Does Attic Insulation Contain Asbestos

Extracted from the mine between 1920 and 1990 this vermiculite insulation was sold mainly but not exclusively under the trademark zonolite attic insulation.

Does attic insulation contain asbestos.

That is the loose granular insulation called vermiculite. If you re insulation is the batt style insulation as the loose fill insulation has the higher risk as it s loosely poured into wall or joist cavities. Loose fill wrap block and spray on. Any disturbance could potentially release asbestos fibers into the air.

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. Another indicator is the referenced particles also have an accordion like look or texture. It s considered a very natural product and does not contain asbestos. There is one type of older insulation that has a significant possibility of being contaminated with asbestos.

If you absolutely have to go in your attic and it contains vermiculite insulation you should limit the number of trips you make and shorten the length of those trips in order to help limit your. You should assume the vermiculite contains asbestos and do not disturb it. Asbestos containing thermal insulation can be grouped into four major categories. Asbestos is actually a natural fiber so if your attic insulation looks like wool there is a slight chance that it will contain asbestos.

The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation. Loose fill insulation is designed to be poured onto attic floors or blown into hollow spaces inside walls and other building structures. You may also find thousands of loose particles within walls or under attic flooring. Although asbestos is currently banned as an insulating material in many countries buildings that were built before 1980 may still contain insulation with asbestos.

However there are loose fill wall and attic insulation which can contain asbestos. Although it is a different insulator there are similar issues with vermiculite attic insulation as it is a very difficult proposition to see whether asbestos is contained within. Other insulation balsam wool is a shredded wood product treated with borax as a fire retardant. The best thing to do is not to touch it but obtain the services of a professional to extract some samples and get a confirmation as to whether it contains asbestos.

Vermiculite insulation product from the libby mine in montana is known to contain high levels of amphibolic asbestos. If you have damaged insulation you plan to remodel your building or you suspect your insulation may contain asbestos you need to contact an asbestos professional that is. If your insulation contains particles that have a silver gold or gray brown color it may contain asbestos.