Last year I entered a home built in 1962. The furnishings and finishes did not appear to have changed since the year the house was built. As I walked in there was a planter present with a welcome sign from the listing agent. At hand level filling the planter were small pebble-like crystals. It startled me when I set down my clipboard because they were the easily recognizable vermiculite crystals that shared a troublesome history with asbestos. I warned my client and his agent to avoid playing with the crystals. I had heard of vermiculite being used in gardening and household planters but I did not want to take any risks.
In performing my attic inspections I strive to identify the type of insulation used. The most common materials are fiberglass loose fill and fiberglass batts. Fiberglass has the uncomfortable side effect of making you really itchy. Rock wool is used less frequently. Older homes have the ground up paper cellulose insulation. Often there are multiple layers of of insulation. If vermiculite is present I want my clients to know it. Below I have included some pictures from an inspection I performed that had vermiculite insulation.
The government EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has a helpful page on this material used in insulation in the last century. Here’s a brief summary: Vermiculite is a natural occurring mineral that expands up to thirty times its size when heated. Seventy percent came from a mine near Libby, Montana, from 1909 to 1990. This product made an ideal insulation material that was poured into attic and wall cavities (I have it one of my basement walls). It was near an asbestos mine that contaminated all the vermiculite that came from this mine. Asbestos can cause serious and fatal respiratory issues if the fibers are inhaled. When left undisturbed there is little cause for concern. Removal is recommended by a professional abatement company. If you notice this material leave it alone and do some additional research.
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Last year I entered a home built in 1962. The furnishings and finishes did not appear to have changed since the year the house was built. As I walked in there was a planter present with a welcome sign from the listing agent. At hand level filling the planter were small pebble-like crystals. It startled me when I set down my clipboard because they were the easily recognizable vermiculite crystals that shared a troublesome history with asbestos. I warned my client and his agent to avoid playing with the crystals. I had heard of vermiculite being used in gardening and household planters but I did not want to take any risks.
In performing my attic inspections I strive to identify the type of insulation used. The most common materials are fiberglass loose fill and fiberglass batts. Fiberglass has the uncomfortable side effect of making you really itchy. Rock wool is used less frequently. Older homes have the ground up paper cellulose insulation. Often there are multiple layers of of insulation. If vermiculite is present I want my clients to know it. Below I have included some pictures from an inspection I performed that had vermiculite insulation.
The government EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has a helpful page on this material used in insulation in the last century. Here’s a brief summary: Vermiculite is a natural occurring mineral that expands up to thirty times its size when heated. Seventy percent came from a mine near Libby, Montana, from 1909 to 1990. This product made an ideal insulation material that was poured into attic and wall cavities (I have it one of my basement walls). It was near an asbestos mine that contaminated all the vermiculite that came from this mine. Asbestos can cause serious and fatal respiratory issues if the fibers are inhaled. When left undisturbed there is little cause for concern. Removal is recommended by a professional abatement company. If you notice this material leave it alone and do some additional research.
