A common form of asbestos insulation found in older buildings is an asbestos based corrugated paper insulating wrap used on pipes.
Old forms of attic insulation.
3 main old attic insulation types.
This is a lightweight shiny material that resembles mica flakes.
It absorbs water and it is fire resistant.
Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material.
Asbestos insulation found in buildings above.
The most common insulation materials are fiberglass cellulose and foam.
How to identify dangerous asbestos insulation.
Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product.
For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices.
Insulation types include loose fill batts rolls foam board spray board and vapor barriers.
Made of newspaper cardboard straw sawdust or cotton cellulose was actually one of the earliest types of insulation.
Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.
While this type is often still used older insulation may be discolored or torn and is therefore less effective.
The type of insulation you need depends on which type is currently installed and the required r value.
Older types of insulation include loose fill or batt fiberglass which can be pink yellow or white.
If your attic or wall insulation is in batt or blanket form whether it s fiberglass cellulose or another material you.
See details about actual building insulation made of or contaminated with asbestos discussed at asbestos building insulation.
If the insulation is wool like and gray it may be loose fill rockwool.
Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation.
If you check with the north american insulation manufacturers association they ll assure you that fiberglass or mineral wool is definitely your best choice for attic insulation.
Loose fill fiberglass attic insulation still experiences convection but not nearly as much as old fiberglass used to.
Believe it or not there are situations in a home when you should remove the old attic insulation before adding more over the existing and in this short video.
Spray foam attic insulation.
The mineral was popular.
These fibers became the base of fiberglass insulation which became popular in the 1940s.