Can You Blow Insulation Over Vermiculite?
Updating or upgrading your insulation is never as elementary equally simply installing novel insulation. This is specially truthful when y'all take vermiculite insulation, which has a flake of a checkered history.
Blowing insulation over vermiculite is possible only if a particular status is met. If this condition is not met, and then the practise is considered to live dangerous.
Insulation should non live blown over vermiculite because it may contain asbestos. If installing blown-in insulation is necessary, first examination the vermiculite for asbestos. If the test is positive, rather install batt insulation over the vermiculite.
Vermiculite Insulation May Contain Asbestos
Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that is not inherently harmful.
However, betwixt the 1940s too the 1980s, about of the vermiculite used inward insulation inward North America was supplied past the Libby mine inwards Montana too distributed by the Zonolite Company. This mine was contaminated amongst asbestos.
The issue of asbestos fibers inwards vermiculite insulation depends on where the vermiculite was from inward the mine together with the extent to which that part was contaminated. However, at that place is no degree of prophylactic exposure when it comes to asbestos.
Asbestos is friable, which way it can be easily broken up, too the small fibers are released into the air from where they can be inhaled.
When the particles get into the lungs, they rest in that location for an extended menstruation. This results inward abrasions and accumulated scar tissue inward the lungs. The make-upwards of scar tissue limits respiratory office.
Research also shows that asbestos is a carcinogen that tin campaign cancer.
Vermiculite Must Be Left Alone
Vermiculite that contains or may incorporate asbestos is something you lot should avoid messing amongst.
The Canada Mortgage together with Housing Corporation, Health Canada, the EPA, in addition to other reputable sources recommend leaving vermiculite solitary. This means you lot should non remove it unnecessarily as well as y'all should non get in the attic unnecessarily together with without taking the proper precautions.
As mentioned, asbestos inward your abode or building is a adventure for the occupants. However, the adventure of removing it is oft greater than the chance of leaving it inward too ensuring it is not disturbed.
Blowing Insulation Will Disturb the Vermiculite
Blowing inward new insulation involves using specialized equipment, ane.e., blowers. They are designed to propel insulation into minor, difficult-to-achieve areas.
The blower is connected to a hose piping, which is attached to an insulation pocketbook. This insulation is so blown into the desired expanse.
When blown insulation is distributed throughout your attic, it stirs upward too disturbs the vermiculite too as whatever asbestos fibers introduce.
Asbestos fibers are lite plenty to remain suspended inward the air for an extended menstruation. In this time, they tin can act through whatsoever pocket-sized openings into other areas of your dwelling.
Most oft, the insulation is blown inward from inside the attic. Additionally, because the vermiculite insulation is already set, reaching sure parts of the attic amongst the novel insulation may involve moving the vermiculite to the side temporarily.
This agency that the individual installing the novel insulation will live exposed, the equipment volition live contaminated, together with the open up door access door/hatch can permit any airborne fibers to get out the attic into other parts of the household.
As non disturbing the vermiculite is the recommended practise together with blowing in insulation volition disturb it, covering it with blown-inwards insulation is non recommended.
Test for Asbestos if Necessary
There is no manner to visibly decide if vermiculite contains asbestos.
If your vermiculite insulation was installed between 1940 and 1990, and so the chances are high that it does comprise asbestos. Although, it is non guaranteed because in that location were other mines as well as suppliers during this time frame.
The alone way to say reliably is to get the insulation professionally tested.
If y'all really desire to add together new insulation to the existing vermiculite, yous must have it tested for asbestos.
How Does Testing Work?
Testing for asbestos in vermiculite involves sending a sample to an EPA-certified laboratory. LCS laboratory inc., for example, offers such testing for both public in addition to industrial clients. They too upshot guidelines for collecting a sample.
As it’second unsafe to inhale asbestos, retrieve to place on an N100 or P100 respirator with a NIOSH rating of 95+ percentage if you lot take to sample it yourself.
However, leaving the job to a certified asbestos abatement specialist is recommended.
When sampling, include samples from a multifariousness of locations and the bottom layer as well. This helps to ensure a more than representative sample.
Because the vermiculite is solely contaminated amongst asbestos, it agency that there may be places inward the vermiculite insulation where at that place are no asbestos fibers only a few inches away, there may live a whole bunch of these fibers.
In add-on, asbestos tin can settle into the lower layers of vermiculite.
The testing process uses various methods, including microscopic analysis and Chatfield Method.
Regulation 278 of the Ontario Building Code recommends the latter for analyzing vermiculite insulation next EPA method 600/R-04/004.
The extraction process of separating the amphibole asbestos fibers makes this method more than precise in addition to accurate.
In a ii-step extraction process, the sample is soaked and mixed inwards H2O, and so separated into two fractions. Amphibole material that are heavier sink patch those that are lighter float. This is called the ‘sink fraction’ and ‘float fraction,’ respectively.
The master sample is weighed along with the fractions to decide the asbestos concentration too the asbestos recovered. The Chatfield Method calculates asbestos percentages past the weight of the sample.
What to Do With the Results
If vermiculite asbestos exam results render positive, make not blow inwards novel insulation over it. The take chances of releasing the asbestos in addition to beingness exposed is likewise high.
You will in all likelihood likewise fight to discover an installer to make the task amongst a positive asbestos test outcome.
You should rather contact someone to come up and remove it professionally or rather opt for batt insulation over vermiculite.
If the test results exhibit that no asbestos is acquaint, it’s likely okay to blow inwards novel insulation. However, you lot should non assume that it’second 100% safe to make so.
It is of import to think that asbestos may not be spread throughout the entire vermiculite. Perhaps you or the specialist pass to sample around the asbestos.
Sources
https://www.paracellabs.com/files/Asbestos_in_Vermiculite.pdf
https://www.wellness.country.mn.us/communities/surroundings/asbestos/homeowner/ppe.html
https://www.cpsc.gov/condom-education/safety-guides/dwelling house/asbestos-home
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