Trane Company, headquartered in La Crosse, Wisconsin, was one of the United States’ largest manufacturers of commercial HVAC equipment — centrifugal chillers, air handling units, cooling towers, and HVAC control systems. Trane equipment was used at US Navy shore installations for building cooling and climate control at major naval activities and in some larger surface ship air conditioning plant installations. Trane HVAC equipment manufactured before the late 1970s used asbestos-containing materials in insulation, gaskets, and component construction consistent with HVAC industry practice of the era.

Asbestos in Trane HVAC Equipment

Trane HVAC and chiller equipment used asbestos-containing materials:

  • Chiller barrel and refrigerant vessel insulation — centrifugal chiller barrels and refrigerant vessels in Trane chiller installations used asbestos-containing insulation applied to the external surfaces of refrigerant vessels and chiller barrels to prevent condensation and control heat gain on cold refrigerant surfaces. Maintenance requiring removal of chiller vessel insulation disturbed asbestos-containing materials at each access
  • Air handling unit insulation — Trane air handling unit cabinets and ductwork used asbestos-containing internal insulation lining in the unit cabinet interior in older equipment specifications, with duct connections using asbestos-containing canvas flex connectors and duct wrap insulation
  • Refrigerant system gaskets — refrigerant circuit flanged connections, compressor service valve gaskets, and condenser and evaporator nozzle gaskets used asbestos-containing materials in older Trane refrigerant system construction
  • HVAC ductwork insulation — external duct insulation on chilled water and heated air distribution at Navy shore installation facilities used asbestos-containing duct wrap insulation in HVAC systems installed before the late 1970s

Trane and other HVAC manufacturers’ equipment was installed at Navy shore installations during post-WWII construction and renovation programs:

  • Naval station administrative buildings, barracks, and technical facilities constructed in the 1950s-1970s used Trane and other manufacturers’ central chiller and HVAC systems for building cooling
  • Navy Utilitiesmen (UTs) and civilian maintenance personnel maintaining Trane HVAC equipment at naval installations performed preventive maintenance on chiller vessels, air handling units, and associated ductwork with asbestos-containing materials

Shipboard Air Conditioning

Some larger Navy surface ships used commercial-grade chiller equipment for electronics cooling and accommodation air conditioning, with Trane and similar manufacturers supplying chiller equipment for some shipboard HVAC applications in the period before purpose-built naval HVAC equipment dominated new construction.

VA Claims

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from HVAC and utility equipment maintenance at naval installations. Utilitiesmen and other ratings who performed HVAC maintenance on Trane and other manufacturers’ equipment with asbestos-containing insulation and gaskets at naval installations and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.