Hi I am Najeeb from Vancouver Canada

[Najeeb]

Hi everyone new member as of today. Just got my hands on a Beachcomber b15 1975 travel trailer. Its my first ever travel trailer. I bought it as a project so lets see how it goes. I do have a question, should I be worried about Asbestos as part of the insulation material ? Do 1975 B15 contain any asbestos ?

[K Ann]

Hi Najeeb, I'm afraid I have no advice regarding asbestos in campers. I do appreciate a good vintage camper though. ) Please post pictures as you proceed with your project.

Peace,

Kelly

[Jon in AZ]

I don't recall this coming up before, but a friend recently got burned during a church remodel when flooring that looked like modern sheet vinyl turned out to be from the 1970's and contained asbestos. If it looks original it might be worth having it tested.

Most molded trailers of that era used Ensolite foam for wall and ceiling insulation, which is not a problem. If yours has something different and you are concerned, you could have it tested.

Those are the two areas of concern. Test kits are available online.

[David Tilston]

If your trailer has a furnace, the gaskets are likely asbestos.

[thrifty bill]

On asbestos, I recently remodeled/gutted/rebuilt a 1934 house. Floor tile (and tile adhesive), plaster board, mortar and plaster were all suspect. Sampled all of it, bought test kits from Amazon and mailed them all in.

You really can't tell just by looking at it. Sample and test for the win. Floor tile and adhesive would be two things I would consider first.

Furnace gaskets? You bet. Asbestos was the wonder material back in the day. Fireproof, indestructible, insulating properties, additive for adhesives, etc.


Its when you sand it, grind it, expose it that you can get into trouble. You can only imagine what a home rehab can involve. Fortunately, 1934 was kind of early. for asbestos. By WWII it became common, and continued into the early 1970s.

People often ass-u-me that asbestos was all about insulation. It was in so many other products, from automotive brake shoes, corrugated siding, on up.

[jokra]

On the subject of asbestos and where it was used. I was working on hooking up a furnace pipe to a chimney on an old farm house ca 1976/7 and was told to use asbestos powder from the local home improvement shop which they sold by the pound and I got in a paper bag. Only much later did I find out how dangerous it is, when working to help an epidemiologist.

[Borden]

Other than furnace insulation in a vintage unit. You are probably ok.
Happy camping.

[Rolly D]

No there is no asbestos used for insulation in Beachcombers. Thin yellow fibreglass insulation is what was used for walls and ceiling.

[Frank Hay]

No asbestos was ever used in the fabrication of the Beachcomber. The walls and ceiling used fibreglass batten insulation