Asbestos In Attic Space

The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation.

Asbestos in attic space.

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. Used for fireproofing and insulation asbestos was a cheap and effective material that became an industry standard for buildings across the country. Asbestos was a popular material for most of the twentieth century mainly because of its ability to insulate and act as a fire retardant. Asbestos spray coating was a commonly used way to insulate a roof and sometimes the sides of buildings.

He decided to replace the existing insulation with new fiberglass insulation to save money in the winter months. 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. Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. In fact it s still used heavily in some parts of the world such as india and china.

There is one primary source of asbestos attic insulation. Homeadvisor s asbestos removal cost guide gives average abatement prices per sq ft in ceiling or floor tiles vermiculite attic insulation roofs ducts pipes or drywall. There are other sources of asbestos in attic insulation but this single source significantly outpaces the others 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. Attic insulation in older homes may contain asbestos that could fall through ceiling cracks.

If the asbestos is undisturbed and it s sealed away from your home s living space such as in a ventilated attic or inside the walls many homeowners decide to leave vermiculite insulation alone rather than spending thousands of dollars on remediation. Check the underside of your roof for a white or gray rough coating. 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.

Get residential commercial encapsulation cleanup disposal estimates. The unfortunate side effects of exposure to asbestos include things as benign as a skin irritation to conditions as severe as lung cancer. While remodeling the attic of his 1960s home john found piles of brown pebble like insulation. Even small movements can send asbestos particles into the air.