Asbestos Remediation (Scranton, Bethlehem, Harrisburg: how much, houses, contractor)

[jtab4994]

Does anyone have any experience having an ancient oil burner (or other furnace) where asbestos remediation was involved?

[Gerania]

No, just pipe wrap.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by Gerania

No, just pipe wrap.

Was that recent? If so, who did you use?

[thecoalman]

Is this the pipes or the boiler/furnace itself?

If it's the pipes and there is nothing wrong with it, leave it alone. It's only when the protective casing on it is damaged it becomes a concern.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Is this the pipes or the boiler/furnace itself?

If it's the pipes and there is nothing wrong with it, leave it alone. It's only when the protective casing on it is damaged it becomes a concern.

Old Bethlehem Dynatherm boiler, built like a brick ****house and probably from the 60's, needs to be replaced because it's leaking water.


I am working with Disaster Blasters out of Scranton right now. They are coming down for an estimate on Monday.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

Old Bethlehem Dynatherm boiler, built like a brick ****house and probably from the 60's, needs to be replaced because it's leaking water.


I am working with Disaster Blasters out of Scranton right now. They are coming down for an estimate on Monday.

We had an old Dynatherm boiler, that was older than the 1960's, when I had a business back in the 60's and 70's. Ours also leaked water and I used broom sticks to repair it back then. You have to open up both sides so you can see the heating tubes that run the length of the boiler. You find the one/s that are leaking and you simply hammer in wooden plugs, made of short pieces of broom stick, into both sides of the leaking tube/s. Of course it cuts down on your heating efficiency, but if you don't have the $10 K or more to replace it right now; it might be a 'cheap' alternative. The wooden 'plugs', when hot and wet, expand and will stop your leaks - they also will not burn when wet. I suppose it might be possible to weld slightly smaller tubes inside the leaking tubes.

Our Dynatherm had asbestos pipe insulation. Back them asbestos was our 'friend' - it was just starting to be exposed as a major cancer cause. That is why so many houses have asbestos shingles and also asbestos pipe insulation. Today's thinking is to encapsulate the shingles or insulation: https://www.hunker.com/12431199/how-...asbestos-pipes. The more you move/disturb the insulation; the more dust you create and breathe.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by fisheye

... but if you don't have the $10 K or more to replace it right now; it might be a 'cheap' alternative.

Luckily the quote we've got for the removal & replacement of the unit "soup to nuts" is $6800, financed at 6.99% for 60 months.


The only wildcard is the asbestos, and I've got a guy from Scranton coming down today to look at it. The kicker is the 2-week waiting period after they file the remediation plan with Harrisburg. I'll say that again: There is a 2-week waiting period (10 business days) after Harrisburg receives the remediation plan before they can perform the work.


Again, we're lucky that the unit is working, just quirky and needing human intervention (First World Problem) so we can wait the 2 weeks without too much effort, just annoyance. But if the unit had totally crapped out in the middle of a cold wave, we'd be screwed.

[thecoalman]

What I wouldn't do is go to home depot and get some good respirators, plastic sheeting and super heavy duty garbage bags. I wouldn't use that plastic to create an enclosure around the boiler to work in and contain it. I also would not dampen the surface of the asbestos with garden type sprayer and then place it into double bagged heavy duty garbage bags.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

Luckily the quote we've got for the removal & replacement of the unit "soup to nuts" is $6800, financed at 6.99% for 60 months.


The only wildcard is the asbestos, and I've got a guy from Scranton coming down today to look at it. The kicker is the 2-week waiting period after they file the remediation plan with Harrisburg. I'll say that again: There is a 2-week waiting period (10 business days) after Harrisburg receives the remediation plan before they can perform the work.


Again, we're lucky that the unit is working, just quirky and needing human intervention (First World Problem) so we can wait the 2 weeks without too much effort, just annoyance. But if the unit had totally crapped out in the middle of a cold wave, we'd be screwed.

Years ago, when asbestos was our friend; we would crumble that old pipe insulation and mix it with water to seal chimney stove pipes. I am surprised I am still alive - perhaps I should not talk! They also use to make an asbestos board that we used to fireproof furnace rooms. I have to wonder how much of that is still around?

Our old Dynatherm lasted for years with the broom stick pieces stuck in it's tubes. I think we had six tubes blocked off when I finally sold the place back in the 1970's.

Good luck with your new furnace and 'remediation'! The new furnaces are considerably more efficient than the older ones. We got a new 'New Yorker' boiler just about four years ago. That cost me about $10 K altogether. But that was counting removal of an aging 500 gallon oil tank in the ground and replacement with one in the garage (above ground). That is also something that can keep you up at night worrying if it is leaking. The tanks are only supposed to be good for about 20 years 'in the ground' and we had a few more than that. Fortunately the outside was dry and no problems - we took lots of pictures when we removed it and had an excavator that worked with the State.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

What I wouldn't do is...

I hear ya. And believe me, if I was a single man with nobody to answer to I'd seriously entertain alternative abatement methods.


If only there was enough room to just leave it in place in install a new unit along side it, I'd do that.


My guy from Scranton is saying it's a hybrid job, residential because it's residential, yet industrial because of the size and weight of the boiler. They need 4 guys, all must have hazmat certification with asbestos endorsement, and they only have 2 guys on staff. They usually do pipe wrap and shingles, not 1-ton boilers. So we'll see what they can come up with. Otherwise he gave me the name of an industrial remediation contractor they cross-refer with.