Is Old Grey Attic Insulation Dangerious
In addition to building insulation vermiculite is commonly used with.
Is old grey attic insulation dangerious. Old insulation will cause higher energy bills invite rodents into your home and make the air in your home unhealthy to breathe. Types of dangerous old insulation. Formaldehyde off gasing is a concern so this product is no longer on the market. The major attic insulation dangers from this type of material would come from combustion.
Now that we know the old attic insulation types on the market the question is whether there is a newer more modern alternative available. In case of a fire it gives off an extremely toxic smoke that is more dangerous than regular smoke. Most people are aware of the dangers of asbestos which may cause cancer and other health problems. A few more examples of old insulation are sawdust balsa wood shredded newspaper and loose fill cellulose.
Photo guide to identification of different building insulation materials properties of different building insulation products description of non asbestos materials sometimes mistaken for asbestos in buildings types photographs of building insulation that does not normally contain asbestos. One of the most common materials containing asbestos fibers is attic and wall insulation. Vermiculite attic insulation is the main source of concern with asbestos dangers although asbestos is not in every brand. Homeowners can also come across fiberglass insulation during repairing or clearing out the attic.
Services crawl space attic insulation. If the insulation is not properly sealed off it can get into air vents and circulate through the building. How to identify building insulation photos provide an isulating material identification guide. Two types of old insulation that are dangerous to your health are urea formaldehyde foam which is usually gray or yellow and brittle and asbestos.
Fiberglass insulation is not generally considered to be dangerous but it can irritate the skin and respiratory system. Vermiculite insulation alone is not dangerous being a pellet style mineral which expands with higher temperatures. If the loose fill insulation is grey puffy and fibrous then that is rock wool insulation. Although some homeowners have used it in this way it was never approved for use in the attic.
Although most people are aware of the dangers of asbestos there are a few more types of hazardous insulation that are commonly found in older homes. But just because your insulation is old doesn t mean it is dangerous. But while many see the benefits of insulating our houses.