Products that contain asbestos
Because of the fire and heat-resistant properties of asbestos, it was used in many building products as a fire-retardant insulator, in plumbing, electrical, and structural applications. Unfortunately, the ubiquitous nature of building products that contain asbestos means that asbestos still has a significant presence in our lives. Below is a partial list of products that contain asbestos, many of which are still in existence in older buildings:
Building exteriors
- Stucco
- Building overhangs (thermal spray)
- Brick and block mortar
- Asbestos cement siding and roof panels
Building products that contain asbestos in an unbound or loosely bound form
- Sprayed insulation (fire-resistant, acoustic, condensation control, thermal)
- Insulating cements
- Insulation block (calcium or magnesia silicate)
- Textiles
Flooring
- Sheet vinyl flooring (asbestos paper backing)
- Vinyl asbestos tile
- Floor leveling compound
Walls
- Stippled finishes
- Thermal spray
- Plaster or drywall jointing materials
Pipes
- Steam and hot water heating supply and return lines
- Gaskets in flanged pipe joints
- Domestic water supply and drain lines
- Rain water and sanitary lines
Ceilings
- Acoustic and stippled finishes
- T-bar ceiling tiles
- Asbestos cement ceiling tiles
- Plaster or drywall jointing materials
Service Areas
- Crawl spaces (insulation on pipes, ducts)
- Machine rooms (insulation on pipes, ducts, floors, ceilings, walls)
- Insulation in boiler rooms (pipes, ducts, boilers, vessels, incinerators, floors, ceilings, walls)
- Fan rooms (insulation of pipes, ducts, chillers, floors, ceilings, walls)
Miscellaneous
- Incandescent light fixture backing
- Firestopping
- Welding blankets and screens
- Incinerators (internal insulation)
- Wire insulation
- Heating cabinet panels (asbestos cement)
- Fire dampers and fire stop flap
- Emergency generators (thermal insulation and exhaust manifolds)
- Elevator brake shoes
