Is There Asbestos In My Attic Insulation

There exist a good many misconceptions about attic insulation and asbestos.

Is there asbestos in my attic insulation.

Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. However there are loose fill wall and attic insulation which can contain asbestos. 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. 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.

If you notice that you have insulation that is falling apart in your building have a professional inspect for 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. If you reside in a home that was built or remodeled prior to 1990 the possibility exists that you may have attic insulation that contains asbestos. 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 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. Several years ago asbestos was commonly used in everything from shingles to floor tiles and asbestos insulation was used in many homes that were built in the 1950s and 1960s. Asbestos insulation is a very common problem that many people have to deal with at some point. The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation.

Other than vermiculite it s actually quite rare to find thermal insulation in residential attics that contains asbestos. Fiberglass and cellulose are the most common insulation installed in residential attics today. 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 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.

Used for fireproofing and insulation asbestos was a cheap and effective material that became an industry standard for buildings across the country. I have never read or heard of either containing any asbestos fibers. 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.