Please help identify insulation

[jahsun365]

I need help identifying some attic insulation. The best way to describe it is that it looks like "snow". It is a fine white powder that is held together by some binding material in clumps until it is disturbed. Once distubed, it turns into a baking soda like powder mess and becomes airborne. It looks as if it was blown-in "wet" and was added on top of the existing fiberglass insulation that looks to be original to the house. Thanks in advance for any help.

[kurt]

How old is the house? That would tell a lot, but a picture is better.

Sounds like some type of older gypsum product, which always brings in the secondary or tertiary question of "does it contain asbestos?". Often/usually not, but you never know.

[jahsun365]

The home was built in 1974. This substance may have been a retrofit, there is evidence of fiberglass insulation under it in some areas.

Click to Enlarge

42.45 KBa

[Jim Katen]

The home was built in 1974. This substance may have been a retrofit, there is evidence of fiberglass insulation under it in some areas.

Click to Enlarge

42.45 KBa

That's UFFI.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Bill Kibbel]

Jim is correct but brief. UFFI - Universal Foreign Function Interface?

More specifically it's Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation. If you Google it, don't freak out over what you might read. Formaldehyde out-gassing has ceased long ago.

[John Kogel]

A good pic for the archives. Thanks.

[mgbinspect]

Interesting. That's the first time I've ever seen the stuff in an attic. It never caught on around here.

[kurt]

A misapplied UFFI installation. Blowing it over fiberglass........nice........[:-censore

[David Meiland]

Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation. If you Google it, don't freak out over what you might read. Formaldehyde out-gassing has ceased long ago.

I'm aware of a retrofit project on which a product called Tripolymer 105 is being used. It is apparently a urea-formaldehyde product and possibly even illegal in some states and/or Canada. I haven't been able to find out much more of the what & why. Anyone have specific info on this?

[Bill Kibbel]

Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation. If you Google it, don't freak out over what you might read. Formaldehyde out-gassing has ceased long ago.

I'm aware of a retrofit project on which a product called Tripolymer 105 is being used. It is apparently a urea-formaldehyde product and possibly even illegal in some states and/or Canada. I haven't been able to find out much more of the what & why. Anyone have specific info on this?

I was referring to UFFI installed before the 1982 ban.

I don't think Tripolymer 105 is a urea formaldehyde product. I'm more familiar with it for UST abandonment than for thermal insulation.

The only recent flap about urea formaldehyde in thermal insulation that I've read about is the RetroFoam class actions.