Health Risks of Blow-in Insulation in a House

Asbestos

• Asbestos was a blow material used in housing insulation up until the mid-1970s. It is a fiber that is thin, long and strong but still weaveable because of its flexibility. Some homes may still have asbestos in their insulation. There is a health risk if exposed to asbestos if a person breaths it in. It is a lung irritant, so gloves and a respirator should be worn when handling the material. Eye protection should also be used because it is an irritant to eyes.

Vermiculite

• Vermiculite was used in insulation and construction and is a mineral that occurs naturally. It's shiny and resembles mica, being mined in several U.S. states, including Montana. Mines that gathered these materials, however, were shut down because the vermiculite contained small deposits of asbestos in them. They were a lung and eye irritant, which caused coughing and choking. Similar measures for asbestos should also be taken with vermiculite.

Fiberglass

• Fiberglass is another material that, like asbestos and vermiculite, can be a harmful lung and eye irritant. The small particles of fiberglass granules are very sharp. At a microscopic level, when fiberglass is breathed in or comes in contact with an eye, it will scrape and cut the lungs or the eyes. Another one of the potential health risks of fiberglass is that it has been shown to be carcinogenic, or cancer causing. Proper eye and respiration protection should be used when handling this type of material.

Cellulose

• By far, cellulose is the most preferred material to use when providing insulation for a home. Cellulose is made of a carbohydrate that is found in plant life, which means that the material is more or less organic and all natural. Cellulose insulation is also made of a vast assortment of materials, many unrecognizable, which poses a problem because determining the effects it has on a person is difficult. With so many different compounds in the mix, knowing the health risks is problematic. This material should be handled like asbestos, vermiculite and fiberglass.