Electrical Asbestos: Recognizing Asbestos in Vintage Wiring
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- čas přidán 4. 08. 2024
- Visit us anytime at www.asbestosclaims.law/. Asbestos Artifacts - Asbestos-insulated wire
If you have ever worked on the electrical system of an older home, or any older electrical components, you may have seen cloth wiring. And if you do, you probably want to take precautions with some protective equipment in case that cloth contains asbestos.
Today’s Asbestos Artifacts segment with Asbestos Attorney Justinian C. Lane and www.AsbestosClaim.law is about the asbestos-insulated electrical wire.
Like most electrical insulation, asbestos insulation:
◦ Protects against electrical discharge
◦ Withstands the heat generated by electrical flow. This protects the conductor’s surrounding materials from being damaged or catching fire.
But in addition, asbestos is more durable than other fabric insulation like cotton.
So asbestos insulation was appealing to electricians because it also
◦ Protects the wiring from chemicals and moisture
◦ Helps prevent corona discharge. Corona discharge is kind of a mini version of lighting, where conducted electricity charges the atmosphere around it. Asbestos keeps the charge from leaking,.
Crocidolite
There are a few different kinds of asbestos that were used in industry One of them - crocidolite - was also known as ‘blue asbestos’.
Crocidolite is particularly resistant to electricity and is highly heat resistant.
Crocidolite is also a fibrous form of asbestos - so it can be woven into cloth wiring.
But asbestos is also a carcinogen, meaning it causes cancer. All types of asbestos cause cancer, but crocidolite is actually the worst of them all, and causes a great deal of mesothelioma, a particularly aggressive type of cancer almost exclusively connected to asbestos exposure.
Lung cancer and mesothelioma are two of the most common types of cancer caused by asbestos exposure.
The dangers are caused by the fibrous nature of asbestos.
Remember, asbestos is the only rock we know of on earth that can be woven into a fabric. In Roman times, asbestos was called rock wool, and some people thought it was a plant that grew in the rocks because it didn’t behave like most rocks.
That’s because asbestos is composed of tiny fibers - many are microscopic and invisible to the naked eye.
These little asbestos fibers can easily flake off and become airborne. Then they are easily inhaled or swallowed by humans.
And asbestos has no taste or smell or immediate reaction to our body, so you may not know you’re breathing or swallowing the fibers.
That’s why so many of the people with asbestos illness, by some counts 1 in 5 cases, were someone who never worked around asbestos, but washed the dirty work clothes or lived with a family member who did.
Because asbestos fibers are like tiny hairs that stick to everything.
And you can weave them into amazing fabric, that you can wrap around metal wire blazing with electricity, and it doesn’t burn or melt, it won’t corrode in acid. And it makes sense that the asbestos companies wanted to use it as an insulation material. It worked well.
The problem was the asbestos companies also knew that anyone inhaling those fibers was probably going to end up with breathing diseases decades later, including cancer.
They even often buried their own studies.
The damage develops very slowly, over time, and people sometimes only discover symptoms of their asbestos-related illnesses up to forty or fifty years after they’re exposed.
In the 1980s and 90s, the asbestos industry cover-up was revealed, and companies were required to test employees for asbestos damage.
But asbestos damage has a latency, meaning asbestos-related illnesses take a long time to show symptoms.
So many of my clients who were industrial workers tested negative in the 1980s or 1990s but started showing symptoms a few decades later in the 2010s and 2020s.
Anyone who has worked with or near the electrical wiring or components in a building built before 1990 may have been exposed to asbestos.
The people most affect include electricians and folks working in construction on an older home or building.
But in addition, if you’re planning on remodeling a home built before 1990, anyone working or spending time near the work should take caution with proper protective equipment.
That’s especially true if you’re updating your lighting fixtures or older existing wiring insulation, and plan on opening or moving drywall, plaster, or older ceiling tiles.
And remember to keep an eye out for fuzzy or furry, often white fibers amid the braided insulation around the electrical wiring. - Věda a technologie
I found an old GE clothing iron at the thrift store from the 1960s and was planning on using it as a novelty item, but I saw someone comment on another video that the braided cable might be asbestos.
Did some more research and found this video and I think you've basically confirmed that it is asbestos, so I'll disposing of it. $7 wasted but learned an important lesson about asbestos.
Thank you for this information!
Better safe than sorry!
if its that old, you might be able to just detach the cord and throw the cord away
@@againtjugofcocomilk just be sure in accordance with proper disposal regs
@@The-Secret-Basement amazing how they put that stuff in everything
Howdy! Was the ACM cloth used as wire insulation usually white? I've run into some tan/brown looking stuff in the past and am curious as to what that material may have been. Metallic armored cable and the individual conductors had what appeared to be braided rope insulation. Thanks for another cool video!
Asbestos-containing material (ACM) used in wire insulation indeed often appeared white or light grey. This was due to the natural color of chrysotile asbestos, the most common type used in such applications. However, it's important to note that asbestos insulation could come in various colors, depending on the manufacturing process and any added materials.
The tan or brown material you encountered might still be asbestos. There were different types of asbestos, such as amosite (brown asbestos) and crocidolite (blue asbestos), which could lead to variations in color. Additionally, the color could also be influenced by factors like aging, exposure to heat or chemicals, or the presence of other binding materials in the insulation.
The description of braided rope insulation around metallic armored cable is consistent with some types of older electrical insulation that contained asbestos. These materials were used for their durability and fire-resistant properties.
Given the health risks associated with asbestos exposure, it is crucial to treat any suspect material with caution. If there's any uncertainty about the presence of asbestos, it's advisable to have the material tested by a certified professional and to avoid disturbing it, as this can release harmful asbestos fibers into the air.
That wire looks obvious for asbestos, because it's white and the only coating on the wire, my wiring has a black plastic coating that chips off easily and is also covered with a cloth insulator, I don't know if that's asbestos or fiberglass
If electrical wiring with asbestos was installed in 1947 by builders who were the best they could be at their craft, in metal conduits, and not disturbed over the years, how long do you think it would last? (For example, Kodachrome film lasts 100 years under ideal storage conditions. How long does electrical wiring with asbestos typically last under ideal conditions?)
It's an interesting question. It can definitely last a very long time, but longevity primarily depends on environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and exposure to any chemicals or physical disturbances. Under ideal conditions-like those that minimize moisture and mechanical stress-such wiring could theoretically last as long as the building itself.
However, there are significant safety concerns with asbestos-containing materials. Despite its durability, the primary risk with asbestos is not necessarily the degradation of the asbestos itself, but the potential release of asbestos fibers into the air if the material is disturbed or deteriorates to the point where it becomes friable (easily crumbled).
It's important to note that while the asbestos might remain stable if left undisturbed, the actual metal wires within might degrade depending on their composition and environmental factors, which could eventually lead to electrical failures or hazards. Therefore, replacing old asbestos-containing wiring is generally recommended not just because of the potential health risks if disturbed but also to ensure electrical safety and compliance with current standards.
And, of course, I have to put my lawyer hat on and stress that any work involving asbestos-containing materials, including inspections, maintenance, or replacements, should be performed by professionals trained and certified in handling asbestos safely. Be well and thanks for the comment!
@@asbestosclaimslaw, very informative answer. Thank you.
The worker with a beard putting on a mask 😂. Proper gear doesn't help much if you don't use it correctly.
Lol. Sometimes we are at the mercy of stock video.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that asbestos dust has neutral buoyancy and can hang in the air and never be seen.
I'm not sure it is neutral but it definitely can stay airborne for quite some time when disturbed.
@@asbestosclaimslaw Does asbestos fibers get carried off by the wind? For example if a neighbor has done renovation, and disturbed ACM from exterior walls, would the wind carry the fibers away from the area? since the fibers are microscopic , it's common sense to believe that it could get taken away by wind. Please let me know.
@@standforhumanitariancauses4756 yes, and depending on the wind it can travel quite far.
www.asbestosclaims.law/asbestos-blog/how-long-can-asbestos-stay-airborne/?highlight=airborne
@@asbestosclaimslaw I watched your other video, and you had mentioned that it could also stick on clothings. In that case it's also safe to say that it could stick on window screens. There are are homes that were built in 1960s. But inside the exterior wall there's pink insulation that looks like fiberglass. In that case maybe fiberglass insulation was used instead of asbestos? And how about those rocks inside the exterior walls of old homes, could they contain asbestos materials?
Old REA wiring at its finest
Finest indeed
I have been at a persons house when I was very young they had very old radio sets in the house and the wire cord looked just like what is shown.
@@jasonhaire8897if it's an AC/DC set with a resistance wire in the mains cord, it is possible. Do NOT replace it with a normal cable - the set relies on the resistance to drop the voltage to a level suitable for the tubes.
Many other wires may look the same but aren't asbestos.
If you can take a sample without damaging the radio (it's fine to soak the wire in water) you can either send it to a lab, or try to set the sample on fire. If it chars or burns it's just normal cloth covered wite.
Please help I am trying to buy real samples of Asbestos for study and observation If you know a good source I want to buy my very own Asbestos.
Hey Jason, I don't recommend handling it without training. You might try speaking with a licensed testing facility nearest you.
@@asbestosclaimslaw I know you are serious and I understand your warning on the dangers of Asbestos. I wanted to give you the best joke of the day.