Vapor Heating Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, manufactured steam heating equipment including steam radiators, convectors, and associated heating system components for commercial building and naval vessel applications throughout the mid-twentieth century. Vapor Heating shipboard heating system components were installed in United States Navy vessels as part of the habitability heating systems serving crew berthing areas, officer quarters, working spaces, and other occupied spaces aboard destroyers, cruisers, amphibious ships, and auxiliary vessels operating in cold-weather environments. Shipboard steam heating systems using Vapor Heating components provided crew comfort heating by circulating low-pressure steam through radiators and convectors in occupied spaces, with the steam supply taken from the ship’s auxiliary steam system. According to asbestos litigation records, Vapor Heating heating system components incorporated asbestos-containing gasket materials at steam radiator connections and at supply and return valve connections, creating asbestos exposure for Damage Controlmen and engineering ratings who maintained shipboard habitability heating systems.

Vapor Heating Shipboard Heating System Asbestos

Vapor Heating heating system components incorporated asbestos in connection sealing:

  • Steam radiator connection gaskets — Vapor Heating steam radiators installed in Navy vessel habitability spaces incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at the supply and return steam connections where the radiator connected to the shipboard heating circuit piping. Damage Controlmen removing Vapor Heating radiators for maintenance or replacement encountered asbestos-containing connection gasket materials at each radiator connection
  • Supply and return valve packing — the steam supply and condensate return valves associated with Vapor Heating heating system installations incorporated asbestos-containing stem packing at the valve stem gland seals. Damage Controlmen repacking heating system control valves in Navy vessel berthing areas and working spaces removed and replaced asbestos-containing valve stem packing during heating system maintenance operations
  • Heating system branch line connection gaskets — the branch line connections and distribution headers in Vapor Heating heating system installations incorporated asbestos-containing gasket materials at flange connections throughout the heating distribution system. Engineering ratings maintaining the shipboard heating distribution system encountered asbestos-containing gasket materials at heating system connections throughout the spaces served by the heating system

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Vapor Heating Products

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy vessel heating system maintenance. Damage Controlmen and engineering ratings who maintained Vapor Heating shipboard heating system installations and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.