Blown In Attic Insulation Asbestos

An asbestos contaminated mine in libby montana supplied over 70 percent of the vermiculite used in insulation products.

Blown in attic insulation asbestos.

From the early 1950 s for a period of nearly forty years the construction industry used asbestos as an insulator and fire retardant. Vermiculite is utilized for attic insulation as well as other purposes. Vermiculite attic insulation is the main source of concern with asbestos dangers although asbestos is not in every brand. Fiberglass and cellulose are the most common insulation installed in residential attics today.

Vermiculite was a popular insulation choice between 1919 and 1990. See this article on vermiculite and asbestos for more information. 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. In the late 1970s it became evident that asbestos fibers were very dangerous.

Vermiculite insulation alone is not dangerous being a pellet style mineral which expands with higher temperatures. The insulation was sold under the brand name zonolite. 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. Step 1 determine the age of your house.

Therefore if you have asbestos insulation you need to properly identify it and have it safely removed from your house. Asbestos insulation many people do not know that asbestos is in fact a natural mineral. 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. If you notice that you have insulation that is falling apart in your building have a professional inspect for asbestos.

Asbestos has been linked to a variety of serious health conditions. 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. There is one type of older insulation that has a significant possibility of being contaminated with asbestos.

Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. Asbestos has been directly linked to causing mesothelioma and lung cancer as a result of breathing it in. Asbestos is actually a natural fiber so if your attic insulation looks like wool there is a slight chance that it will contain asbestos. In addition to building insulation vermiculite is commonly used with gardening for loosening soil.

That is the loose granular insulation called vermiculite. The illinois department of health notes that disturbed asbestos produces tiny needle like fibers that can cause irreparable lung damage.