There is one type of older insulation that has a significant possibility of being contaminated with asbestos.
Attic loose fill asbestos insulation.
Other insulation balsam wool is a shredded wood product treated with borax as a fire retardant.
Loose fill insulation is designed to be poured onto attic floors or blown into hollow spaces inside walls and other building structures.
The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation.
Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material.
You may also find thousands of loose particles within walls or under attic flooring.
Use a test kit to determine if the insulation is comprised of asbestos.
Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product.
Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials.
However asbestos can also be found in some forms of wall and loose fill attic insulation as well.
Look in your attic for loose fill asbestos.
If you suspect that you may have loose fill asbestos fiber do not try to clean it up.
If the insulation is in batt form there is nothing to worry about it is loose fill insulation poured loosely into wall stud cavities or joists that are problematical.
The first step in loose fill attic insulation removal is determining what type of insulation you ll be working with.
Loose fill asbestos fiber can be a pale white color or it could be a darker dirty color depending on how old or how dirty it is.
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.
However there are loose fill wall and attic insulation which can contain asbestos.
Although an unintentional addition this type of attic insulation presents a potential danger.
Asbestos containing thermal insulation can be grouped into four major categories.
Older homes and buildings may have this type of insulation installed.
That is the loose granular insulation called vermiculite.
Though it is no longer made its popularity in the past means it can still be found in millions of homes across the u s.
Call an asbestos professional immediately.
For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices.
Loose fill wrap block and spray on.
It s considered a very natural product and does not contain asbestos.
It has a grey paper like appearance and is extremely harmful to your health.
Zonolite is a type of loose fill insulation designed to be poured onto an attic floor.