Old Blown In Attic Insulation

Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials.

Old blown in attic insulation.

Adding new insulation over old insulation. Some common insulation methods can actually cause long term damage. But that might be a bad idea. Mineral wool was the most common thermal insulation for residential use until the 1960 s when fiberglass insulation become the standard.

Old attic insulation types. On 2020 05 08 by mod. Signs of asbestos contamination. If your structure is older it may contain asbestos insulation.

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. If you are unsure if asbestos is present you should hire a professional. As we mentioned previously vermiculite can often come with some asbestos mixed into it. Blown in insulation is popular in spaces where it would be difficult to install insulation using other methods.

And as we all know asbestos hardly needs an introduction anymore. Loose fill insulation consists of natural or man made fibers that are blown into the ceiling cavity. 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. If you re shivering in an old house you may be tempted to hire someone to blow insulation in.

Blowing insulation into walls is best left to the pros because it involves drilling into stud spaces that may contain electrical. In most cases homeowners will add new insulation over old insulation. Before you take that step learn how to insulate an old house effectively. Batt or blanket insulation is made from glass or cotton fiber and comes in roll form usually in widths of 16 or 24 inches.

Rigid insulation is extruded into board form and is often made of plastic. 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. Insulating the attic and roof. There are test kits available to test for asbestos.

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. Blow in the fill between and over the joists rather than across them. Handy homeowners can install blown in insulation in the attic. The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation.

How old is the insulation in your attic.