Asbestos in Chimney flue

[Steven apple]

Guys, to make additional room for the next extension, my builder convinced me to take the chimney flue down. We don't use the fire place. However, neither he nor I thought about asbestos and the work has already commenced.

I Jutst had a look and took some pictures of the flue, and didn't see evidence of an asbestos flue, but really I don't know what to look for. The inside appeared to be coated in mortar that was sand coloured, but grey on the surface only by what appeared to be soot. I could see from my torch that it was like that all the way down. I'll get an expert to look at it tomorrow, but if anyone can offer an opinion from the attached photo's, I much appreciate it.

 

[aaamusements]

Aren't asbestos flues normally preformed tubular sections?

Your pictures appear to show a simple cement rendered brick flue.

 

[Alastairreid]

Its parging...cement not asbestos.

 

[Steven apple]

My worry is that this is a late 1960's build and I read that it was common in that era to mix asbestos into the cement / mortar.

 

[aaamusements]

My worry is that this is a late 1960's build and I read that it was common in that era to mix asbestos into the cement / mortar.

Any signs of anything fibrous? If not, don't worry.

 

[footprints]

It does look like normal chimney render, not something I would expect to contain asbestos.
A proper asbestos flue would be smooth, sectional, and most usually round.

 

[^woody^]

I read that it was common in that era to mix asbestos into the cement / mortar.

Where did you read that? Don't read anything else from there.

 

[footprints]

Where did you read that? Don't read anything else from there.

10 to 1 it was a site linked to a ambulance chaser lawyer and based in the US.

 

[Red_Shift]

I had an asbestos flue in an old mobile home in the garden and it was pretty obvious, pre cast cylindrical lengths. Yours looks nothing like it.

 

[Steven apple]

Thanks for all the replies. I had a sample tested and all was fine.