Vermiculite? NOT!

 

So this stuff in the attic that I was worried was vermiculite was in fact not. How strange. I wonder what this stuff is and what it's doing in the attic. Maybe it was a scam to sell vermiculite insulation and the previous home owner got gravel instead? I don't know.

The e-mail from Western Analytical Lab reads:

The sample you submitted for analysis contains no asbestos.  Please note your sample is NOT vermiculite insulation.

We'll mail a written report in a couple of days.

So I guess we'll see when they send over their report if more information is revealed as to the identity of this material.

Asbestos free ceiling!

So a couple days ago I wrote about testing my ceiling with a sample I sent over to Western Analytical Labratory for analysis. I got good news! It turns out the ceiling does not contain asbestos! Celle was happy to hear that because she's been dying to get rid of it.

Here's the e-mail that they sent me:

The acoustic ceiling spray sample you submitted for analysis contains no asbestos. 

We'll mail a written report to you in a couple of days.

Please note: The EPA strongly recommends testing at least three samples of acoustic spray (from different parts of the residence) because asbestos was hand-mixed in this material on job site and its distribution can be uneven across the ceiling.

So we'll probably test out each room as we go.

Popcorn acoustic ceilings helped deaden the noise between floors. It might also help deaden the echo in older homes like the Money Pit. The echo is prominent in plaster and lath and is desirable to a segment of savvy home buyers. By adding the popcorn ceiling, the noise waves wouldn't reflect perfectly off at least one wall and reduce the echo. Add a curtain and you'd certainly reduce the echo some more. Add furniture and you'd reduce echo even more.

The main reason you find it still is because it became popular in the 60s and 70s. However it was too hard to clean, and its downfall came with the banning of asbestos in the 80s. Asbestos was found to be an ingredient in some forms of acoustic ceiling popcorn. Suddenly they no longer were popular in any form and other ceiling products and tiling became en vogue.

To take the stuff out, I'm told the best way is to wet it and scrape off the goopy muck.

I'm praying that my insulation comes in asbestos free as well.

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.