. Talk with an asbestos abatement contractor about removal. Replacement is additional.

Wrapped ducts should be removed if wrapping is friable. A stop-gap measure for duct wrapping that's sound is to have it encapsulated.

The furnace may have an asbestos lining at the base or sit on an asbestos pad. A special asbestos cloth may join furnace or boiler to ductwork. If any of these are exposed to damage, they should be encapsulated or removed.

To date, most research has centered around asbestos workers and their families, with whom it has been proven chronic breathing of asbestos fibers causes permanent scarring of the lungs (“asbestosis”), lung cancer and mesothelioma. Problems may show up 30 to 40 years after exposure.

A growing number of doctors and researchers are concerned about the long-term effects of low-level exposure.

As a rule, asbestos fibers tend to attach themselves permanently to lung tissue; long-term, residual accumulation might catch up with you. The prudent assumption, voiced by Lee Thomas, former Administrator of the EPA , is that there is “no safe exposure” to airborne asbestos.

Why use flexible air ducts?

You may wonder why it is important to have insulated flex ducts in your home. Or, does this type of duct make a difference vs. standard ducting? The ducts we install are UL181 listed, have an R-Value of 6 and come with a 10 year warranty. Why insulated duct? The insulation in the ducting will prevent condensation from forming on the duct. Condensation forming on the duct is not a good thing. Another benefit of the insulated flexible ducting is that it further reduces any “air noise” caused by the exhaust fan, so your ventilation system works even quieter.