Granular material in attic insulation

[Michael Thomas]

Any idea what this might be?

Property is in a Chicago suburb, built 1962, and the material was present in about the same quantity everywhere I looked.

[A.D. Miller]

Any idea what this might be?

Property is in a Chicago suburb, built 1962, and the material was present in about the same quantity everywhere I looked.

Aggregate from the last roofing surface?

[Michael Thomas]

Don't think so, it's too evenly distributed.

[A.D. Miller]

Don't think so, it's too evenly distributed.

MT: OK then, fairy dust? Did the owners have wings? Long, warted noses? Fancy brooms parked in the corner? Boiling cauldrons in the kitchen?

[Philip Lamachio]

Whatever it is, it seems to have fallen on the isulation, indicating it arrived after the fiberglass insulation was installed.

If you had taken a sample it would be interesting to know if it floated or not. Looks like tiny bits of styrofoam.

[H.G. Watson, Sr.]

Might be borax (for example, DIY home remedy for certain insects issue); or other pest deterrant/control/bait (more likely). If memory serves Bell Lab's ZP (rodent pesticide requires license to indirectly supervise acquisition and application) has a white small granular appearance that can vary from fine dust to small granules. Thought I saw other colors as well (light green/aqua and/or light yellow) might be another provider's Zinc Phosphide tracking or bait. IIRC Norweigen rats and mice (and gray squirrels) are problematic in Chicago attics.

[John Dirks Jr]

I had seen that before. It was later identified to be borax.