Re: fiberglass shedding problems

[Guest guest]

,

Check the HVAC system and inspect for

fiberglass insulation linings. It is not uncommon for the insulation to break

down and become air born finding its way into the occupied space.

Bob/Ma.

From:

iequality [mailto:iequality ] On Behalf Of Klein

Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006

1:09 PM

To: IEQ List

Subject: fiberglass

shedding problems

Has anyone on the list investigated problems with

fiberglass shedding

in a building? If so, what did you eventually find as the source? Matt

[Guest guest]

Fiberglass duct lining.

fiberglass shedding problems

Has anyone on the list investigated problems with fiberglass shedding

in a building? If so, what did you eventually find as the source? Matt

FAIR USE NOTICE:

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always

been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such

material available in our efforts to advance understanding of

environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific,

and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use'

of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the

US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the

material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have

expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for

research and educational purposes. For more information go to:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use

copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go

beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

[Guest guest]

Mr. Klein Glass fiber can come from several sources in the built environment. In offices and schools, acoustical ceiling tile in drop in ceilings is a common source. Glass fiber from insulated ducts is another source. In residential buildings thermal blanket insulation is more common. It is often found in association with construction debris such as plaster and saw dust. Reinforcing glass fiber from plaster board, seam tape and mud is another source. If you have access to a microscope these sources are readily differentiated. You can visit our web site at microlabnm.com and see photographs of these materials in the photo gallery under "Fibers", as well as a short paper discussing our experience with glass fiber as a cause of health complaints. If you have any questions please contact me at ken.w@microlabnm .com. Ken Warner Microlab

Northwest Klein wrote: Has anyone on the list investigated problems with fiberglass shedding in a building? If so, what did you eventually find as the source? Matt __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Ken,

Your link to www.microlabnm.com doesn’t seem to

work well. Is there a typo?

Bob/Ma.

From:

iequality [mailto:iequality ] On Behalf Of Ken Warner

Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006

5:18 PM

To: iequality

Subject: Re:

fiberglass shedding problems

Mr. Klein

Glass fiber can come from several sources in the built

environment. In offices and schools, acoustical ceiling tile in drop in

ceilings is a common source. Glass fiber from insulated ducts is another

source. In residential buildings thermal blanket insulation is more

common. It is often found in association with construction debris such as

plaster and saw dust. Reinforcing glass fiber from plaster board, seam

tape and mud is another source. If you have access to a microscope these

sources are readily differentiated. You can visit our web site at

microlabnm.com and see photographs of these materials in the photo gallery

under " Fibers " , as well as a short paper discussing our experience

with glass fiber as a cause of health complaints. If you have any

questions please contact me at ken.w@microlabnm .com.

Ken Warner

Microlab Northwest

Klein

<mkklein68roadrunner> wrote:

Has anyone on the list

investigated problems with fiberglass shedding

in a building? If so, what did you eventually find as the source? Matt

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Bob/Ma,

I got to the site at http://www.microlabnw.com

All the best,

Gerard

De: iequality [mailto:iequality ] Em nome de BobEnviada: quarta-feira, 27 de Dezembro de 2006 22:51Para: iequality Assunto: RE: fiberglass shedding problems

Ken,

Your link to www.microlabnm.com doesn’t seem to work well. Is there a typo?

Bob/Ma.

From: iequality [mailto:iequality ] On Behalf Of Ken WarnerSent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 5:18 PMTo: iequality Subject: Re: fiberglass shedding problems

Mr. Klein

Glass fiber can come from several sources in the built environment. In offices and schools, acoustical ceiling tile in drop in ceilings is a common source. Glass fiber from insulated ducts is another source. In residential buildings thermal blanket insulation is more common. It is often found in association with construction debris such as plaster and saw dust. Reinforcing glass fiber from plaster board, seam tape and mud is another source. If you have access to a microscope these sources are readily differentiated. You can visit our web site at microlabnm.com and see photographs of these materials in the photo gallery under "Fibers", as well as a short paper discussing our experience with glass fiber as a cause of health complaints. If you have any questions please contact me at ken.w@microlabnm .com.

Ken Warner

Microlab Northwest Klein <mkklein68roadrunner> wrote:

Has anyone on the list investigated problems with fiberglass shedding in a building? If so, what did you eventually find as the source? Matt

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Gerard,

Thank you for your help.

Bob/Ma.

From: iequality [mailto:iequality ] On Behalf Of Gerard

Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006

6:39 PM

To: iequality

Subject: RE:

fiberglass shedding problems

Bob/Ma,

I got to the site at http://www.microlabnw.com

All the best,

Gerard

De: iequality [mailto:iequality ] Em nome de Bob

Enviada: quarta-feira, 27 de

Dezembro de 2006 22:51

Para: iequality

Assunto: RE:

fiberglass shedding problems

Ken,

Your link to www.microlabnm.com

doesn’t seem to work well. Is there a typo?

Bob/Ma.

From: iequality

[mailto:iequality ]

On Behalf Of Ken Warner

Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006

5:18 PM

To: iequality

Subject: Re:

fiberglass shedding problems

Mr. Klein

Glass fiber

can come from several sources in the built environment. In offices and

schools, acoustical ceiling tile in drop in ceilings is a common source.

Glass fiber from insulated ducts is another source. In residential

buildings thermal blanket insulation is more common. It is often found in

association with construction debris such as plaster and saw dust.

Reinforcing glass fiber from plaster board, seam tape and mud is another

source. If you have access to a microscope these sources are readily

differentiated. You can visit our web site at microlabnm.com and see photographs

of these materials in the photo gallery under " Fibers " , as well as a

short paper discussing our experience with glass fiber as a cause of health

complaints. If you have any questions please contact me at

ken.w@microlabnm .com.

Ken Warner

Microlab Northwest

Klein

<mkklein68roadrunner> wrote:

Has anyone on the

list investigated problems with fiberglass shedding

in a building? If so, what did you eventually find as the source? Matt

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

In my area of the country, a material termed "duct board" is used. This duct is solid 100% fiberglass with no liner on the environmental air side of the material. When these so-called duct cleaners chew up the interior of the fiberglass material ducts, the interior of the home is showered in fiberglass particulate. So choose your duct cleaners wisely!

Ed Gerhardt

Surelock Homes, Inc.

Chapel Hill, NC

[Guest guest]

Matt,

Are you talking about fiberglass liner in HVAC systems? If so, that is relative easy to repair.

Lance Weaver

Lloyds Systems

fiberglass shedding problems

Has anyone on the list investigated problems with fiberglass shedding in a building? If so, what did you eventually find as the source? Matt

No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG Free Edition.Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.15.28/605 - Release Date: 12/27/2006

[Guest guest]

Ken

I tried the link and it did not work.

Jim H. White SSC

RE: fiberglass shedding problems

Bob/Ma,

I got to the site at http://www.microlabnw.com

All the best,

Gerard

De: iequality [mailto:iequality ] Em nome de BobEnviada: quarta-feira, 27 de Dezembro de 2006 22:51Para: iequality Assunto: RE: fiberglass shedding problems

Ken,

Your link to www.microlabnm.com doesn’t seem to work well. Is there a typo?

Bob/Ma.

From: iequality [mailto:iequality ] On Behalf Of Ken WarnerSent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 5:18 PMTo: iequality Subject: Re: fiberglass shedding problems

Mr. Klein

Glass fiber can come from several sources in the built environment. In offices and schools, acoustical ceiling tile in drop in ceilings is a common source. Glass fiber from insulated ducts is another source. In residential buildings thermal blanket insulation is more common. It is often found in association with construction debris such as plaster and saw dust. Reinforcing glass fiber from plaster board, seam tape and mud is another source. If you have access to a microscope these sources are readily differentiated. You can visit our web site at microlabnm.com and see photographs of these materials in the photo gallery under "Fibers", as well as a short paper discussing our experience with glass fiber as a cause of health complaints. If you have any questions please contact me at ken.w@microlabnm .com.

Ken Warner

Microlab Northwest Klein <mkklein68roadrunner> wrote:

Has anyone on the list investigated problems with fiberglass shedding in a building? If so, what did you eventually find as the source? Matt

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Lance,

Internal fiberglass insulation in HVAC systems has a "skin" of sorts that is supposed to keep the fiber matrix from degrading. If that skin is damaged it can allow the fiberglass product to shed particulate as the air velocity grinds away at the bruises within the ductwork.

I have seen badly damaged duct board and internally insulated metal plenums caused by air duct cleaning where air driven whips and beaters were used to try and dislodge dust and mold growth from the interior of the duct systems. After cleaning, problems with fiberglass discharge from the supply grills became a problem.

One solution that seems to solve the problem nicely is to use a suitable product like s 40/20 to create a new skin on the damaged internal fiberglass surfaces. You would of course want to make sure that the duct system is your source before you take any kind of action.

Keep in mind also that evaporator coil cabinets and air handling equipment is also going to be insulated on the inside and those areas might harbor your source and the problem may not be coming from your plenums and duct runs at all. Also check for air infiltration leaks on the air return side of the system. If you are drawing in unfiltered air from fiberglass insulated spaces, then that could be a source as well.

Stojanik

fiberglass shedding problems

Has anyone on the list investigated problems with fiberglass shedding in a building? If so, what did you eventually find as the source? Matt

No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG Free Edition.Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.15.28/605 - Release Date: 12/27/2006

[Guest guest]

A few Comments on “Fiberglass”

(speaking in generalities):

A. Constituents

There are two general groups:

1.

Fiberglass

(Ex: Pink rolls, – Owens Corning; Yellow rolls, – Knauf; found in

ceiling tile and drywall [had a sample in drywall this week])

2.

Rock or

slag wool (darker, generally blown-in insulation in older homes – attics,

walls)

These can be differentiated, are made by

different processes and have different sources (uses). Usually by PLM but

sometimes EDX from TEM/SEM is needed to define more succinctly on fragments. [i’m

excluding continuous filaments, ceramic-like, etc.)

B. Comments

on “Health” Effects

(I will refer to both as FG for

simplicity)

1.

FG can

cause irritation at low levels under certain circumstances

2.

Irritation

of eyes, nose, skin

3.

They generally

dissolve rapidly in the lungs (half-lives of 7-90 days)

4.

Generally

not that inhalable because diameters are usually >10 um

C.

A couple

of cases I know of that are of interest:

1.

NW US.

Electronics factory caused >$3 mil of lost time from itching and rashes. Traced

to low levels of FG (<<0.01 f/cc) from FG used in product combined with

unusually low RH.

2.

SE US

Office building across from construction site where demo released FG traced to

the site. Caused irritation in eyes and skin in office space.

3. Claims

of FG from the duct released causing irritation in an office. Follow-up

testing in lab set-up revealed that generally speaking (unless damaged) FG is not

released in significant amounts (TEM, <<0.001 f/cc) at expected duct

velocities. His was an interior of a metal duct lined with FG – not

ductboard.

4. Claims

of FG emissions from a stack at a FG manufacturer causing dusting and darkening

of car, house of neighbors. Primary cause was rubber followed by plant

fibers. Almost nil for FG (2 fibers in ca. 8 samples).

D.

Other comments

1.

FG is

rare in IAQ air samples (Filter or Spore Trap) unless there is disturbance.

2.

FG is

released when walls are drilled into for wall cavity samples.

3.

FG can

have free aldehydes on the surface of the fibers if manufactured in a certain

way.

.......................................................................

" Tony " Havics,

CHMM, CIH, PE

pH2, LLC

PO Box 34140

Indianapolis, IN 46234

off

fax

cell

90% of Risk Management is knowing where to

place the decimal point...any consultant can give you the other 10%(SM)

This message is from pH2. This message and

any attachments may contain legally privileged or confidential information, and

are intended only for the individual or entity identified above as the

addressee. If you are not the addressee, or if this message has been addressed

to you in error, you are not authorized to read, copy, or distribute this

message and any attachments, and we ask that you please delete this message and

attachments (including all copies) and notify the sender by return e-mail or by

phone at . Delivery of this message and any attachments to any

person other than the intended recipient(s) is not intended in any way to waive

confidentiality or a privilege. All personal messages express views only of the

sender, which are not to be attributed to pH2 and may not be copied or

distributed without this statement.

From: iequality [mailto:iequality ] On Behalf Of Surelock78@...

Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2006

12:55 PM

To: iequality

Subject: Re:

fiberglass shedding problems

In my

area of the country, a material termed " duct board " is used.

This duct is solid 100% fiberglass with no liner on the environmental air side

of the material. When these so-called duct cleaners chew up the interior

of the fiberglass material ducts, the interior of the home is showered in

fiberglass particulate. So choose your duct cleaners wisely!

Ed Gerhardt

Surelock Homes, Inc.

Chapel Hill, NC