Old Blown In Attic Insulation

Signs of asbestos contamination.

Old blown in attic insulation.

Some common insulation methods can actually cause long term damage. As we mentioned previously vermiculite can often come with some asbestos mixed into it. It is also possible to remove specific sections of the insulation that have been affected rather than getting rid of all the old insulation however it depends on the situation. On 2020 05 08 by mod.

Always use unfaced batts both when laying product for the first time and to prevent moisture from becoming trapped between new and old layers of insulation. Mineral wool was the most common thermal insulation for residential use until the 1960 s when fiberglass insulation become the standard. One of the biggest problems with old attic insulation types is that some of them are contaminated with asbestos. Blowing insulation into walls is best left to the pros because it involves drilling into stud spaces that may contain electrical.

If you are unsure if asbestos is present you should hire a professional. Before you take that step learn how to insulate an old house effectively. You can buy them unfaced or simply remove the paper or foil backing. There are test kits available to test for asbestos.

The raw materials are melted in furnaces and blown with air or steam over spinning drums or a centrifuge to create the fibers picture making cotton candy. Batt or blanket insulation is made from glass or cotton fiber and comes in roll form usually in widths of 16 or 24 inches. Handy homeowners can install blown in insulation in the attic. Rigid insulation is extruded into board form and is often made of plastic.

But that might be a bad idea. Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. In most cases homeowners will add new insulation over old insulation. How old is the insulation in your attic.

Loose fill insulation consists of natural or man made fibers that are blown into the ceiling cavity. I m looking at a 1930s house that the inspection report listed as having loose fill fiberglass insulation in the attic however the photo of the insulation in the attic doesn t look like fiberglass to me. The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation. If your structure is older it may contain asbestos insulation.

And as we all know asbestos hardly needs an introduction anymore. Blow in the fill between and over the joists rather than across them. 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. Blown in insulation is popular in spaces where it would be difficult to install insulation using other methods.

Adding new insulation over old insulation.