Despite the banned usage of asbestos in modern storage heaters  – it can still be found in many older household appliances. Particularly those that were manufactured prior to the late 1970’s.  most people are unaware of how asbestos can pose a threat to health and many have unwittingly dismantled an old storage heater, gas fire, or thrown it on the tip.

Dismantled Storage Heater with Asbestos Sheeting

Storage heaters containing asbestos are dangerous when the asbestos damaged.

As a rule  – even old storage heaters that contain asbestos are perfectly safe providing that the asbestos is not damaged or tampered. for instance – dismantled, as any tearing to the asbestos sheets (which is used as a fire retardant) will release asbestos dust and fibres in to the air.  Also – the asbestos sheeting may already be ‘friable’, this happens with age and the asbestos becomes crumbly – hence naturally shedding fibres. These airborn fibres can be inhaled into the lungs and cause an asbestos-related disease such as asbestosis, and a fatal type of cancer called mesothelioma. Many storage heaters manufactured before 1975 contain asbestos, and these can be still found installed in houses that have not been updated.

You should not dismantle or tamper with an old storage heater and if  you suspect that any old storage heaters contain asbestos in the home you live, and you are concerned about what to do about it, visit the website below as there is information on how to deal with them safely, and also a very useful list of storage heaters with the manufacturers serial numbers that contain asbestos.

http://www.mesotheliomalungs.org