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K-Lite insulation material

Description

Light weight insulation material for temperatures up to 650°C.

Manufactured under licence in Australia, the original product known as Kaylo insulation. Produced in blocks, radiused sections for pipes, and used in electrical conduits and arc chutes.

The product was composed of 10-15% amosite  asbestos and 85-90% hydrous calcium silicate.

Used in layered insulations with Caposite and 85% Magnesia. See Industrial combination insulation page.

Brands/products
  • K-Lite
  • Hardie-BI Co
Years of production/use

1953-1974

Between 1964 and 1974 Hardie’s co-produced it with Bradford Insulation Industries and CSR. 

Supply to the market occurred through installers such as Bradford Insulation and Bell’s Thermalag to name two.

Residential uses

–

Industrial uses
  • Advertised for autoclaves, furnace walls, boilers, heat exchangers, hot air ducts, kilns, ovens and precipitators.
  • Also used within fire doors. See asbestos (core) in fire doors page.
  • Breechings, tanks, dryers, evaporators, condensers, autoclaves, turbines, chilling pits and locomotives.
Be aware

Designed to be hand-cut to shape/size on site, which exposed fibres.

Pipes may be recently encapsulated with other insulation material such as jacketed fibreglass or mineral wool.

High Temperature block insulation

Description

Light weight material in two designs: High Temperature for temperatures 300-900°C and Super High Temperature (aka Super HT) for temperatures up to 1040°C.

It was produced in blocks and radiused sections for pipes.

Used in layered insulations with Caposite and 85% Magnesia. See Industrial combination insulation page.

The product was composed of 12% amosite asbestos, 44% basic magnesium carbonate and 44% diatomaceous earth.

Brands/products
  • High Temperature (Hardie)
  • Super High Temperature (H.T.) (Hardie)
  • Hardie-BI Co
Years of production/use

HT: 1950-1967

Between 1964 and 1967 Hardie’s co-produced it with Bradford Insulation Industries and CSR.

Super HT: Late 1950s-1974

Between 1964 and 1974 Hardie’s co-produced it with Bradford Insulation Industries and CSR.

Residential uses

–

Industrial uses

Advertised for boiler surfaces, furnaces, stoves, skelp mills, soaking pits and other industrial equipment operating at high temperatures.

Be aware

Designed to be hand-cut to shape/size on site, which exposed fibres.

Caposite insulation

Description

Caposite is a lightweight insulation material that was produced in blocks and shaped radiused sections for wrapping pipes.

Made in Australia by Hardies under licence to the UK organisation: Cape Building Products Ltd.

Also licensed to ACM producers in 10 other countries.

The composition of the Australian product was 95-98% amosite asbestos bonded with Sodium Silicate. 

Brands/products
  • Caposite
  • Hardie-BI Co
Years of production/use

In Australia Hardie’s supplied this product from the early 20th Century and co-produced it with Bradford Insulation Industries and CSR between 1964-1971.

Residential uses
  • Hot water pipes in multi-story residential blocks. Flue wrapping.
Industrial uses
  • Boiler casings, ducting, flues, road and rail tankers, furnace walls etc
  • Pipe tunnels and risers
  • Used in conjunction with other insulation products such as K-Lite or High temperature blocks in combination insulation applications.
Be aware

Designed to be hand-cut to shape/size on site, which exposed fibres.

Pipes may be recently encapsulated with other insulation material such as jacketed fibreglass or mineral wool.

85% Magnesia insulation

Description

Moulded light weight insulation material manufactured with 85-95% Magnesium Carbonate and 10-15% asbestos binder.

Primarily amosite asbestos mixed with a small amount of chrysotile asbestos.

Produced in blocks, radiused sections and plastic composition. Designed to be hand-cut to shape/size on site, which exposed fibres.

Shaped sections fastened with tie wire. Pipe insulation may be calico or canvas wrapped and fastened with sewn thread and/or steel strapping. During mid-20th Century, some installers painted a 2″ red band on these insulated pipes at intervals to distinguish the insulation presence.

Was sometimes installed in combination with asbestos insulation product: High Temperature (HT) blocks. 

Brands/products
  • Hardie-BI-CSR
  • Hardie’s
  • Carey (USA)
  • Johns Manville (USA)
  • Turner & Newall (UK)
  • Bell’s Asbestos & Engineering
Years of production/use

Developed and used commercially overseas in late 1800s. Imported product sold in Australia in early 20th Century.

Hardie’s produced this product from 1930. Between 1964-1974 Hardies co-produced this and other thermal insulation products with Bradford Insulation Industries and CSR.

Residential uses

–

Industrial uses

Used widely around the world in industrial applications, particularly for high temperature industrial plant (boilers, heat ducting, hot water pipes etc) for insulation up to 315°C.

Be aware

Catalogue diagram also displays use of asbestos washers for fixing blocks in place to steel ducting.

Calico or canvas wrapping (jacketing) may be an indication of ACM presence.

Long term heat exposure may degrade product.

Pipes may be recently encapsulated with other insulation material such as jacketed fibreglass or mineral wool.

Pipe insulation (lagging)

Description

Lagging is a term which has become accepted as describing the insulation material applied to structures such as pressure pipes.

Asbestos lagging is commonly interpreted as the insulation material containing the asbestos fibre which can vary in its composition of asbestos content, type and bonding materials, each designed for specific temperature requirements, particularly in industrial applications.

Locally produced by Hardie’s, CSR and other smaller manufacturers. A large amount of imported material was used for pipe insulation. Sourced from UK and US based manufacturers and supplied through licensed agents in Australia.  

Jacketing material used can also vary: Calico, cotton.

Brands/products

Refer to information pages: 85% Magnesia, Caposite, K-Lite and High Temperature.

The insulation material was marketed under various product names and varying ingredients:

  • Compounds of asbestos with either magnesium carbonate, sodium silicate or diatomaceous earth (mineral-like material of fossilised aquatic organisms).
  • Asbestos paper worked into radiused sections of flat and corrugated laminates.
  • Asbestos felt, which was used on gas pipeline infrastructure.
Years of production/use

1800s – 1990s

Residential uses

Apartment complexes with common-supply pressure pipes

Industrial uses

Pressure pipes, heating/cooling systems, plant infrastructure, commercial and public infrastructure (eg hospitals)

Be aware

Materials will degrade over time from temp variances and environmental effects.

Debris in vicinity, whether from damage or maintenance, may contain asbestos fibres.

Original ACM may still be in-situ which has been encapsulated in jacketed mineral wool or fibreglass.

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Email: enquiries@asbestossafety.gov.au

Phone: 1300 326 148

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