Asbestos in the Attic?????

[robert1966]

Is this Asbestos? I think is is either asbestos pipe insulation or asbestos corrugated paper. Either way, there were bundles of it in the attic of this home and they had broke the bundles apart and placed it in the attic where the insulation would go between the joist.

Thanks,

Robert

www.atexinspects.com

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[Steven Hockstein]

You sure it is not old carpet padding?

[davidlord]

I'm going with asbestos.

[robert1966]

No it is not padding or any type of foam. It is in layers that break apart and the stuff looks as if it has been wet down before removal. I though maybe to limit separation and dust.

On the inner most layer it has ridges just like the corrugated asbestos paper picture on the web.

What ever it is, the previous home owner believed it had insulating properties. They went through extreme efforts to get if in the tight spaces where the roof is low. There have it over about 3/4 of the attic and had enough bundles to cover the rest. The bundles were rolled up and tied with bailing wire.

It looks like the photo I attached of corrugated paper used to insulate pipes I got off Inspectapedia.

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[Bill Kibbel]

Robert,

I've never seen the texture shown in your original pictures. There were however, hundreds of different paper-like asbestos containing products manufactured for many types of industrial uses.

Like the fella that worked at a shipyard - everyday he'd bring home a bagful of the blue product they were removing from a ship and dump it in his attic. Turns out it was crocidolite, significantly more hazardous than chrysotile asbestos.

[Jim Morrison]

Robert,

I've never seen the texture shown in your original pictures. There were however, hundreds of different paper-like asbestos containing products manufactured for many types of industrial uses.

Like the fella that worked at a shipyard - everyday he'd bring home a bagful of the blue product they were removing from a ship and dump it in his attic. Turns out it was crocidolite, significantly more hazardous than chrysotile asbestos.

That describes my grandfather perfectly. He worked most of his adult life in the Navy Yard about 1/4 mile from where I now live and his house (now owned by one of his sons) has always had remarkably low heating bills. Unfortunately, he died from mesothelioma in 1978.

FWIW Robert, the stuff in your photos sure looks like asbestos to me.

[John Kogel]

Since you are not an expert, the best way to describe it is as 'possible asbestos-containing substance'.

If it is asbestos cloth, there's a lot of it, and removal will cost megabucks.

We often tell people they can cover vermiculite insulation with fiberglass batts, but that stuff calls for drastic action, removal, in my opinion.