Asbestos and vermiculite testing
Before any removal procedure of ACM materials, it is recommended to get the material tested.
In case of vermiculte attic testing, it is recommended to take 3 or more samples, depending on the amount of material involved.
We will take samples of ACM material in the safest way according to regulations and provide you with the sample results from the lab within 1-3 days.
Mold Remediation
We provide remediation of mold, and clean-up of residential and commercial properties.
These properties include Marijuana Grow Houses and properties with extensive water damage.
Services include demolition, disposal and De-contamination.
What is Vermiculite?
Vermiculite is a low density insulation which has the appearance of layers of mica separated by air gaps. Photographs of vermiculite can be found in the US EPA document link below. Vermiculite is not asbestos (and vermiculite sold today does not contain asbestos) but some vermiculite deposits were contaminated with asbestos. Vermiculite was widely sold to home builders and consumers across North America to insulate attics, walls or around chimney liners. It was poured into these areas and was almost self-leveling.
In the US almost all poured vermiculite insulation came from a mine in Libby Montana contaminated with varying amounts of actinolite or tremolite asbestos. This material was sold by W.R. Grace under the trade name Zonolite Attic Insulation (ZAI). However, some of the vermiculite insulation sold in Canada came from asbestos-free deposits, mainly from South Africa. It is therefore important to determine which type of vermiculite you may have in your home. Pinchin’s experience has been that about 60% of the vermiculite attic insulation samples processed by our laboratories contained asbestos. There can be a mixture of both types present because both asbestos and non-asbestos products may have been installed.
What to Do If Your Home has Vermiculite Insulation
If the insulation in your attic is not being disturbed and your attic is not used for living space or storage, it is normally recommended to leave it in this state. Clear guidance on this is available in the U.S. EPA document “Current Best Practices for Vermiculite Attic Insulation”, available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. More information can be obtained at Health Canada.
Unfortunately if you own a home with ZAI, you may need to remove the insulation before you can sell your home. A competent home inspection (usually performed by the purchaser) will normally detect vermiculite and we have seen many home sales fail due to its presence. The cost of removal depends on the size of your attic but may approach $10,000 or more to remove and replace the insulation. Homeowners should consider upgrading the insulation and air tightness of their attic at this time to upgrade energy efficiency.