The most common kind of asbestos rope comes in a variety of shapes formed of entwined asbestos fibres. It is often used in centrifugal pumps, piston pumps, blowers, pumping systems, mixer, ship propeller shaft seals, as well as other equipment. It is resistant to acids and alkalis and has strong thermal conductivity. These ropes may be bent into any form and work effectively in very hot or very cold environments. For gaskets or seals that fill the area between two adjacent surfaces, asbestos ropes were frequently employed in construction. Boilers, pipelines, and heaters are protected against fire by using these to seal them.