Vermiculite Types Of Attic Insulation

If work is planned that involves these areas for example installing potlights in a room below the attic send a sample of the vermiculite to a private lab.

Vermiculite types of attic insulation.

This is because any attic with vermiculite insulation is an inefficient attic that will cost the owner several hundred dollars more per year than the same attic after being updated. Do not store belongings in the attic. Equally important is the need to air seal the attic plane. Do not sweep it or vacuum it up.

The issue is not just replacing the vermiculite with a better type of insulation such as cellulose. If an attic is insulated with a thin layer of vermiculite a layer that provides less than the minimum r value required by code it s hard to come up with a good way to improve the insulation layer. The following photographs show typical vermiculite insulation. As long as this kind of vermiculite based insulation remains undisturbed behind intact walls or in attic spaces and does not become airborne it should not be a concern.

Look at the photos on this website and then look at the insulation without disturbing it. Zonolite is made out of vermiculite a naturally occurring mineral with a silver gold or light brown color. Extracted from the mine between 1920 and 1990 this vermiculite insulation was sold in large bags mainly but not exclusively under the trademark zonolite attic insulation. The mine was closed in 1990.

Identifying insulation that is made from vermiculite. So if you have vermiculite insulation look into this. That s good news because most zonolite a type of vermiculite insulation falls into that category. Avoid disturbing the material.

Vermiculite insulation is a pebble like pour in product and is usually gray brown or silver gold in color. Vermiculite from the libby mine in montana usa is known to contain high levels of amphibolic asbestos. The trust reimburses homeowners for 55 percent of their removal and reinsulation costs with a maximum payout per owner of 4 125. 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.

Vermiculite insulation has a pebble like appearance and typically is a grayish brown or silvery gold color. That s why it s so much better to have an attic with no insulation at all than it is to have an attic with 8 inches of vermiculite. It is made from a natural mineral material that is mined from the earth. If the attic or walls of a house contain vermiculite insulation leave it alone.

Vermiculite itself has not been shown to be a health problem. 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. Zonolite is a type of loose fill insulation designed to be poured onto an attic floor.