Should I Buy A Home With Vermiculite Insulation
You must have proof that a certified asbestos abatement contractor has done the work to remove the vermiculite.
Should i buy a home with vermiculite insulation. Although you can disturb it safely if you wear a respirator and mist it with water. Vermiculite insulation is no longer used in new construction but an estimated one million homes in the u s. This is not a project that should be done by a homeowner even a skilled and careful one. Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that was used as a household insulation product from 1940 to the 1990s.
Buying a vermiculite insulated house asbestos exposure from vermiculite insulation can lead to asbestosis lung cancer and mesothelioma which can show up years or even decades after exposure. That s good news because most zonolite a type of vermiculite insulation falls into that category. You should assume that vermiculite insulation is from libby and treat the material as if it contained asbestos by not disturbing it or by using a trained professional if it needs to be removed. It is a pebble like pour in product that is usually light brown or gold in color ranging in size from very fine particles to course pieces around an inch long.
The epa says that vermiculite insulation which is the pebbly stuff found in attics of many older homes is only risky if it contains more than one percent asbestos. Removing it would probably cause the greatest health risk because it would disturb it and would cost up to 10k. Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that is perfectly safe when pure. Still have it according to the usgs.
By patrick mccombe issue 268 july 2017 i m considering buying a house that has vermiculite insulation in the attic. The amount is same for both swishy and masterly tail oven designs. If you re buying horticultural vermiculite sold in stores today then that vermiculite does not contain asbestos. For the whole job when using vermiculite for the insulation that is i buy 7x 100 liters bags larger bulky but lightweight paper or plastic bags 700l makes it 25 cubic feet or exact measure convert is 24 717 cu ft equals 700 liters.
Having vermiculite removed you may choose to ask the owner of the home to have the insulation removed before you purchase it.