Does Attic Insulation Have Asbestos

If a close inspection indicates this puffy gray material lacks no minerals but appears like gray shredded paper it means that your cellulose insulation doesn t have asbestos and is safe for insulation into your attic.

Does attic insulation have asbestos. Loose fill puffy gray and fibrous. If you notice that you have insulation that is falling apart in your building have a professional inspect for asbestos. 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. 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.

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. Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. If you re insulation is the batt style insulation as the loose fill insulation has the higher risk as it s loosely poured into wall or joist cavities. If you remove or disturb the insulation it is probable that you may inhale some asbestos fibers the degree of health risk depends on how much and how often this occurred.

Fiberglass and cellulose are the most common insulation installed in residential attics today. 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. The best thing to do is not to touch it but obtain the services of a professional to extract some samples and get a confirmation as to whether it contains asbestos. Other than vermiculite it s actually quite rare to find thermal insulation in residential attics that contains asbestos.

Zonolite insulation one of the most notorious insulation products that caused asbestos exposure is zonolite insulation which was manufactured by w r. It contains a higher amount of recycled paper and has no minerals. If your insulation contains particles that have a silver gold or gray brown color it may contain asbestos. Finally you may have attic insulation containing asbestos if it lies flat in the joist cavities and does not puff up like snow.

Another indicator is the referenced particles also have an accordion like look or texture. Grace and company in the 1960s and 1970s. If you do not go into your attic handle or disturb the insulation it is likely that you will not be exposed to asbestos fibers from vermiculite insulation. Although it is a different insulator there are similar issues with vermiculite attic insulation as it is a very difficult proposition to see whether asbestos is contained within.

However there are loose fill wall and attic insulation which can contain 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.