Possible asbestos?

[Wendy Hayhoe]

We just purchased some small cottages with older woodstoves. One of the chimneys needed to be replaced on a neighbours place and this is what it looks like. The chimney was encased in what appears to be insulation-it was flakey (similar to pink insulation) and not hard. I am wondering if asbestos is usually a harder material? Does this look like a chimney that may have asbestos?

 

[begreen]

It might be vermiculite cement? How close is the wood and walls to this? Can you post a further back shot that shows the stove and wall?

 

[peakbagger]

Some Vermiculite contained asbestos fibers.

 

[begreen]

Some Vermiculite contained asbestos fibers.

Yes, if it is older stuff, that is possible. They shut down that mine in the early 1990s. If this is vermiculite and the date is unknown then it's best to treat it like it has asbestos in it.

 

[Wendy Hayhoe]

It might be vermiculite cement? How close is the wood and walls to this? Can you post a further back shot that shows the stove and wall?

It started at the ceiling and went through the attic up to the roof. It looks like it was preventing heat transfer into the rafters/attic space.

 

[begreen]

It's poured insulation. Is there a metal liner inside of the insulation?

 

[Wendy Hayhoe]

It's poured insulation. Is there a metal liner inside of the insulation?

Yes there is. The round metal liner is in the center, surrounded by the insulation, and the insulation is contained within a square metal outer shell.

 

[Riteway]

You can buy an asbestos test kit from Amazon for around $30, and get the results back in about a week, if you want to know for sure

 

[peakbagger]

I used to have to deal in industry with asbestos containing products and unfortunately Asbestos was a "wonder fiber" that seemed to be used for all sorts of products that one would not expect. One of the classics was Kent cigarettes that used asbestos filters. The crocidolite used in the filters is one of the most toxic types of asbestos. India still uses asbestos as they figure the overall society benefits from the products produced with asbestos exceed the individual health impacts.

 

[Wendy Hayhoe]

We just purchased some small cottages with older woodstoves. One of the chimneys needed to be replaced on a neighbours place and this is what it looks like. The chimney was encased in what appears to be insulation-it was flakey (similar to pink insulation) and not hard. I am wondering if asbestos is usually a harder material? Does this look like a chimney that may have asbestos?
View attachment 264036

We have discovered it is vermiculite. The one chimney that was tested did not have any asbestos in it. It is contained in such away that when we reno we can remove the whole piece and still have it contained within the liner.

Thanks for all the answers!