Advice about Asbestos
Please note: this page contains reviews and opinions sent in by Berkeley Parents Net subscribers. Your
own experience may be different. Please always check references before hiring!
Berkeley Parents Network >
Reviews >
House & Garden >
Advice about Asbestos
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
this page was last updated: May 19, 2011
The opinions and statements expressed on this website
are those of parents who subscribe to the
Berkeley Parents Network.
Please see
Disclaimer & Usage for
information about using content on this website.
Copyright © 1996-2013 Berkeley Parents Network