Q: I live in a 35-year-old house that has forced-air furnace pipes covered with asbestos. There are no breaks in the asbestos, but I wonder if I can cover them (wearing a mask) with duct tape? — Beatrice

A: No! Whatever you do, don't apply unnecessary pressure to your asbestos-covered ducts by attempting to tape seal them. If you can pinch pieces of the material loose with your fingers, your asbestos is ‘‘friable'' and has significant potential for danger. Wearing a mask won't help — the particles are too small. Asbestos abatement people seal off the entire area where work will occur, wear self-contained respirating apparatus, and filter-vacuum the area prior to considering the job complete.

Actually, if your pipe insulation is not friable, chances are you may not have a problem at all. We are advised that nonfriable asbestos is best left undisturbed.

To be sure that you are safe, have an air test performed. For more information on all aspects of your problem contact the Consumer Products Safety Commission at (800) 638-2772.