Did They Use Asbestos In Attic 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.

Did they use asbestos in attic insulation.

It is essentially a soft form of silicate that when airborne is highly toxic. The insulation was sold under the brand name zonolite. The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation. It was used in construction materials including roofing materials asphalt shingles roofing felt adhesives putty caulking and patching materials.

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. The use of asbestos was accordingly banned but it still insulates attics in many homes built before the 1970s. Grace and company in the 1960s and 1970s. Vermiculite is utilized for attic insulation as well as other purposes.

It was likely brought home from work at a factory or salvaged from some other type of building. Zonolite insulation one of the most notorious insulation products that caused asbestos exposure is zonolite insulation which was manufactured by w r. Asbestos insulation is a very common problem that many people have to deal with at some point. Vermiculite insulation alone is not dangerous being a pellet style mineral which expands with higher temperatures.

It isn t dangerous unless it is disturbed so anyone who suspects that their home has. Asbestos insulation was widely used as an insulation material in most residential commercial and public buildings constructed between 1920 and 1986. Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. Zonolite is a type of loose fill insulation made of heat expanded vermiculite and it was installed as attic insulation in millions of american homes.

It is easy to identify by its loose lumpy form and fluffy or granular texture. In addition to building insulation vermiculite is commonly used with gardening for loosening soil. Other than vermiculite it s actually quite rare to find thermal insulation in residential attics that contains 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.

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. In those rare cases the asbestos containing materials used for insulation were manufactured for some other purpose.