Asbestos In Attic Space

Even small movements can send asbestos particles into the air.

Asbestos in attic space.

Asbestos attic insulation is common in older homes as asbestos was inexpensive and an effective 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. Check the underside of your roof for a white or gray rough coating. Get residential commercial encapsulation cleanup disposal estimates.

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. The unfortunate side effects of exposure to asbestos include things as benign as a skin irritation to conditions as severe as lung cancer. Used for fireproofing and insulation asbestos was a cheap and effective material that became an industry standard for buildings across the country. Attic insulation in older homes may contain asbestos that could fall through ceiling cracks.

Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. There is one primary source of asbestos attic insulation. If your home was built before 1990 and you have vermiculite insulation or if your house was built prior to 1970 it s likely that you have some form of asbestos in your attic or elsewhere. If the asbestos is undisturbed and it s sealed away from your home s living space such as in a ventilated attic or inside the walls many homeowners decide to leave vermiculite insulation alone rather than spending thousands of dollars on remediation.

Asbestos spray coating was a commonly used way to insulate a roof and sometimes the sides of buildings. In fact it s still used heavily in some parts of the world such as india and china. 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. Asbestos is actually a natural fiber so if your attic insulation looks like wool there is a slight chance that it will contain asbestos.

Asbestos attic insulation may be one of the worst possible kinds to have in a home these days. Asbestos was a popular material for most of the twentieth century mainly because of its ability to insulate and act as a fire retardant. Homeadvisor s asbestos removal cost guide gives average abatement prices per sq ft in ceiling or floor tiles vermiculite attic insulation roofs ducts pipes or drywall. The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation.