Asbestos Insulation Old Home Attic

Vermiculite insulation alone is not dangerous being a pellet style mineral which expands with higher temperatures.

Asbestos insulation old home attic.

One of the most common materials containing asbestos fibers is attic and wall insulation. Blacksmith37 oct 8 19 at 19 28. When i scooped pure asbestos out a 40 lb bag it was grey and looked like bread flower more than anything else such as the photo. Unfortunately it can also be found in a myriad of other household materials including.

In older homes specifically asbestos may be found in many different materials from pipe insulation to flooring adhesive to roof shingles. Vermiculite is utilized for attic insulation as well as other purposes. Asbestos attic insulation can be found in many homes. The insulation was sold under the brand name zonolite.

Other than vermiculite it s actually quite rare to find thermal insulation in residential attics that contains asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the insulation used in walls attics the materials around plumbing and pipes electrical wiring as well as on heating and air conditioning units. Unfortunately it has been linked to forms of cancer and lung disorders. In addition to building insulation vermiculite is commonly used with gardening for loosening soil.

Vermiculite insulation which may contain the tremolite types of asbestos is a big enough topic that i ll write a whole article about it later. Vermiculite attic insulation is the main source of concern with asbestos dangers although asbestos is not in every brand. And asbestos is was expensive compared to cellulose mineral wool fiberglas etc so i can t imagine it being used as home insulation. If you notice that you have insulation that is falling apart in your building have a professional inspect for asbestos.

Geological survey vermiculite attic insulation is sometimes found in older homes and is often contaminated with asbestos because of the libby montana mine where it originated. But just because your insulation is old doesn t mean it is dangerous. If you see white tape on your ducts as shown in the photo above vermiculite insulation in your attic as shown below it s probably not causing a problem as long as it s undisturbed. The primary source of asbestos attic insulation is from a specific mine in montana operated for 70 years by the libby company according to the environmental protection agency.

Here s how to tell if your home contains asbestos insulation and what to do about it. I have never read or heard of either containing any asbestos fibers.