Identify Asbestos Attic Insulation

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

Identify asbestos 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. So how do you identify if your attic insulation contains asbestos. Concerns about asbestos contaminated vermiculite insulation a mine near libby montana was the source of over 70 percent of all vermiculite sold in the united states from 1919 to 1990. I suspect the insulation is original.

Asbestos insulation can also look like a cardboard covering. This type of insulation was usually used on steam heating pipes between 1910 and 1980. There was also a deposit of asbestos at that mine so the vermiculite from libby was contaminated with asbestos. Vermiculite attic insulation is the main source of concern with asbestos dangers although asbestos is not in every brand.

Vermiculite insulation alone is not. 5he house was built in 1944 and is northern virginia. It has a sparkle or shine in the sunlight. Below we will discuss specifics about loose fill insulation which could contain asbestos.

Exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and diseases like. How to identify asbestos insulation. With many homes from that era still standing it is no surprise to run into asbestos in some capacity. 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. Identifying asbestos attic insulation written by gabriella buonassisi on oct 02 2010. Vermiculite attic insulation is the main source of concern with asbestos dangers although asbestos is not in every brand. I am trying to identify the type of insulation in my attic.

There is one primary source of asbestos attic insulation. Vermiculite insulation alone is not. On 2020 07 26 by james identify insulation in a 1944 home in virginia. Step 4 positive identification of asbestos can only be obtained using polarizing light microscopy which is only available from a laboratory certified by the environmental protection agency.

Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. So how do you identify if your attic insulation contains asbestos. 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. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral composed of thin needle like fibers that was once used as a popular building and insulating material.