Asbestos In Attic Safe

Asbestos isn t like radioactivity which can be a hazard because it constantly emits radiation.

Asbestos in attic safe.

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. These fibers consist of millions of microscopic fibrils. Place the plastic on the floor to cover it and make sure you tape it down. The epa says that vermiculite insulation which is the pebbly stuff found in attics of many older homes is only risky if it contains more than one percent asbestos.

The asbestos found in vermiculite is extremely friable and is the most dangerous type amphibole of asbestos. Consider this statement from research titled zonolite attic insulation exposure studies where even the suggested method for removal by the manufacturer grace created a very unsafe condition. These are thin visible fibers. He decided to replace the existing insulation with new fiberglass insulation to save money in the winter months.

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. Asbestos is actually a natural fiber so if your attic insulation looks like wool there is a slight chance that it will contain asbestos. In older homes specifically asbestos may be found in many different materials from pipe insulation to flooring adhesive to roof shingles. Place the plastic sheeting over the walls by taping them down as well.

The best way to do this other than wetting the asbestos is covering the attic in plastic. Plastic sheeting is very inexpensive but will prevent the asbestos fibers from contaminating the air. Due to the harshness of asbestos it is very important that it does not get out of the attic to infiltrate the rest of the home. Asbestos causes cancer and other diseases.

Asbestos only becomes a problem if it becomes airborne and gets into your lungs at a high enough dose. While remodeling the attic of his 1960s home john found piles of brown pebble like insulation. There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure. That s good news because most zonolite a type of vermiculite insulation falls into that category.

Asbestos was incorporated in the insulation of different types including attic insulation. If you re concerned about a particular material in your home you can call an asbestos inspection company to come in and have the material tested. Asbestos is dangerous because it contains what is known as fibrous crystals. Once vermiculite is disturbed millions of asbestos fibers become airborne.