Insulation with asbestos

What Is Asbestos Insulation?

picture of a workers kneeling down and looking at the floor for asbestos

A relatively common term, “asbestos insulation” simply refers to home insulation material that contains asbestos. If you own an older home, the chances that you have some form of asbestos insulation are pretty high.

 

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral. The consistency and texture of asbestos make it appear very similar to cotton, and the structure of the fibers is extremely effective at slowing the transfer of heat. That’s why it was considered such a great home insulator. In fact, you’ll find insulation products containing between 15% and 100% of asbestos in many older homes.

 

 

 

Asbestos is one of the most hazardous materials found in homes. Disturbing and breathing asbestos fibers can cause asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.1

 

In older homes, specifically, asbestos may be found in many different materials, from pipe insulation to flooring adhesive to roof shingles. One of the most common materials containing asbestos fibers is attic and wall insulation.

 

But just because your insulation is old doesn’t mean it is dangerous. In fact, some materials that suspiciously look like they should be asbestos really aren’t asbestos.

 

A quick visual inspection can tell you whether or not you should get your insulation tested for asbestos.

 

Insulation That May Contain Asbestos

The two main types of asbestos-containing insulation commonly found around the home are vermiculite insulation and asbestos pipe insulation.

 

Vermiculite Insulation

The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose-fill, also called blown-in, insulation. Loose-fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. It is easy to identify by its loose, lumpy form and fluffy or granular texture. Loose-fill never has paper or other types of backing, like some (but not all) batt and blanket insulation does.

 

If you determine that your attic or walls have loose-fill insulation, the next step is to determine what type of material it is, as only some types may contain asbestos.

 

Vermiculite loose-fill insulation is one of the most common household materials that contains asbestos.2

 

Asbestos Pipe Insulation

Pipes in basements, furnace rooms, utility rooms, and other service areas within the home may be wrapped with insulation that contains asbestos.

 

Pipe insulation looks like corrugated cardboard or paper and is an off-white or grey colour. The insulation will be fully wrapped around the pipes, often with an outer casing to hold the insulation on the pipes.

 

Why Asbestos Insulation Is Dangerous

There’s no doubt that inhaling fibres produced by asbestos can have a serious impact on your health and safety. The extent of asbestos use in the insulation of many homes in the 1900s has caused a plethora of these health issues in workers and homeowners.

 

Asbestos fibres, depending on the amount and frequency of inhalation, can lead to a number of unpleasant symptoms, such as coughing, breathing problems, loss of appetite, and chest pain. These symptoms usually don’t occur immediately; rather, they often show up years after exposure. If the problem goes unidentified, long-term health conditions can occur, including the following:

 

• Mesothelioma
• Asbestosis
• Lung Cancer

 

Insulation and Asbestos Toxicity

Mostly, people know asbestos for its resistance to fire, chemical corrosion, and electricity. Manufacturers often use naturally occurring minerals like asbestos to reinforce many different types of building materials, including insulation, for decades. This was before researchers knew it was toxic to human health, and even for a long time after that. In fact, the legal use of asbestos didn’t stop until 2019. Therefore, it’s vital for property owners and real estate agents to recognize and detect materials that sometimes have asbestos and how they might appear together.

 

The Vermiculite and Asbestos Connection

Vermiculite is another mineral like asbestos in its resilient properties. However, it isn’t as dangerous. Manufacturers also used vermiculite to reinforce insulation for a range of products while miners supplied them with tons of the mineral they’d mine and sell to companies around the world.

 

There was a large vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana that at one point, made up for approximately 80% of the world’s vermiculite supply. What most didn’t know, however, was that all impure vermiculite from this mine held asbestos crystals. In fact, miners have harvested impure vermiculite since 1881.

 

One chemical processing plant, W.R. Grace, knew about the vermiculite toxicity but reinforced their products and put their factory workers at risk for dangerous exposure to the mineral anyway. A rebrand changed vermiculite from this mine to “Zonolite” on the market. Moreover, this new zonolite was sold for a long time until the Libby mine was finally shut down in 1990.

 

Most toxic insulation is made of vermiculite contaminated with asbestos. The most common types of materials reinforced by the mineral with the toxin are paper, paint, adhesive, textiles, wood, drywall, or cement building items. Hot water and steam pipes, furnace ducts, attic or basement walls are the most common household structures to be aware of.

 

Why Was Asbestos Used in Insulation?

Asbestos was used in a variety of insulation products for nearly a century. From the mid-1860s through the late 1970s, the mineral was used in many types of insulation.

 

Asbestos Insulation History At-a-Glance

• Other Names: Block insulation, fill insulation, loose insulation, pipe insulation, spray-on insulation
• Years of Manufacture: 1866 – 1990
• Military Use: Aircraft, military barracks, ships, shipyards
• Places Used: Attics, boilers, buildings, ceilings, factories, floors, manufacturing floors, ships, walls
• Asbestos Use Banned: No
• Noteworthy Brands: Kaylo, manufactured by Owens-Illinois, Inc.; Unibestos manufactured by Pittsburgh Corning; Zonolite manufactured by W.R. Grace

 

Asbestos insulation types fit into four main categories:

 

• Loose-fill insulation: fluffy asbestos material often used in attics or inside walls
• Block insulation: semi-rigid slabs of insulation
• Insulation wrapping: used in products such as pipes and ducts
• Spray-on asbestos insulation: used in ceilings and walls

 

Other types of insulation products that may contain asbestos include cement, electrical panels, plaster and certain brands of batt insulation.

 

The mineral was used for its durability, flame and chemical resistance. Asbestos-containing materials were also cost-effective to produce. As a result, many companies chose to include it in their products. However, asbestos exposure can lead to serious health problems, including mesothelioma.

 

Asbestos diseases can develop after an individual inhales or ingests the microscopic fibres. This often happens when friable (crumbly) asbestos products are disturbed. Once disturbed, the mineral may become airborne.

 

Reference-

Thank you for reading this information about asbestos, we have written an article on the best 30 “Asbestos Removal Melbourne” Companies. Please take a read.

https://www.asbestossafety.gov.au/