Does Attic Insulation Contain Asbestos

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.

Does attic insulation contain asbestos.

Loose fill insulation is designed to be poured onto attic floors or blown into hollow spaces inside walls and other building structures. Asbestos is actually a natural fiber so if your attic insulation looks like wool there is a slight chance that it will 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. Although asbestos is currently banned as an insulating material in many countries buildings that were built before 1980 may still contain insulation with asbestos.

You should assume the vermiculite contains asbestos and do not disturb it. Any disturbance could potentially release asbestos fibers into the air. Finally you may have attic insulation containing asbestos if it lies flat in the joist cavities and does not puff up like snow. It s considered a very natural product and does not contain asbestos.

However there are loose fill wall and attic insulation which can contain asbestos. You may also find thousands of loose particles within walls or under attic flooring. 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. Loose fill wrap block and spray on.

Vermiculite insulation product from the libby mine in montana is known to contain high levels of amphibolic asbestos. That is the loose granular insulation called vermiculite. 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. 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 insulation contains particles that have a silver gold or gray brown color it may contain asbestos. Other insulation balsam wool is a shredded wood product treated with borax as a fire retardant. Types of asbestos insulation. Asbestos containing thermal insulation can be grouped into four major categories.

The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation. Another indicator is the referenced particles also have an accordion like look or texture. 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.