Blowing insulation into walls is best left to the pros because it involves drilling into stud spaces that may contain electrical.
Old blown in attic insulation.
On 2020 05 08 by mod.
In most cases homeowners will add new insulation over old insulation.
If you are unsure if asbestos is present you should hire a professional.
Adding new insulation over old insulation.
You can buy them unfaced or simply remove the paper or foil backing.
As we mentioned previously vermiculite can often come with some asbestos mixed into it.
There are test kits available to test for asbestos.
Signs of asbestos contamination.
Loose fill insulation consists of natural or man made fibers that are blown into the ceiling cavity.
How old is the insulation in your attic.
Some common insulation methods can actually cause long term damage.
Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials.
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.
The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation.
Batt or blanket insulation is made from glass or cotton fiber and comes in roll form usually in widths of 16 or 24 inches.
And as we all know asbestos hardly needs an introduction anymore.
Rigid insulation is extruded into board form and is often made of plastic.
Blown in insulation is popular in spaces where it would be difficult to install insulation using other methods.
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.
Before you take that step learn how to insulate an old house effectively.
Old attic insulation types.
But that might be a bad idea.
Handy homeowners can install blown in insulation in the attic.
If your structure is older it may contain asbestos insulation.
One of the biggest problems with old attic insulation types is that some of them are contaminated with asbestos.
Mineral wool was the most common thermal insulation for residential use until the 1960 s when fiberglass insulation become the standard.
If you re shivering in an old house you may be tempted to hire someone to blow insulation in.
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.
Insulating the attic and roof.