Asbestos Attic Insulation

[Mark P]

A week or two ago I want in a 1920’s attic in this same town and found zero insulation – which blew my mind. This week I found what looks like bricks of asbestos scattered everywhere – which blows my mind even more. Some were small the size of a square baseballs. Other pieces were 2 – 3 feet long. It was all over the 1200 sqft attic. As soon as I stuck my head up the scuttle hole and saw this stuff I thought “hey that looks like asbestosâ€

[kurt]

I had a similar thing a few years back. Someone filled the attic of a 1955 rambler with asbestos bricks. I figured he must have dragged them out of a factory or something.

Yeah, $10,000 if there's nothing else.

[Ben H]

[

Has anyone seen this before. I’ve never heard of asbestos used as attic insulation. My guess is that someone worked at a factory where this stuff was available and decided to insulate there attic with it. The house was built in 1910. I imagine it released a lot of fibers when the old roof was torn off and when the sparky rewired all the K&T that was up there.

You know, you gotta wonder what the hell people think tossing a brick here and there of anything will actually do.

[gtblum]

I went back down the ladder and told my client what I thought I had found and that I was going out to get my facemask before walking the attic. I come back in to find my client on the ladder with his head in the attic – geezzz.

Safety drift.

During an OSHA 10 course I attended last winter, the subject of respirators and paper masks was discussed at length.

According to them, paper masks do absolutely nothing to stop the particulates that cause harm. According to them, these masks only stop what your body's natural defense system already does on it's own. The crap you cough up.

I know you didn't mention what type of face mask you went back for.

Just thought I'd pass this along in case folks weren't aware. It was quite a surprise to everyone there.

[Tom Raymond]

Given that Kurt's estimate is based on 1955 prices (hee, hee) and the fact that I have just calculated lead containment protocol costs for the day job, I'll guess $12K minimum. I wouldn't do it for any less.

Tom

[kurt]

Sure, could be $12,000. I can imagine a few folks wanting >$20,000.

Depends on a lot of stuff we can't know until we see it.

I thought when I saw the pile of crap in the attic, why would anyone think this was a good idea?

[hausdok]

I went back down the ladder and told my client what I thought I had found and that I was going out to get my facemask before walking the attic. I come back in to find my client on the ladder with his head in the attic – geezzz.

Safety drift.

During an OSHA 10 course I attended last winter, the subject of respirators and paper masks was discussed at length.

According to them, paper masks do absolutely nothing to stop the particulates that cause harm. According to them, these masks only stop what your body's natural defense system already does on it's own. The crap you cough up.

I know you didn't mention what type of face mask you went back for.

Just thought I'd pass this along in case folks weren't aware. It was quite a surprise to everyone there.

Haven't worn anything with less than a P100 filter for years and I'm constantly telling my clients to stay out of the attic and crawlspaces until they have a face-nose respirator with a P100 filter. We've got Hanta Virus and lots of deer mice around here not to mention the damned vermiculite.

I'm not worried too much about someone coming after me 'cuz they got sick from vermiculite - the fibers from that stuff take about a quarter of a century to cause an issue - it's the damned hanta virus. If you come down with that stuff on Monday your family can be planting you and calling the lawyer on Saturday.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Mark P]

I went back down the ladder and told my client what I thought I had found and that I was going out to get my facemask before walking the attic. I come back in to find my client on the ladder with his head in the attic – geezzz.

Safety drift.

During an OSHA 10 course I attended last winter, the subject of respirators and paper masks was discussed at length.

According to them, paper masks do absolutely nothing to stop the particulates that cause harm. According to them, these masks only stop what your body's natural defense system already does on it's own. The crap you cough up.

I know you didn't mention what type of face mask you went back for.

Just thought I'd pass this along in case folks weren't aware. It was quite a surprise to everyone there.

Good point of discussion for those who don't wear a mask. Yes I use a nose/mouth facepiece with 2 3M P100 filters. I've gotton out of the habit of wearing it all the time, just when something looks bad, I go and get it. I know I should do better. There is no hanta virus around here.

[Mark P]

I talked with th buyer today and he got an over the phone quote of $5000 to remove it. He said he gave the sqft, etc. Seems low to me? I asked he keep me informed of how things turn out when it is actually removed.