It is official. I am truly now a Home Inspector.

[Sean Fogarty]

So my lesson for the day is not to be kind to the sellers. At all! The buyer said I had her permission to share the multitude of problems with the sellers, and it went downhill when I mentioned one small issue. The house was built in 1953. The plumbing replaced, and only a few peices of old galvanized pipe remained, not being used of course. Well the pipe had this funny looking insulation on it. I commented it could possibly be asbestos. Well later when I went home to finish the longest report ever, the husband calls to ask about a couple of things, and then mentions the pipe. I tell him that I have to put it in the report. Well he hangs up and a few minutes later, the wife calls me and asks me why. I tell her that Federal law requires me to state that it possibly could be asbestos and that it would have to be tested to confirm. SO she tells me if I put asbestos in the report, and they have it tested to come back negitive, she is going to contact her attorney! I have been touched before, but not as deeply as this one. If i keep it up I hould have one happy customer per week! You look at the pics and you tell me what it looks like.

[Dominic Maricic]

Yikes. Always great to receive threats from people!

[Bill Warner]

And did you ask them that if the test came back positive could you expect a call thanking you for identifying this potentially hazardous condition? 

Good job Sean.  From the photos it does appear to be ACM but only a lab can verify. I would have reported the same!

[Jeff Moore]

I agree, it sure looks like ACM and good call telling them it needs to be tested.
I would let them know that if it comes back as ACM you are going to call
your attorney.
Some people just get crazy.

[Sean Fogarty]

The sad part is that some poor bastard had gone under there and cut out most of it and replaced the plumbing.

[Michael Merino]

Do not state that it is asbestos. State that it appears to be, or is consistent with asbestos. That should shield you from her lawyer.

[Sean Fogarty]

This was my report response
Some old water distribution pipe remains in the crawl space. This galvanized piping is not connected but appears to have an unknown insulation covering it. I do not know if this ACM (asbestos containing materials)  or not. The area in question is only about 2 feet in length, and would have to be tested to confirm this.  I discussed the situation with Albert Manis, who is a EPA certified Inspector, and works for the E. Luke Green company. He informed me by law That one must assume that it does have ACM until the suspect material is tested. He also said it is not an issue and does not have to be removed, as long as the buyer is comfortable with the situation.

[Bob Elliott]

You have nothing to worry about.
As Best Os  I can guess it is.

Now ask what she will give you when results come back positive.

[Mark Wahl]

Sean, I am not sure that this looks like asbestos.  It may just be old types of insulation, however, if it is suspected, then you were right to call it out.  Your client is the buyer and unfortunately, there are times when the seller is going to be upset with what is said.  It is not your responsibilty to protect the seller.  The only suggestion I would make is that you word it as a potential harzardous type of insulation and not necessary use the word asbestos.  This would be the same as saying a bio organic matter vs. using the word MOLD. 

[Charley Bottger]

That does not appear to me to be ACM what I see is fiberglass wrapped with paper insulation that is normally embedded with string for strength. That type of insulation is still available in my area not highly used but still available. Normally asbestos was in the inner insulating material not the cover. JMTC

[Dennis R Goudreau]

ACM for sure

[John Adrian Sopher]

Yeah we had that fun stuff on our boat in the Navy.  We just painted over it every few months.  (probably lead base paint too) lol