Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that breaks down into fibers. While asbestos has many useful properties, its ability to break down into minute particles causes significant health concerns. Due to these health concerns, in 1989 the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) banned the use of asbestos.

Most people thought that would take care of the problem, but what isn’t commonly known is that in 1991 that regulation was overturned. The final outcome was that new uses of asbestos were banned, but old uses remained. It may surprise you to know some of the ways asbestos is still being used.

We usually think of asbestos as that nasty, itchy stuff used in old homes for insulation. When I was a kid, my mother had a pair of curtains made from asbestos fibers. Today, it may surprise you to learn that asbestos fibers are still used in some duct tapes, spackling compounds, and roofing repair asphalt.

The main problem with asbestos is its ability to break down into minute particles; friable asbestos can be easily crumbled with your hand. When airborne, these particles can be inhaled and can cause respiratory diseases and cancer. Asbestos particles can also lodge in the skin and the body can’t expel them.

The dangers of asbestos have been well known for decades. Few countries mine asbestos anymore, but those that do still find buyers for their product, or they wouldn’t continue to mine it. Estimates say that about 3,000 different commercial products still include asbestos.

For those using a hot water or boiler system to heat their homes, you should make sure the pipes are insulated. The main reason for insulating these pipes it to prevent heat loss as the hot water or steam travels between the boiler and the heating unit. Pipes carrying steam may also need insulating if they could create a safety hazard; someone could get burnt from touching them.

Some high temperature insulation materials include fiberglass, mineral wool, calcium silicate, ceramic fiber, perlite, cellular glass, and high-temperature polyisocyanurate.  Insulating pipes can be easy, or difficult, depending on where the pipes are installed. For proper insulation, there needs to be enough room around the pipes to accommodate the insulation.

One way to insulate steam pipes yourself is by using fiberglass shell pipe covers. These tubular shells of fiberglass have a white paper covering with a foil reflector on the inside. This type of insulation is designed for the higher heat of steam pipes. Remember to insulate any bends in the pipe as well as the straight runs.

Your water heater will also benefit from your insulating the hot water pipe that comes out the top. Insulating this pipe will get hot water to your taps sooner and save you money. Ideally, all your hot water pipes should be insulated, but that can be difficult to do once the home is finished.

It is also important that the outer layer, or jacket, of the insulation be sealed to keep it dry. Quality insulation and workmanship will benefit you for years to come. Poor quality means you will be having to re-do the job much sooner.

“Incombustible”, “non-flammable”, “non-combustible”, “fire resistant”, and “fire retardant” are words used to describe materials that resist burning, burn slowly, or retard burning. Few materials are actually “fire proof”, meaning that they won’t burn at all. For safety reasons, most insulation used today fits into the fire resistant category, yet different types of insulation will have different fire resistant properties.

Mineral wool, sometimes called rock wool or slag wool, is naturally fire resistant. It is one of the oldest types of fire resistant insulation available. It is made out of non-combustible fibers that can withstand heat over 1800° F.  Unlike fiberglass insulation, mineral wool doesn’t melt at these temperatures.

Eco-friendly cellulose insulation is made from recycled paper that is treated with fire retardant additives. Your reaction might be, “How can paper be fire retardant?” Tests show this insulation is able to withstand a blowtorch test of 1,200°F and has a Class A fire rating. It is a “blown in” insulation, so it does a great job of filling in gaps fiberglass batting insulation might miss.

Marinite is a thermal structural board that is non-asbestos, but very fire resistant. It comes in 4’x8’ panels that combine high strength along with excellent thermal insulating characteristics. It is extremely water resistant while also providing fire safety.

Fiberglass offers excellent heat resistance and is also non-flammable. It begins to soften at 1500°F and melts near 2050°F. It also has a high resistance to chemicals and is unaffected by UV light.

Other fire resistant products include bonded acoustical cotton panels or polypropylene bead board used in ceilings and wall panels. These are both non-flammable, and would give some degree of insulation. Another aid to fire prevention is installing electrical box fire guards on all your outlets and switches.

Asbestos, a set of six naturally occurring minerals, was first discovered by the ancient Greeks. They were impressed with its flame resistant properties, and used it as wicks for their eternal temple flames. It was also the funeral dress for their kings.

The Greeks gave it the name asbestos, which means “unquenchable” or “inextinguishable”. They gave it a common name as well – crysotile- meaning “gold cloth”. They used asbestos in clothing for their slaves, but noticed that those who worked with it and wore it developed a “lung sickness”.

Romans didn’t want to be outdone. They also used asbestos cloth to dress their slaves. They went as far as using asbestos for napkins and tablecloths, which they threw into the fire between dinners to clean it.

Asbestos minerals have long, thin, fibrous crystals. These crystals can be woven into fabric or mats, or mixed with cement to create other fire resistant products. The world’s largest asbestos mine is in the town of Asbestos, Quebec, Canada.

Myths that asbestos cloths were made from the fur of a salamander that lived in fire were circulated, but not often believed. Those making the cloth knew where the fibers came from. Some ancients burned their kings in asbestos shrouds so as to keep their ashes separate from the ashes of the wood used for the fire.

While the Greeks recognized the health risks associates with the use of asbestos, it wasn’t until the early 1900’s that we began to see the problem. While officials knew about the dangers since the 1930’s, the U.S. public wasn’t informed until decades later. The dangers of asbestos are now widely known, and it is no longer mined in most parts of the world.