Is There Asbestos In My Attic

While remodeling the attic of his 1960s home john found piles of brown pebble like insulation.

Is there asbestos in my attic.

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 you have a particular brand of insulation in your home you may have asbestos in your attic. Vermiculite insulation which may contain the tremolite types of asbestos is a big enough topic that i ll write a whole article about it later. Asbestos is actually a natural fiber so if your attic insulation looks like wool there is a slight chance that it will contain asbestos.

He decided to replace the existing insulation with new fiberglass insulation to save money in the winter months. If you notice that you have insulation that is falling apart in your building have a professional inspect for asbestos. If you see white tape on your ducts as shown in the photo above vermiculite insulation in your attic as shown below it s probably not causing a problem as long as it s undisturbed. 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.

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. The insulation was sold under the brand name zonolite. Despite their many uses the canadian government recognizes that inhaling asbestos particles can cause cancer and other diseases so it is important to be aware of potential asbestos contaminated materials in your home. Used for fireproofing and insulation asbestos was a cheap and effective material that became an industry standard for buildings across the country.

Attic insulation may contain asbestos too and just like the other asbestos containing materials and products it entails a great risk of developing severe diseases such as mesothelioma or lung cancer especially if it is in poor condition. 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. Attic insulation in older homes may contain asbestos that could fall through ceiling cracks. There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure.

There is one primary source of asbestos attic insulation. Asbestos fibers must be airborne to cause a health risk through inhalation so the first step is not to disturb the material which would release more fibers into the air.