Blown Attic Insulation Asbestos

Step 1 determine the age of your house.

Blown attic insulation asbestos.

The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation. 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. If your home was built before 1990 and you have vermiculite insulation or if your house was built prior to 1970 it s likely that you have some form of asbestos in your attic or elsewhere. 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.

Fiberglass and cellulose are the most common insulation installed in residential attics today. The small fibers that come off of asbestos can kill you. 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. Asbestos has been directly linked to causing mesothelioma and lung cancer as a result of breathing it in.

Vermiculite attic insulation is the main source of concern with asbestos dangers although asbestos is not in every brand. In the late 1970s it became evident that asbestos fibers were very dangerous. Asbestos has been linked to a variety of serious health conditions. Used for fireproofing and insulation asbestos was a cheap and effective material that became an industry standard for buildings across the country.

Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. There is one type of older insulation that has a significant possibility of being contaminated with asbestos. That is the loose granular insulation called vermiculite. Asbestos is actually a natural fiber so if your attic insulation looks like wool there is a slight chance that it will contain asbestos.

Therefore if you have asbestos insulation you need to properly identify it and have it safely removed from your house. 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 insulation was sold under the brand name zonolite. 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 insulation alone is not dangerous being a pellet style mineral which expands with higher temperatures. See this article on vermiculite and asbestos for more information. One of the most harmful insulation materials asbestos continues to cover attic floors in many older homes. In addition to building insulation vermiculite is commonly used with gardening for loosening soil.