How Do You Know If Your Attic Insulation Has Asbestos

Loose fill insulation 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.

How do you know if your attic insulation has asbestos.

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. You can get an asbestos testing kit from your local convenience store for about 50. Used for fireproofing and insulation asbestos was a cheap and effective material that became an industry standard for buildings across the country. Seal off vermiculite insulation.

Finally you may have attic insulation containing asbestos if it lies flat in the joist cavities and does not puff up like snow. Do not try to remove insulation that could contain asbestos yourself. There isn t necessarily a surefire way to tell if your insulation has asbestos unless it s labeled or you have an expert take a look. Therefore if you have asbestos insulation you need to properly identify it and have it safely removed from your house.

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. Another indicator is the referenced particles also have an accordion like look or texture. Here s how to tell if your home contains asbestos insulation and what to do about it. Step 1 determine the age of your house.

In case you suspect that your wall of attic insulation has the visual aspects that we have explained you can verify if they have asbestos by using a diy asbestos testing kit. A quick visual inspection can tell you whether or not you should get your insulation tested for asbestos. The first thing that you need to do is determine exactly when your home was constructed. 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.

The small fibers that come off of asbestos can kill you. If you re unsure if your insulation contains asbestos play it safe and contact a professional to inspect it. If your insulation contains particles that have a silver gold or gray brown color it may contain asbestos. Use caulk or spray foam around seams light fixtures fans and switches as well as plumbing pipes or.

Make sure any area containing vermiculite insulation is sealed off from the interior of your home. Don t store anything in attics insulated with vermiculite and make the area is off limits. However it is advisable to consult a professional. Asbestos is actually a natural fiber so if your attic insulation looks like wool there is a slight chance that it will contain asbestos.

You may also find thousands of loose particles within walls or under attic flooring. However there are loose fill wall and attic insulation which can contain asbestos.