Asbestos in Insulation?

[first230sl]

Hey everyone. I was just under the galley in the gen space refilling my batteries in my 1971 58 yachtfish. That space has insulation on the ceiling which is made of fiberglass (about 1 inch thick) with a thin white fabric coating on the exposed side. The thin white fabric looks like it is some form of cloth, perhaps with a white paint on it. Since it is old, the white fabric is flaking a lot, and I was breathing in lungfulls of it while filling the batteries.

Then I wondered - could it be that the thin fabric layer has asbestos in it?

My sincere hope is that it does not.

Does anyone know if Hatteras used asbestos in 1971 in the engine room or generator room fiberglass (fabric-backed) insulation?

Thanks and take care!

[Trojan]

Very unlikely. It probably was old paint, most of the time they just paint over the clear glass matting insulation to make it look better. When the matting insulation gets old it tends to flake the paint off the glass threads. Ether way you should have a simple mask on to prevent in hailing the crap in your moth and lungs.

BILL

[first230sl]

Bill - I think you are right. I took a small sample and looked at it under a magnifying lens. It appears to be a fine mat fiberglass impregnated with paint or something like paint. So unless there was something in the "paint", it looks like it is probably innocuous. But you are also very correct when you say that I really should at least have a fabric mask on down there if I am disturbing the dust.

Just one more thing to make filling my 20 batteries down there an even more enjoyable experience :-)

Take care and thanks for the response. Much appreciated.


Very unlikely. It probably was old paint, most of the time they just paint over the clear glass matting insulation to make it look better. When the matting insulation gets old it tends to flake the paint off the glass threads. Ether way you should have a simple mask on to prevent in hailing the crap in your moth and lungs.

BILL

[Trojan]

If I had 20 batteries to fill, I sure would have one of those auto fill systems.You spend way to much time in the engine room.:D

BILL