Old Blown In Attic Insulation

The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation.

Old blown in attic insulation.

Before you take that step learn how to insulate an old house effectively. Handy homeowners can install blown in insulation in the attic. Blowing insulation into walls is best left to the pros because it involves drilling into stud spaces that may contain electrical. 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.

But that might be a bad idea. 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. You can buy them unfaced or simply remove the paper or foil backing. And as we all know asbestos hardly needs an introduction anymore.

Mineral wool was the most common thermal insulation for residential use until the 1960 s when fiberglass insulation become the standard. Loose fill insulation consists of natural or man made fibers that are blown into the ceiling cavity. 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. Signs of asbestos contamination.

In most cases homeowners will add new insulation over old insulation. Blown in insulation is popular in spaces where it would be difficult to install insulation using other methods. 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. Insulating the attic and roof.

As we mentioned previously vermiculite can often come with some asbestos mixed into it. Some common insulation methods can actually cause long term damage. Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials. Adding new insulation over old insulation.

If your structure is older it may contain asbestos insulation. There are test kits available to test for asbestos. Blow in the fill between and over the joists rather than across them. Rigid insulation is extruded into board form and is often made of plastic.

How old is the insulation in your attic. Batt or blanket insulation is made from glass or cotton fiber and comes in roll form usually in widths of 16 or 24 inches. 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.

Old attic insulation types.