Asbestos Insulation Old Home Attic

There exist a good many misconceptions about attic insulation and asbestos.

Asbestos insulation old home attic.

Your home was constructed prior to 1990. There was also a deposit of asbestos at that mine so the vermiculite from libby was contaminated with asbestos. Unfortunately it can also be found in a myriad of other household materials including. I received an e mail from a homeowner concerned that his attic might have asbestos insulation.

Asbestos insulation is a very common problem that many people have to deal with at some point. In older homes specifically asbestos may be found in many different materials from pipe insulation to flooring adhesive to roof shingles. The libby mine was closed down in 1990 meaning any homes that were built and or remodeled prior to their closing date could have attic insulation containing asbestos. When disturbed tiny abrasive asbestos fibers are easily inhaled which damages lung tissue and can cause cancer.

With many homes from that era still standing it is no surprise to run into asbestos in some capacity. Loose fill insulation could contain asbestos if. In order to protect the safety and health of your loved ones you need to familiarize yourself with. Check for asbestos insulation if your home has damage that needs repair.

It s old dirty and fibrous and the inspector told him that it should be tested for asbestos fibers. Look in your attic for loose fill asbestos. In homes built prior to 1975 asbestos is most commonly found as thermal insulation on basement boilers and pipes. But just because your insulation is old doesn t mean it is dangerous.

Asbestos is actually a natural fiber so if your attic insulation looks like wool there is a slight chance that it will contain asbestos. Loose fill asbestos fiber can be a pale white color or it could be a darker dirty color depending on how old or how dirty it is. One of the most common materials containing asbestos fibers is attic and wall 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.

A home inspector pointed out that the insulation behind the upstairs knee walls is called something wool. He decided to replace the existing insulation with new fiberglass insulation to save money in the winter months. Attic insulation in older homes may contain asbestos that could fall through ceiling cracks. While remodeling the attic of his 1960s home john found piles of brown pebble like insulation.

Check the underside of your roof for a white or gray rough coating.