Blown In Attic Insulation Asbestos

There is one type of older insulation that has a significant possibility of being contaminated with asbestos.

Blown in attic insulation asbestos.

See this article on vermiculite and asbestos for more information. In addition to building insulation vermiculite is commonly used with gardening for loosening soil. Vermiculite insulation alone is not dangerous being a pellet style mineral which expands with higher temperatures. Asbestos insulation many people do not know that asbestos is in fact a natural mineral.

In the late 1970s it became evident that asbestos fibers were very dangerous. Asbestos is actually a natural fiber so if your attic insulation looks like wool there is a slight chance that it will contain asbestos. Fiberglass and cellulose are the most common insulation installed in residential attics today. Therefore if you have asbestos insulation you need to properly identify it and have it safely removed from your house.

The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation. An asbestos contaminated mine in libby montana supplied over 70 percent of the vermiculite used in insulation products. There are many different kinds of wool like insulation that are man made and do not have asbestos but if your attic insulation looks like wool than it is best to be safe and have it tested by a professional. 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.

Blown in insulation helped reduced electric bills but also generated a risk for the families who lived in them as asbestos was often used to make the insulation flame retardant. Vermiculite was a popular insulation choice between 1919 and 1990. Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. Asbestos has been linked to a variety of serious health conditions.

The insulation was sold under the brand name zonolite. Step 1 determine the age of your house. If your attic or wall insulation is in batt or blanket form whether it s fiberglass cellulose or another material you generally don t have to be concerned about 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.

The small fibers that come off of asbestos can kill you. Asbestos has been directly linked to causing mesothelioma and lung cancer as a result of breathing it in. That is the loose granular insulation called vermiculite. From the early 1950 s for a period of nearly forty years the construction industry used asbestos as an insulator and fire retardant.

Vermiculite is utilized for attic insulation as well as other purposes. Asbestos is in general terms flexible and soft but also has great corrosion resistant and heat resistant properties.