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Expert Q Ren Molnar Q&A Archive
Top > Insulation > Hazard

Question:

I have 'mica' insulation in my attic. House is in Pickering, Ontario and is at least 40 years old. Not sure how long the mica has been there. There is an empty bag, so I could check for any useful information. How can I tell if it contains asbestos? Is there a way to have it tested for free? I need to add more insulation, so I need to know whether I can work safely in the attic to do so.

Answer:

The 'useful' information you're looking for will not be on the bag because in the days when mica was used we were not as sensitive to asbestos. Count on it, there will be asbestos and it should be removed professionally.


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Answered By: Ren Molnar

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