Heating and cooling systems installed through the 1970s often relied on asbestos, so HVAC technicians who installed, serviced, or tore out that equipment may have breathed asbestos fibers for years without knowing it. The furnaces, boilers, duct wrap, gaskets, and cement board they handled every day are now a leading reason retired technicians are being diagnosed with mesothelioma decades after they left the trade.
At Throneberry Law Group, we have handled asbestos cases for tradespeople for about two decades, and HVAC work is one of the exposure histories we see most often. Our HVAC workers asbestos exposure page explains the trade’s history, and this post covers the specific products involved and what a technician’s legal options look like today. Michael Throneberry’s own father-in-law died of mesothelioma, so we take the time to trace each client’s work history ourselves rather than hand it to a call center.
Why Was Asbestos So Common in Heating and Cooling Systems
Few materials handle heat the way asbestos does, and it is also strong, cheap, and fire resistant. For decades, manufacturers built it into furnaces, boilers, ducts, and the insulation that wrapped them. Federal limits on new asbestos products began in the 1970s, but the equipment already sitting in basements and mechanical rooms stayed in service for years afterward.
That is why the technicians at greatest risk are the ones who repaired older systems, not just the ones who installed new ones. Pulling a 1960s furnace in 1985 released the same fibers as installing it did.
Which HVAC Materials Contained Asbestos
Technicians who serviced furnaces and boilers handled a range of asbestos-containing parts, and many of the companies that made them are now defendants in asbestos litigation or have set up asbestos trust funds. The products below are the ones that come up most often in the cases we investigate.
- Gaskets and packing: Furnace door gaskets, boiler gaskets, and valve packing from makers such as Garlock and John Crane released fibers when scraped off and replaced.
- Duct insulation and wrap: Asbestos duct insulation, duct tape, and paper wrap were cut and removed by hand, often overhead and in tight spaces.
- Cement board and heat shields: Transite and similar boards were cut and drilled around furnaces and flues.
- Vibration dampeners and connectors: Cloth connectors between the furnace and ductwork often contained asbestos fabric.
- Boiler insulation: Block and blanket insulation on boilers from companies such as Babcock and Wilcox crumbled during repairs.
Technicians were also exposed to products other trades installed, including pipe insulation, spray-on fireproofing, ceiling tiles, and joint compound, whenever they worked nearby while those materials were disturbed.
Why Does Mesothelioma Appear So Long After the Work
Mesothelioma has a long latency period. According to the National Cancer Institute, it can take from 10 to 40 years or more for symptoms of an asbestos-related condition to appear. A technician who left the trade in the 1980s may only now be seeing a doctor about shortness of breath or chest pain.
Mesothelioma is not the only disease linked to this exposure. HVAC technicians may also develop asbestosis or asbestos-related lung cancer, and each of those diagnoses can support a claim.
What Legal Options May Be Available to HVAC Technicians
If you developed mesothelioma after working with asbestos-containing HVAC materials, you may be able to pursue compensation through more than one path. A mesothelioma lawsuit can be filed against manufacturers that are still in business, and trust fund claims can be filed against companies that went bankrupt and set aside money for future claimants. Many technicians were exposed to products from both kinds of companies, so we usually pursue both.
Surviving family members may also have options after an asbestos-related death. Deadlines apply to every one of these claims, so the sooner we start tracing the exposure, the more options stay open.
Which Details Help Prove an HVAC Exposure Claim
Employment records, union records, old work orders, and project files help establish where and when you encountered asbestos. Coworkers who remember the furnaces, boilers, and brands you worked on can fill in gaps, and we locate those witnesses as part of our investigation. Medical records confirming the diagnosis complete the picture.
You do not need to know the brand of every gasket you ever replaced. Identifying the products is our job, and we have the product and site records to do it, even when a former employer has closed.
Nationwide Mesothelioma Lawyers at Throneberry Law Group
HVAC technicians kept buildings running for decades and were rarely warned about what they were breathing. At Throneberry Law Group, we build these cases ourselves, from the work history to the product identification, and we try cases when a fair settlement is not on the table. We handle claims for clients nationwide, including Spanish-speaking families.
If you worked in heating and cooling and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos disease, we can review your history and explain what compensation may be available. The consultation is free and there is no fee unless we recover for you. Tell us about your work through our contact form.
