Vermiculite Asbestos Attic Insulation

The vermiculite from libby is part of the longest man made environmental disaster in american history.

Vermiculite asbestos attic insulation. The insulation which was known by the brand name zonolite is most often found in residential attics. You can also check for markings on the material or its packaging. Vermiculite in and of itself is not dangerous. Vermiculite is a mineral that was used for insulation.

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. It is made from a natural mineral material that is mined from the earth. Installing new insulation costs an average of 1 400. If your home was built before 1990 you might have vermiculite insulation in your walls or attic.

Vermiculite loose fill insulation is one of the most common household materials that contains asbestos. It may have shiny flakes and or small accordion like pieces see photos above. However the vermiculite used in about 70 percent of the zonolite product came from the montana mine mentioned a moment ago. That s good news because most zonolite a type of vermiculite insulation falls into that category.

Vermiculite insulation removal costs. Vermiculite attic insulation removal costs anywhere from 4 to 10 per square foot. Vermiculite attic insulation is a pebble like pour in product and is usually light brown gray or gold in color. One common brand was called zonolite.

Most specialists encourage abatement. Up to 85 percent of all vermiculite insulation in the u s. Vermiculite itself has not been shown to be a health problem. Once vermiculite is disturbed millions of asbestos fibers become airborne.

Vermiculite insulation has a pebble like appearance and typically is a grayish brown or silvery gold color. What made the libby vermiculite so dangerous was its proximity to asbestos deposits. Came from a mine in libby montana sold under the name zonolite. The asbestos found in vermiculite is extremely friable and is the most dangerous type amphibole of asbestos.

However some vermiculite insulation contained asbestos fibres which can cause problems if inhaled. When heated to a high temperature flakes of vermiculite expand as much as 8 30 times their original size. It was mined there for more than 50 years ending in 1990. 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.

Not all vermiculite contains asbestos.