Asbestos in foam insulation in kitchen?
Posted on October 3rd, 2009 by admin
Asbestos
While trying to pull a wire from the kitchen wall down into the basement, a light white powdery substance came out.
While trying to pull a wire from the kitchen wall down into the basement, a light white powdery substance came out.
The fallen pieces immediately crumbled upon the slightest touch and are bright white.
Looking closer up through the hole, it looks like a foam insulation that is at least 2 inches thick. It lies right on top of the original floor boards and behind/below the kitchen cabinets/wall.
Any chance this is an asbestos hazard?
Update: House was built in 1903 and has gone through at least one kitchen remodel – most recently within the last 10 years – though foam most likely in the wall?
Wire being pulled was two-wire armored cable.
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Could be, depending on when it was put in.
Of course white asbestos is not hazardous at all, it’s quite safe (despite what the law says, which was enacted because of a scare campaign launched by companies wanting to market alternatives).
Asbestos has been outlawed for over 20 years, hasn’t been used in new materials for almost 30.
So unless the insulation is over 25 years or so old, it’s highly unlikely to be asbestos.
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It is likely just foam that is getting old and turning to powder, but take the material to a local lab for testing. Put it in a ziplock bag. Testing is the only way to tell unless you are an expert and have it in your hand. Even then, experts have it tested.
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I got this little blob from Wikipedia, apparently some answers here are in denial and don’t want to believe the overwhelming evidence against asbestos.
Chrysotile or white asbestos is the most commonly encountered form of asbestos, accounting for approximately 95% of the asbestos in place in the United States and a similar proportion in other countries[ Chrysotile, as well as other forms of asbestos, is considered to be a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and by the U.S. Department of Health
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Yes – take ‘otts shoals’ advice. It could very well be just foam, but get it tested if you are in doubt.
Regards,
Ann.