condensation risk?
bjh85| Posted inGeneral Questionson
My ~110 year old home has hot water radiator heat. In the basement, the 2″ radiator pipes are covered in asbestos insulation that’s approximately 3/4″ thick. Most is in good condition (1 picture of that), but there are a few places where it’s been damaged (1 picture of that). I was considering wrapping them in plastic to reduce the odds of airborne asbestos particles, however I was slightly worried that this might trap moisture. Should this be a concern? Basement temperatures range from low 50s in the MN winter to mid 70s in the summer. Finally, if anyone has advice for wrapping these pipes, I’d be very interested.
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Replies
There are encapsulants made for this kind of thing. I'd check with an asbestos abatement company for specifics. My understanding is that there are paint-on or spray-on coatings that can act as encapsulants.
I don't think mositure would be an issue. Common commerical fiberglass pipe insulation often has a rigid plastic outer covering, and I've never heard of that being a problem. If the pipe is going to leak, it's going to come out at the seams of the insulation regardless.
Bill