Asbestos

[tamvalleyman]

I bought a 1976 airstream tadewinds. I have Gutted the interior.....is there any chance of ASBESTOS in the trailer

[idroba]

Probably only if it had 9"x9" floor tiles. I don't think they were used though on the '76 models.

[nrgtrakr]

12x12 tiles and sheet flooring also had asbestos.
Assume the worst and don't breathe the dust if removing.
There is a thread in the archives that includes info from people who mitigate, worth the read.

[GuitarmanFL]

The tiles as far as I know are Armstrong. The pattern used is typical of those containing Asbestos. There is a thread which I would also recommend you real carefully. Asbestos related cancers typically have a 20 - 30 year incubation period, and as you probably know since you asked, is nothing to F with.

Their are kits that are available for $20 that you can test with.

[tamvalleyman]

thank you guys for replying. I believe my floor had carpet on all of the floors. I do not remember tile flooring in my 1976 tradewind airstream. I have also heard that they stopped using the toxic substance in these latter years. I pulled all my carpet up and pulled the plywood flooring out. If anyone can confirm this it would be well appreciated. I used a respirator most of the time but I am sure some dust came in contact with my lungs. But again correct me if I am wrong but I believe I only pulled carpet with padding and sub floor. That is all I remember

[tamvalleyman]

I just confirmed from my pictures while taking up the floor. It was the yellow type carpet and 1/2 ply sub floor that ran across the entire trailer

[paiceman]

I used to sell Asbestos, siding, flooring, flat sheets, corrugated sections and blown on insulation. There was and is not today a better product for what it was designed and intended for. HOWEVER, it is a dangerous product during manufacture, installation and removal. As stated by Guitarman the "gestation" period is anywhere from 20 years on, depending on ones immune system abilities. We sold both 9" and 12" asbestos tiles.

Two recommendations, if you are concerned I would contact a federally licensed abatement company to come in and test the tile and if it's asbestos have them remove it. If it has not been disturbed you might, if you have the clearances, consider a new sub floor on top of the tile 1/4" thick and lay that down on top prior to installation of any new final surface. Some folks might recommend wetting the floor and remove it yourself, I would not. I've sat thru enough trials and testified enough to come to an understanding with myself that when it comes to asbestos I don't f around.

tamvalleyman: if you had NO tile my guess is you did not remove any asbestos. We never sold flooring rolls or subfloors - except some people used our flat sheets as a subfloor in bathrooms, but I doubt it would have been used in a travel trailer in large sheets as it was pretty brittle and the flexing would have cracked the sheets.

Armstrong, not the company I worked for, also used a lot of asbestos in their flooring and their ceiling tiles when it was perfectly legal as did a lot of insulation companies.

Bud