Asbestos In Attic Space

The unfortunate side effects of exposure to asbestos include things as benign as a skin irritation to conditions as severe as lung cancer.

Asbestos in attic space.

While remodeling the attic of his 1960s home john found piles of brown pebble like insulation. Asbestos spray coating was a commonly used way to insulate a roof and sometimes the sides of buildings. 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. Used for fireproofing and insulation asbestos was a cheap and effective material that became an industry standard for buildings across the country.

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. There is one primary source of asbestos attic insulation. 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.

In fact it s still used heavily in some parts of the world such as india and china. Attic insulation in older homes may contain asbestos that could fall through ceiling cracks. Asbestos attic insulation is common in older homes as asbestos was inexpensive and an effective insulation. Look in your attic for loose fill asbestos.

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. Even small movements can send asbestos particles into the air. Get residential commercial encapsulation cleanup disposal estimates. Asbestos was a popular material for most of the twentieth century mainly because of its ability to insulate and act as a fire retardant.

He decided to replace the existing insulation with new fiberglass insulation to save money in the winter months. Check the underside of your roof for a white or gray rough coating. 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. 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.