What in the name of the holy lord is this?

[Jackitate]

Hi gentlemen,

We've been scouting ACMs around the boiler recently and the only thing that remotely resembles an ACM is this -
And whatever it is - it has been applied in the most ridiculous way possible. What function does it serve on this thing?

The boiler was installed in 1986, a year after the amphibole ban - and is not white in colour unless disclosured by dust. Given that, it may not even be asbestos but I'm not sure. Any ideas - could it be a fibre of another sort? Could it be steel fibre?

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Here is a video:

 

[Jackitate]

Is it worth setting fire to it to see if it will burn?

 

[JohnD]

are you talking about the brown whiskers next to the empty pipe clamp?

I'd guess fibres remaining from old "horsehair"/felt pipe lagging

It's not actually horsehair. May be coconut husk fibre.

 

[JohnD]

Is it worth setting fire to it to see if it will burn?

if you want.

 

[Jackitate]

are you talking about the brown whiskers next to the empty pipe clamp?

I'd guess fibres remaining from old "horsehair"/felt pipe lagging

It's not actually horsehair. May be coconut husk fibre.

That's the stuff I am talking about. Asbestos is usually noticabley fibrous and in bundles - can be separated and noticed as individual hairs?

I'll give the fire test ago.

 

[JohnD]

I see nothing in your photo to suggest asbestos.

 

[foxhole]

Asbestos fibres usually need a microscope to see.

 

[Jackitate]

Asbestos fibres usually need a microscope to see.

Typically, but that is usually when they are too small to be identified by eye. Whatever this is, happens to be large enough to ID by eye and doesnt display typical characteristics such as 'splaying fibres in bundles'. Fibres can be separated with asbestos but these seem to be one thick unit. 5um in length and 3um in width is microscope worthy - but in bundles or strands can be seen.

I dont wish to dick around with it though. There is definitely some kind of fiber additive - be it steel or some of the other suggestions mentioned up above. I'm clueless as to what this is and scope out whether or not this could be another fiber before I boil it down to asbestos.

This lacks the splaying/individual fiber aspect and white colour of typical chrysolite. It was also fitted after the amphibole (brown and blue) asbestos ban.

Forked out an arm and a leg on testing materials this week and trying to get a rough ID before cashing out further.

 

[foxhole]

Probably just fibres from the plumbers jersey .

 

[Jackitate]

Probably just fibres from the plumbers jersey .

Better that then spikey plumber pubes me thinks

 

[Jackitate]

I see nothing in your photo to suggest asbestos.

Turns out it curled and burned when flame was brought to it.

 

[durhamplumber]

Turns out it curled and burned when flame was brought to it.

Defo pubes then

 

[bobasd]

it looks like dried out hyphae strands of dry rot plant - knock off plaster and follow back to where these strands came from.

typically, there's no reason for any asbestos to be in your wall?

 

[Safety First]

Cut a piece off. Soak it in water. If it's organic it will change a great deal. If it's mineral it probably won't.
+1 for burn test.
Pubes would be the most interesting outcome. But they stink when they burn so probably not them.