Vermiculite

So today I explored the attic a little. Eric had come over with his truck and I was able to pick up a 6ft aluminum ladder on sale from Home Depot for $39. It's light and it gets me where I need to go. So I open up the entryway and the first thing I noticed is little pebble like material all over the attic.

 I panicked at the thought of having asbestos in the attic. After all this is an old house so anything is possible. I am going to have it sent out to be tested. I believe my inspector said otherwise, but I think I'll have a lab analyze this stuff along with the popcorn ceiling just to make sure.

Reading around the web, this stuff may be vermiculite insulation. It had been mostly removed, but there still remains a thin sparse layer of it.

The procedure to have this tested if fairly simple. Put a tablespoon of stuff into a zip-lock bag, mark the bag, complete the form, and and send it off with a check. I used  the guys over at Western Analytical Lab. They give you the option of e-mailing, phoning, or snail mailing the results (or all three) within 24-hours of receiving your sample.

My only problem was taking this stuff to the post office. The security question kinda threw me for a tailspin.

Postwoman: "Sir, is there anything potentially hazardous contained in the envelope?"

Me: "Uhh.. hmm.. no."

I figure, I don't really know what's in the sample. Plus, it's only a tablespoon full. Even if someone were brave enough to eat the stuff, I doubt it'd cause any harm. There are guys who used to slather this stuff in the ceilings and the attics for years day in and day out without having any form of protection, and a bunch of those guy are still alive.