Asbestos rope
Description
Rope manufactured from woven or braided asbestos fibre. Flexible and able to be manipulated to desired shapes. Used for its thermal conductivity, acid and alkali resistance.
Often used to insulate water and gas pipes to prevent heat loss and for protection from the elements, particularly in exposed or exterior positions, to prevent cracking.
Like woven asbestos cloth, it was used as a protective insulation/seal in electrical components such as power/fuse boxes where there was a risk of arcing or short circuits. Also used on the rim of doors to wood burners and furnaces.
Brands/products
- Australian Asbestos Pty Ltd (CSR)
- Bradford Insulation Industries
- Super Insulation Products
- Bell’s Asbestos & Engineering
Years of production/use
Prior to 2003
Residential uses
- Hot water pipes, wood burners, seal for gas/electric heating appliances
Industrial uses
- Smaller pressure pipes, centrifugal pumps, compressors, vacuum pumps, boilers, flanges
- Packing material in pumps and valves to prevent leaks, sometimes combined with other material such as graphite
- Packing within structural components, such as brackets around pressure pipes
Be aware
Aged rope may deteriorate and become brittle due to temperature fluctuations and environmental effects, and so releasing asbestos fibres.
