Thursday, January 6, 2011

Beware of attic insulation that may be harmful

Keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer requires attic insulation.  That is a general fact. But did you know that some attic insulation can be harmful to your health, especially if you have an older home, particularly in the northern parts of the country.  Some attics may be filled with Zonolite Attic Insulation.  I was asked by Kristen Davis who is working with Mesothelioma Symptoms to share their link on our company website as a general resource. It is also beneficial to help get the word out about this potentially harmful insulation, which contained asbestos, which can be deadly.

So what is Zonolite? Zonolite is a brand of vermiculite insulation which was sold by W.R. Grace as attic insulation for millions of homes from 1963 through 1984, and is known to contain asbestos.  Zonolites vermiculite was taken from a mine in Libby Montana,which was found to contain high levels of asbestos, and closed in 1990. The dangers of asbestos is highly publicized, and a real health hazard.


Homeowners can easily identify vermiculite attic insulation. Vermiculite is a loose pebble like substance that is lightweight.  The color is most likely gray, as the color has changed over the years from the original golden or light brown.

What should you do if you have this type of insulation? Generally, the best advise is to leave it alone and not disturb it.  If the asbestos fibers are not released into the surrounding air, there is a minimal risk to exposure and the potential hazards such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. However, if your someone that regularly is in the attic, moving around boxes and stored items, you should be cautious, and not disturb the insulation.  Common dust masks will not prevent you from breathing asbestos fibers.  If you choose to replace the Zonolite insulation, professional help is required, and can be expensive.

There is a lot of news about Zonolite out there.  If you want more, you can see some here.  You can also visit the Mesothelioma site for additional information and resources.

And of course, if you are buying or selling an older home, make sure to have a qualified home inspector check the attic and determine the type of insulation in there.
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6 comments:

  1. robertOctober 3, 2012 at 6:41 PM

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