Thread: Name for this OLD loose insulation?

Found this in the attic of a 140 year old house. Combination of wood shavings, vermiculite (if it can be white), and some hard bits of stuff which looks like plaster mud or stone/mineral. Is there a name for this mixture, or is it just some random by-product?

Thanks,

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Peter,

You run into some weird stuff! I would say it is a composite of vermiculite and wood shavings and be done with it. Probably not enough insulation anyway.

Possibly asbestos containing material.

Peter,

I would simply describe it as you did, then add Gunnar's and Jon's comments:

Attic Insulation:

Originally Posted by Peter Wigle

Combination of wood shavings, vermiculite (if it can be white), and some hard bits of stuff which looks like plaster mud or stone/mineral. Is there a name for this mixture, or is it just some random by-product,

Originally Posted by Gunnar Alquist

Probably not enough insulation anyway.

Originally Posted by Jon Randolph

Possibly asbestos containing material.

Pretty much describes it, advises it is likely not of much use, and warns as to what *it might* contain.

The only other thing I would add is "Potentially a fire hazard." When talking with your client, if you tested it to see if it ignites, you could say 'Makes good kindling for starting fires. I tested some outside, want to see it go up in flames?'

Did you try to ignite some (not in the attic, of course, but outside)?

Agree with Gunnar, looks like vermiculite with other stuff. Tell the client to have it tested. They can put some in a baggie and send it off to a lab. Costs about 50-75 bucks around here.

Originally Posted by Markus Keller

Agree with Gunnar, looks like vermiculite with other stuff. Tell the client to have it tested. They can put some in a baggie and send it off to a lab. Costs about 50-75 bucks around here.

Keep in mind that a negative test for asbestos does not mean that asbestos is not present in the vermiculite, only that it wasn't found in the sample submitted and analyzed.