# What is this? Please help



## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

We have 400 homes with out water. Need to figure out what this is. 5 supply houses later and nobody knows. It measures 4.1" outside diameter. Some have called it AC Cement or asbestos pipe.


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

Also this pic


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Transite asbestos cement water pipe...

Aren't you lucky...

Did you cut that?


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

Yup, transite pipe! I actually just finished working on a transite water main this morning. Fun stuff to work with. "Star" makes couplings that will transfer from transite to pvc or ductile.


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

Redwood said:


> Transite asbestos cement water pipe... Aren't you lucky... Did you cut that?


Yes we did. Spent all day finding coupling.


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

Just got it together and have a leak on the old pipe side. 












Directions says 50# of torx but i didn't bring a torx wrench and now I don't know how tight to crank on the asbestos. #loveplumbing.


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

What did you use to cut it..?


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Plumber patt said:


> What did you use to cut it..?


Diamond saw in an angle grinder... Right! :laughing:


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

Plumber patt said:


> What did you use to cut it..?


Grinder wheel and no masked and heavy breathing...haha. Sawzall and a little water.


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

wow.

The one we just did I hired in an abatement company. They tarped off the trench and had negative air and hepa vacuums set up. They used a gas quick cut with a lot of water and they disposed of it. Fully suited up and full face respirators. The whole 9. No way I was cutting it


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

Just finished- no leaks


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

Looks good. Dont you love watermain breaks? lol


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

Plumber patt said:


> wow. The one we just did I hired in an abatement company. They tarped off the trench and had negative air and hepa vacuums set up. They used a gas quick cut with a lot of water and they disposed of it. Fully suited up and full face respirators. The whole 9. No way I was cutting it


Now That you mentioned it that is probably what we should have had done. I guess we got caught up in getting it done.


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## PPRI (Aug 27, 2013)

Isn't concrete asbestos pipe listed as a non frangible with the epa? If so it can be handled by a non certified contractor can't it? Great you got it patched up.


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## bct p&h (Jan 19, 2013)

PPRI said:


> Isn't concrete asbestos pipe listed as a non frangible with the epa? If so it can be handled by a non certified contractor can't it? Great you got it patched up.


Until you cut it...


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

bct p&h said:


> Until you cut it...


With a grinder or quick cut sending friable material into your lungs... Not for me


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

Plumber patt said:


> With a grinder or quick cut sending friable material into your lungs... Not for me


How would you cut it?


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

plungerboy said:


> How would you cut it?


The exact way I had it cut last week. 

Hire in a proper abatement company. Let them set up their tarps, negative air, hepa vacuums etc.

Then they cut it wearing full face respirators and full body suits. 

They use water to keep down the dust. Then they take the old pipe and dispose of it properly.


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

Plumber patt said:


> The exact way I had it cut last week. Hire in a proper abatement company. Let them set up their tarps, negative air, hepa vacuums etc. Then they cut it wearing full face respirators and full body suits. They use water to keep down the dust. Then they take the old pipe and dispose of it properly.


What is the approximate cost of this service. I never hired a crew like that before.


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

plungerboy said:


> What is the approximate cost of this service. I never hired a crew like that before.


To be honest, I dont really know.

Im just an employee so I dont really get into costs too much. 

All I do know, was I had a large comercial property with no fire supression, it had to be done so I just got it done. Sometimes you gotta make those calls. With 400 houses with no water it sounds like you were in the same situation.

You just gotta tell your customer you arent going to be the one to cut it and you need to get the pro's to do it. Not a whole lot they can say at that point. No sense worrying about money when saftey is the concern.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

I cut one years ago in a attic was transite vent pipe, I wetted it down good with water then used a chain snapper to cut pipe and then disposed of sections :whistling2:

HO was made aware of all the possible problems with dealing with the transite


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

Snapping it isnt all that bad. Very small amount of dust created. Its when you are cutting it with a grinder or quick cut saw is when you got mucho problems lol


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

plungerboy said:


> Now That you mentioned it that is probably what we should have had done. I guess we got caught up in getting it done.


Yep, beware, someone finds out and calls the EPA, you may have serious issues. Anytime you cut that ****, full hazmat removal mandatory........

PS, Where was it at????????:devil2:


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

In all honesty , the stuff really aint that dangerous..
Wearing a common resperator is enough for minor exposure.
We have all been rolling in the stuff for decades...on one level or 
another, black mold scares me much more than asbestos ....


. 
the only thing dangerous about it is if the EPA comes along and
fines you big money $$$ for disposeing of it illegally...

I know someone I could turn in right now for taking down a ton
of the stuff off an old boiler in a basement..... she hires a bunch of illegals and buys a bunch of heavy duty garbage bags and the next day its all gone....probably all dumped in the dumpster behind K-mart.:blink:

I should have done it because we never got totally paid on the job
.


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## JimmyMac (Nov 4, 2015)

Personally never seen it, nor heard of it, but piqued my curiosity....found this good reference, shows best way to cut it, with multiple options.
http://www.ewastedisposal.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ASBPIPE.pdf


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