Expert: James Ball - 2/26/2011

Question
I live in a complex and we have been told we are not allow to use the wooden fireplace. I was an old stand-alone cast iron fireplace. Most of the people in our complex have removed it, but what they did not remove was the fireplace pipes that go through the closet of the smallest bedroom. As you can imagine the pipe takes at least 1/4 or more of the closet. This year they are changing the roof, and most of the people who live in the complex would like to take the pipe out, however we have been told that in order to take out they have to use asbestos. Is it possible to take it out? If so who can do that job in Vancouver and how much it will cost approximately. I look like it is very heavy, and made out of iron.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Answer
Hello Lucia, not sure what you have, you want to remove the old fireplace and pipes and those pipes have asbestos on the pipes? if so then that has to be removed by a professional or you could contaminate the whole complex with asbestos and that causes cancer.
but if left alone it is fine.
so speak to an asbestos professional and you local building department
James