Vermiculite & Asbestos

Are you worried that you may have asbestos in your home? Do you know what to do if you have vermiculite in your attic? Not to worry, we have all the information you need to handle the situation.

What is Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a type of insulation that was commonly used in older homes. Not all vermiculite contains asbestos. Only one type of vermiculite sold was contaminated with asbestos. The Zonolite brand attic insulation was all mined from one site in Montana and contained varying levels of asbestos.

Under no circumstances should you attempt to remove vermiculite containing asbestos from your attic. Asbestos is a known human carcinogen (causes cancer), it can cause scarring and inflammation of the lungs, and lead to other serious health problems.

Testing and Removing Vermiculite

Vermiculite must be tested for asbestos before we can remove it from your attic. If it tests negative, we can either remove it or install new insulation on top of it. If it tests positive, you will need to hire a licensed professional trained in asbestos abatement (removal). WINMAR Property Restoration Specialists have locations all over Ontario and offer asbestos abatement services.

To have your vermiculite attic insulation tested for asbestos you must send samples to an authorized laboratory. For more information on how to conduct sampling, where to send your samples, and for more information on vermiculite - you can download the information package provided by Pinchin Environmental.

For more information, please visit our technical faq's section or contact us at 800-461-5672