Asbestos Dust In Attic

Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials.

Asbestos dust in attic.

The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation. Use caulk or spray foam around seams light fixtures fans and switches as well as plumbing pipes or other openings where insulation dust might filter in. Consider this statement from research titled zonolite attic insulation exposure studies where even the suggested method for removal by the manufacturer. Asbestos on or in hvac air ducts.

How to recognize asbestos on or in heating or cooling air ducts or air handlers a photo guide to recognizing asbestos on hvac systems such as air ducts vibration dampers and heating system in slab transite ducts or heating system transite chimneys asbestos ductwork types materials photos of asbestos in hvac ductwork and air handlers blower units. 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. 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. While remodeling the attic of his 1960s home john found piles of brown pebble like insulation.

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. He decided to replace the existing insulation with new fiberglass insulation to save money in the winter months. Attic insulation in older homes may contain asbestos that could fall through ceiling cracks. Asbestos testing labs usually will ask you to scoop up as much settled dust as possible to gather 1 teaspoon full.

There is one primary source of asbestos attic insulation. Asbestos was a popular material for most of the twentieth century mainly because of its ability to insulate and act as a fire retardant. If you cannot gather that much dust you should use a damp tissue to wipe the dust and enclose the tissue in a zip lock bag. In fact it s still used heavily in some parts of the world such as india and china.

Hire an asbestos contractor to install attic flooring that completely covers and seals off the insulation. Once vermiculite is disturbed millions of asbestos fibers become airborne.