Central heating system and Asbestos

[TheMitchells]

Does anyone have any idea if our warm blown air central heating system is likely to have asbestos in it?  Should I get someone in the check?

The system consists of a large number of bricks, heated by 3 (only 2 working now) electric wires.  Once warm, air is blown around and through ducting around the house.  its been in there over 50 years and is now coming out for a new system but it was pointed out that it may contain asbestos.  Now I am worried!

Edited July 28, 2024 by TheMitchells

[JohnMo]

I would get someone to check. Try and find the manual see what it says.

[TheMitchells]

1 minute ago, JohnMo said:

I would get someone to check. Try and find the manual see what it says.

Not sure we have one but will check. 

[JohnMo]

Check the internet most are out there somewhere 

[SteamyTea]

Assume it has got asbestos in it. 

Hopefully it is the stuff that is made into a blanket and should be easy to remove.

[saveasteading]

50 years old. Heat. Assume asbestos for now.

But don't panic.if you don't snort it you will be ok.

The advice above is good.

Shop around and someone will remove it properly, safely and not too expensively.....or tell you it is clean. 

 

 

[ProDave]

That looks like an Electricaire centralised storage heater.  They used to be in most of the council housed here when built.

 

I can pretty much guarantee as well as the unit itself containing asbestos, the cupboard it is in, will be lined with Asbestos cement panels not plasterboard, so if you have other plans for that after removal of the heater, be prepared for that.  And likely the inside of the door is also lined with it.

[TheMitchells]

Good news!  Contacted a company who deals with Electricaire units and they were able to check their register.  No asbestos!  So we can go ahead and arrange for it to be removed. Phew.

[ProDave]

Good news.  Just be aware the cupboard it is in may well be lined with Asbestos cement board, so get that checked if you plan to modify the cupboard when it has gone.

[SteamyTea]

2 hours ago, TheMitchells said:

able to check their register

That is a good service and shows that there are companies with decent ethics.

[TheMitchells]

1 hour ago, SteamyTea said:

That is a good service and shows that there are companies with decent ethics.

 

Yes, it is nice to know.  Another example is my EPC inspector.  I had organised for a new EPC as one of the companies who are quoting for the ASHP said I'd need one, our old one was out of date.  (I did not check myself - Doh!🤪)   Yesterday the guy who was coming, rang to say that my EPC was valid till 2028!  So no need for him to come.  What a nice chap! 

 

 

 

[ReedRichards]

In 2020 I was told that my EPC needed to be less than 2 years old.  Have the rules changed since then?

[Alan Ambrose]

I think they've always been 10 years.

[ReedRichards]

This is from the Fact Sheet for the (old) RHI application:

Quote

Your EPC must be less than 24 months old at the date of application.

 

But that was for one particular grant scheme.

[TheMitchells]

It would be a swizz if they did insist on a new EPC as nothing has changed since the last one. 

[robin coles]

On 06/08/2024 at 14:24, TheMitchells said:

Good news!  Contacted a company who deals with Electricaire units and they were able to check their register.  No asbestos!  So we can go ahead and arrange for it to be removed. Phew.

Hi, can I ask which company you used to check for asbestos?

 

And also what did you do with the unit; we have a very similar one, also an Electricaire but for now we are stuck with it and that puts our heating on a single point failure with very little ability to source spares.

 

Thanks

[ProDave]

It was not many years ago I replaced the fan in an Electricaire unit, spares are still available, and even more recently I installed a new one, now being marketed for heating large industrial spaces.

[TheMitchells]

On 28/12/2024 at 02:16, robin coles said:

Hi, can I ask which company you used to check for asbestos?

 

And also what did you do with the unit; we have a very similar one, also an Electricaire but for now we are stuck with it and that puts our heating on a single point failure with very little ability to source spares.

 

Thanks

I cannot recall exactly but it may have been this company https://www.hes.co.uk/electricaire-c-251.html

Their sticker was on the unit and I know I rang them.  They also do parts.  I miss the old heater. It was so quick to warm the place up when turned on.  I doubt it was very economical but it worked and was easy to use..  Good luck finding some help.   We took it out and kept the bricks, broke up the rest and took it to a scrap metal dealer.  I think we got £8 for the metal.  The insulation was pretty horrible.  I bagged it up and it went to the local refuse incinerator. 

[robin coles]

@TheMitchells - thanks for the info. And, yes your right; simple, almost zero maintenance, quick heat up time and ours is 59 years old and still going. I could have replaced it about 10 years ago with a Dimplex R15; wish I had. 

[LnP]

On 28/07/2024 at 23:22, saveasteading said:

50 years old. Heat. Assume asbestos for now.

But don't panic.if you don't snort it you will be ok.

Just came across this and can't let it pass. This is very bad advice.

 

There is no safe lower limit for asbestos exposure. One fibre can make you sick. It causes a range of illnesses including chronic respiratory diseases such as asbestosis (fibrosis of the lungs), and various cancers. The worst one is mesothelioma. None of them are curable, it's a one way ticket and it only takes one fibre. 5,000 people die every year in the UK from asbestos related diseases.

 

It used to be said that some forms are worse than others - blue, brown chrysotile whatever. That's not the case anymore. All six forms have been found to cause cancer in humans. What does vary though is the precautions you should take, depending on the material. Asbestos cement is easier to deal with than insulation because if it's in good condition, it doesn't release the fibres.

 

There is plenty of guidance out there on what to do about it if you think you might have asbestos and plenty of companies who can deal with it. A good place to start is the HSE, link here. You can also get cheap DIY test kits from Amazon to get a sample tested - follow their advice on how to safely take the sample.

 

I know that happily the OP'S problem was sorted, but couldn't let this go without comment.