white loose-pack blow-in insulation

[JHZR2]

Because of my thread on the Johns-Manville super felt insulation, Im curious about another kind. Likely in the 1960s, some places in my home had a white blow-in insulation put in. Mainly behind kneeling walls in the attic and in a few of the exterior walls.

Ill take a picture tomorrow. Looks kind of like cotton or some other sort of fluff like that.

Ive not had to mess with any of this stuff, but it is in the house. Anyone know what was commonly used? Would hate for it to be something nasty.

Thanks.

 

[strongt]

Hope its not Vermiculite insulation that was installed in the 60's. It's full of asbestos.

Here's one pic of the stuff:

Will have to see your pics.

 

[buickman50401]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Because of my thread on the Johns-Manville super felt insulation, Im curious about another kind. Likely in the 1960s, some places in my home had a white blow-in insulation put in. Mainly behind kneeling walls in the attic and in a few of the exterior walls.

Ill take a picture tomorrow. Looks kind of like cotton or some other sort of fluff like that.

Ive not had to mess with any of this stuff, but it is in the house. Anyone know what was commonly used? Would hate for it to be something nasty.

Thanks.


Even if it is Vermiculite don't worry about it. You said you haven't messed with any of it so you're fine. Its only a problem when you start disturbing the stuff.

 

[JosephHarmon]

I had the Vermiculite in my house and have had open surgery one lung & othrosopic on the other for lung collaps. Both lung collaped 9 years apart. No sh--.

I had vermiculite covered by celeulose with 1929 newspapers underneath which I found interesting reads. It cost $80,000 for the open chest surgery, and they removed a rib I found out later and in total

It was over $150,000 for the bills, and lost wages killed for months. They were able fix my lungs.

This is kind serious. I used a particle mask when I sucked this poison into a large
40 gallon shop vacuum.

I would have loved to be able to drill a hole in that rib they cut off and put it on my key chain.

The first lung collapst twice, the second lung collapst 4 times.

 

[chad8]

Vermiculite


Typical vermiculite insulation; click to view larger version of image
EPA Action in Libby, Montana

EPA Region 8 has been working closely with the Libby community to clean up contamination and reduce risks to human health.
Additional Resources

Learn more about vermiculite:

Vermiculite Insulation Fact Sheet | en español (PDF) (5 pp, 126K, about PDF)

Protect Your Family from Asbestos-Contaminated Vermiculite Insulation

Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral composed of shiny flakes, resembling mica. When heated to a high temperature, flakes of vermiculite expand as much as 8-30 times their original size. The expanded vermiculite is a light-weight, fire-resistant, and odorless material and has been used in numerous products, including insulation for attics and walls. Sizes of vermiculite products range from very fine particles to large (coarse) pieces nearly an inch long. A mine near Libby, Montana, was the source of over 70 percent of all vermiculite sold in the U.S. from 1919 to 1990. There was also a deposit of asbestos at that mine, so the vermiculite from Libby was contaminated with asbestos. Vermiculite from Libby was used in the majority of vermiculite insulation in the U.S. and was often sold under the brand name Zonolite.

If you have vermiculite insulation in your home, you should assume this material may be contaminated with asbestos and be aware of steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from exposure to asbestos. This Web page provides important information on how to protect yourself and your family if you suspect that you might have vermiculite insulation from Libby, Montana.

Read EPA's fact sheet about how to protect your family from asbestos-contaminated vermiculite insulation | en español (PDF) (5 pp, 126K, about PDF).

 

[JHZR2]

No, I have seen vermiculite because some chemicals that are liquids are packed in it.

This is a much more fluffy, white material. Cellulosic, I would imagine, but from the 60s, not sure if they used cellulose blow-in back then.

 

[JHZR2]

Looks like this:

 

[jhMalibu]

Looks like mineral wool to me.

I took it out of my attic when I moved in. Only got wise to the fact that maybe that wasn't a smart thing to do without testing it. Sent a sample to an analytical lab nearby.

Send a sample to a lab. It's surprisingly inexpensive and gives peace of mind.

 

[Rob_Roy]

My house has blown-in cellulose in the walls an attic...it looks very similar to what you have pictured.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: jhMalibu
Looks like mineral wool to me.

I took it out of my attic when I moved in. Only got wise to the fact that maybe that wasn't a smart thing to do without testing it. Sent a sample to an analytical lab nearby.

Send a sample to a lab. It's surprisingly inexpensive and gives peace of mind.


Best advice I have seen in a long time.

 

[Rick in PA]

I didn't know vermiculite could have asbestos in it. Good to know.

 

[Shannow]

If you have a tiger's eye piece of jewelery, it has asbestos in it.

 

[Kestas]

Please explain.

 

[ryansride2017]

Originally Posted By: JosephHarmon
I used a particle mask when I sucked this poison into a large 40 gallon shop vacuum.


A particle mask won't filter out asbestos.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
Please explain.


Kestas I believe you are asking about this.

Tiger's Eye is a durable quartz composite with the usual quartz hardness of 7. It begins as the fibrous blue mineral called crocidolite, which is comprised of iron & sodium. Most of us known crocidolite as asbestos. The transformation begins when quartz becomes imbedded between the fibers of crocidolite. This process will result in one of two gemstones. A blue
stone called Hawk’s Eye or the golden brown stone called Tiger’s Eye.
During the process, the asbestos is completely dissolved. But The quartz takes on the fibrous formations and the blue color of crocidolite. This is also known as chatoyancy.

 

[Kestas]

Thanks, Dave. I always thought tiger's eye was a single crystal, which is usually grown from a crystal "seed".

 

[Shannow]

I thought the the tiger's eye still had the fibres...learn something new.

(I'm messing with making opal out of fly ash...with no success ATM)

 

[dave1251]

Kestas you are welcome. I never even heard of Tiger's eye, but when I was in Afghanistan one of the jewelery sellers would do everything he could do to get me to buy some. So I did some research on the matter, I just kept to my routine of buying Lapis lazuli.