Asbestos In Blown In Attic Insulation

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Asbestos in blown in attic insulation.

The insulation was sold under the brand name zonolite. If your attic or wall insulation is in batt or blanket form whether it s fiberglass cellulose or another material you. Asbestos is a naturally occurring fiber that is mined. Asbestos insulation many people do not know that asbestos is in fact a natural mineral.

Vermiculite attic insulation is the main source of concern with asbestos dangers although asbestos is not in every brand. The raw materials are melted in furnaces and blown with air or steam over spinning drums or a centrifuge to create the fibers picture making cotton candy. 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 the late 1970s it became evident that asbestos fibers were very dangerous.

If you notice that you have insulation that is falling apart in your building have a professional inspect for asbestos. Since mineral wool is a man made fiber it does not contain 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 agency. Asbestos is in general terms flexible and soft but also has great corrosion resistant and heat resistant properties.

Vermiculite insulation alone is not dangerous being a pellet style mineral which expands with higher temperatures. 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 addition to building insulation vermiculite is commonly used with gardening for loosening soil. Asbestos can be found in the insulation used in walls attics the materials around plumbing and pipes electrical wiring as well as on heating and air conditioning units.

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. How to identify dangerous asbestos insulation.