Wall mounted air conditioner
My in-laws live in an older home(l50’s-60’s?) We have been there quite a bit recently helping them prepare to sell. They have two AC units mounted inside a couple walls. One of them looks extremely old probably original to the house. They both look like they’re actually meant to be window units. They have vents on the sides that extend from behind the wall into the living space. Obviously we don’t know for sure if asbestos is present inside the walls but assuming it’s a possibility.
after doing a quick Google search, I found that these units, especially the much older one historically used asbestos as insulation and heat protection around the motor, gaskets and wiring.
My father-in-law also recently tore down and the wall paper in the bathroom(assuming sanded as well)and ripped up the floor in the kitchen which looks to be the original linoleum/ vinyl? I tried to tell him that it most likely contained asbestos but he didn’t want to hear it.
So my questions are:
1.Is it possible whatever is inside the walls is getting into the house through the open vents on the sides and or the main blowing mechanism itself? Again to me it looks like normal window units so unsure how they operate when they’re sitting inside of a wall( the open slots are inside the wall and extend into the room)
- If any of the materials inside the older machine are friable, is there potential for asbestos to be released into the air when it was operational? I don’t think it works anymore but they’ve lived in the house for pretty much their whole life and raised 4 kids there, so for many years they were using it until it eventually failed.
As far as the working one goes, it quite possibly could have asbestos internal parts as well. I have no idea the age of it.
- Concerns being there after the wallpaper and flooring incident?
I worry about my in-laws and my spouse but also My kids frequently spend weekends there so just a bit concerned!