Did They Use Asbestos In Attic Insulation

Asbestos insulation is a very common problem that many people have to deal with at some point.

Did they use asbestos in attic insulation.

Several years ago asbestos was commonly used in everything from shingles to floor tiles and asbestos insulation was used in many homes that were built in the 1950s and 1960s. It was used in construction materials including roofing materials asphalt shingles roofing felt adhesives putty caulking and patching materials. 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 is actually a natural fiber so if your attic insulation looks like wool there is a slight chance that it will contain asbestos.

Other than vermiculite it s actually quite rare to find thermal insulation in residential attics that contains asbestos. The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation. Vermiculite is utilized for attic insulation as well as other purposes. It was likely brought home from work at a factory or salvaged from some other type of building.

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. Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. Asbestos insulation was widely used as an insulation material in most residential commercial and public buildings constructed between 1920 and 1986. Zonolite insulation one of the most notorious insulation products that caused asbestos exposure is zonolite insulation which was manufactured by w r.

Vermiculite attic insulation is the main source of concern with asbestos dangers although asbestos is not in every brand. In those rare cases the asbestos containing materials used for insulation were manufactured for some other purpose. 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. It is easy to identify by its loose lumpy form and fluffy or granular texture.

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. It isn t dangerous unless it is disturbed so anyone who suspects that their home has. It is essentially a soft form of silicate that when airborne is highly toxic.

The insulation was sold under the brand name zonolite. With many homes from that era still standing it is no surprise to run into asbestos in some capacity.