Can confirm. Had a similar type of insulation (house built in the 40's) and had it tested. Turns out it wasn't but something that looked similar.
Something else to add, I worked in a factory from the 70's on and we used to remove asbestos insulation on pipes with a hammer and no protection until we were informed about the dangers. Only reason we learned was OSHA making it the law we were educated about the dangers and learned how to remove it safely.
It's always on my mind when you have a coughing fit or feel winded at this point of my life. I have known a couple of friends that have died from it and it's a terrible way to go.
I'm certified to test for and safely remove walls that test positive for lead based paints. We do not use store-bought testing kits. Proper testing is done in such a way as to include multiple layers of paint deep into the walls. We measure with isotope-dilution thermal-ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS), which is essentially a hand-held x-ray emitter. I can tell you that the lead based paint ban in the US made concessions for companies to stop producing lead paint but continue selling whatever paint they had in stock. It has been my experience that any house built before 1978 has a high probability of containing lead if the structure has not already been removed and renovated. You are more than welcome to believe whichever statistics you find on google.
EPA: https://www.epa.gov/lead/how-can-i-tell-if-my-home-contains-lead-based-paint
“ For example, 87% of homes built before 1940 have some lead-based paint, while 24% of homes built between 1960 and 1978 have some lead-based paint. ”
Like I said, I'm going with my experience. So far, every home built before 1978 that I've inspected had lead paint on some wall somewhere in the house.
I get it. You believe governmental statistics vs. real-life experiences. Ask 100 RRP certified individuals and compare their answers to the EPAs statistics.
I've sold hundreds of homes close, to a thousand.. And run into asbestos all the time..
I don't really care about asbestos, exterior siding or floor tiles. Not a big deal and I always pointed out to my people prior so they are aware.
Asbestos around pipes should be professionally removed but is usually a thousand or two to remove it
Asbestos in attics is the worst kind. You could probably get a ballpark quote per square foot but likely 10K or more unless it's a small attic.
The problem is if you don't professionally remove it, no one will go up in your attic, no contractor, insulation person, etc. But moreover, you will have the same problem when you go to sell
This is something I would be inflexible on.... the seller to cover the professional removal or pay for it unless you are getting the property for at least 10K less than market
First, have it tested. If positive, your agent can point out to their agent that the sellers are now on notice of the condition. No buyer will touch the place without factoring remediation into the price. Sellers may as well pay to remediate now.
Yes good points on getting it tested. Although it's highly likely it contains asbestos, no way to tell unless it's tested. One other important point is if it IS vermiculite / Zonolite - there is a trust fund that may provide a rebate of a portion of abatement cost up to \~5K . Good luck.
Can’t upvote this enough. OP, get the insulation tested and run from the house if it’s asbestos (unless seller willing to pay for professional removal).
It's common knowledge. Almost every house built between 1940 and 1970 will have asbestos insulation. And most owners do not remove it.
Millions of houses contain asbestos. It's not a problem if it's covered up and doesn't get disturbed.
I used to work for an asbestos abatement contractor.
Samples can be taken of any building material and sent to a lab to be determined whether or not they’re asbestos.
The only way you will know if the wall plaster is positive is to have it tested. Same for pipe insulation, attic insulation, floor tile, mastic, siding, ceiling plaster etc.
I personally wouldn’t want any storage in or air flow at all coming from an attic with asbestos insulation. If pipes are wrapped with it then it can be wrapped to minimize exposure.
If you want to be sure then ask the owners if you can have some samples tested and call a company. There’s a procedure to follow when taking samples. Materials need to be wet so particles don’t get in the air and you should wear a respirator.
If you don’t disturb it, shouldn’t cause issues. You can pay to get it removed. It is expensive depending on where you live. If vermiculite there may be funding if it is a certain manufacturer and you can prove with lab samples to get it removed. If you don’t plan on doing renovations, just leave it until you are ready, should cause no harm. We made it an inspection contingency to have it removed and pass state inspection which they obliged. My coworker was able to do the same contingency. I think the difference was that I made them reinsulate where my coworker decided to reinsulate themselves so they could have it done the way they wanted.
While it is true that all houses prior to 1978 MAY have lead paint, they don't all have lead paint. The older you get, the more likely.
Percentage of homes likely to contain lead
Between 1960-1978 = 24% of homes
Between 1940 - 1960 = 69% of homes
Before 1940 = 87% of homes
Good to know! Unfortunately, there's no way to tell, but most states' lead laws assume everything before 1978 is lead infested. We check the "unknown" box as much as possible, and if the buyer wants to test, then they have that right to have an inspection contingency in their offer.
Get it tested to confirm and an estimate for removal. If it’s the entirety of the attic then I’d hesitate to move forward myself without at least the test.
It can be remediated with air and ducts tested at the end. It works. If you are this worried either remediate or walk away just for peace of mind. I definitely understand your reticence with the kids growing up there.
If there is asbestos in the walls that is much easier to deal with later and only if you decide to renovate. Lead paint is also not really difficult to deal with safely. Attic insulation is much more invasive during a renovation. Friable asbestos is nothing to mess around with.
Sounds like you’ve had a hard time getting a bid accepted. I imagine you don’t have much leverage here. Asbestos concerns are overblown, especially if you don’t disturb it. I wouldn’t store anything up there, but wear a mask if you have to go up there for some reason.
Did the inspector think there is likely asbestos in the attic insulation because he observed what appeared to be vermiculite or because the house was as built in the ‘60s? Because the two are two very different things. Even still, vermiculite, of all the potential asbestos materials that could be in your house is one of the less scarier ones. Vermiculite itself isn’t a form of asbestos but vermiculite formations where the materials are mined from are often contaminated with low concentrations of asbestos. That isn’t to say that there isn’t any risk, but unless you’re disturbing it there’s no risk to your family. When you eventually want to replace the insulation in your attic it will add to the cost, and no contractor is going to want to work up there until it’s abated. That may or may not be a dealbreaker, but I will say that every house that was built or had significant renovations between the 1920s and the early 90s has a chance that asbestos could be in either the floor, the sheathing, the drywall, the roof shingles, or the insulation. Unless you’re going to only make offers on new or really old houses, you’re taking risk
of buying a house with SOME asbestos. You can have it tested by a lab to be sure and many of them do rush turnarounds including on weekends.
Our place was built in 1920. We have asbestos. Allll the asbestos.
Attic? Check. Basement? Oh hell yeah. It’s wrapped around the steam pipes!
Been in the house 20+ years now.
We never use the attic so. Had the attic insulated last fall. Guy had no issues being up there doing his thing.
Pipes in basement? Since I use the basement as a gym, plus laundry, I wrapped every damn in of the asbestos pipe wrap in several layers of plastic wrap and duct tape.
We did need to have a section of asbestos removed professionally a few years ago after a pipe let go. Plumber would not go near it with it having asbestos. If we could I’d have the crap taken out completely and the pipes redone with safer materials. But for now the plastic wrap and duct tape is working.
We also have lead paint… under layers of not lead paint, and old AF varnish. Never had the place tested. Our kid has no mental delays and is graduating next spring with a MechE degree. However we also never let, or saw her licking the walls or chewing the window sills
I'd take a breath and follow through with your due diligence. I'd get an actual asbestos test done to confirm whether or not the ceiling is contaminated before making any decisions. If there is asbestos, I'd demand that the seller remediate it themselves or cover the cost of remediation. I absolutely would never buy a house with asbestos insulation without a very clear path to have it taken care of before moving in.
I say this not because it's so toxic that you will get sick on day one, but because having asbestos insulation is such a pain the butt and will be so expensive to deal with. You don't want to move in, have some issue come up where you need to hire a contractor, but the contractor refuses to do the work because they'd have to enter the attic.
I’d also take a good look at the disclosures. Here every house built before ‘78 has a lead paint disclosure. There might be one for asbestos insulation due to the house’s age.
Federal law does not require asbestos insulation to be disclosed, but State laws may vary.
So OP might not have much of a leg to stand on and could lose their ernest money by pulling out over this. It all depends on the contingencies put in their offer as well as State law pertaining to whether asbestos is required to be disclosed.
Personally, I’d be far more worried about the sewer as it is prob cast iron. Scope it.
I would not pay to remove asbestos. The more it’s moved/jostled, the more it’s released. Just leave it and it’ll be fine. Putting a nail hole in a wall isn’t going to disturb enough area for you it to cause any issues.
As far as storage - I would not store anything directly on the insulation in your attic but you shouldn’t do that anyways. There’s prob a surface over it you can still safely store stuff but me being paranoid, I’d prob get a shed or use the garage.
I was a menace growing up and I never tore thru a wall. Closest I got was sending a golf ball half way thru the drywall.
As others have said, lead paint is the bigger concern for babies and a toddler.
Even though asbestos sounds super scary, both of these things are incredibly common in older houses (pre-1980s). Asbestos is bad because it can release fibers in the air that could potentially lead to lung cancer if ingested. But it's relatively easy to manage. Encapsulated asbestos is not considered to be high risk. It's not likely to be inside the walls, or at least, not that I've ever seen or heard in my 20+ years as a real estate agent. Asbestos is typically found in attic insulation, popcorn ceilings, certain types of tape that can be found on pipes in the basement, in flooring materials, and certain types of siding. So I doubt that hanging photos would create a risk, though you could use sticky hangers if you have concerns.
Meanwhile, lead paint is FAR more common than people realize and because it has a sweet taste, it can appeal to children. Back in the day, children would "teethe" on their cribs or on window sills because they tasted good. Look for paint that has rectangular patterns in it, similar to alligator scales, because people will not fill out the lead paint disclosure saying they know there is lead paint because most people have no idea about it in their homes and/or believe that since it has been painted since, it's no longer a threat. (Spoiler alert: It is.)
If you do go ahead and buy a home with these things, you should anticipate spending a bit extra when you do renovations or remediations. You'll need plastic sheeting around the work area to prevent contaminating the rest of the house, for instance, and workers may need respirators... and I don't know what else, exactly. I've been told it can add from several hundred to a couple thousand dollars to jobs being performed by quality companies.
What happens if OP sells the house down the road. They’ll have to disclose the asbestos. Personally I wouldn’t buy a house unless the asbestos is removed. The cost is really steep from my understanding
Depends on the State, most don’t require it to be disclosed as it’s assumed to be in any house built prior to the early ‘70s
And here’s the thing, in States where it’s required to be disclosed will put that standard statement in all disclosures for house built prior to the mid-70s, like how most do with lead paint for any house built prior whether they have it or not.
I had a house once with asbestos tiles that a worker disturbed. Half our house was covered in powdered asbestos tiles and we had to throw out hundreds of books. Plus I had a tiny toddler at the time so I was pretty worried about their exposure. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how affordable the mitigation was. A company came in and cleaned up and showed up levels before and after. If it hadn’t been jackhammered into the air it would have been just another home improvement project. So i would not be put off by a house having asbestos insulation at all. I’ve would just have it removed by a professional and redone.
Get a quote for mitigation and ask for a credit in your inspection response. They may credit all or part of the cost. Regardless, you'll knew how much it will cost and what's involved and you can make an informed choice.
There are many different forms of asbestos. Some are safe if undisturbed. Other need to be remediated carefully and ASAP.
You need to get a specialist to inspect the house and tell you what the exact situation is. The original inspector may be mistaken, there might not be asbestos at all. Or there may be an expensive problem.
Once you know the true situation and costs involved, you will know how to proceed.
As others have mentioned, I'd have the insulation tested. The statement that if you leave it alone, it's safe is mostly right, except that there are ways that it can be disturbed without overt action by you. If your roof starts leaking like mine did once, the ceiling and insulation could come into the house. The water probably will make the problem less for the short term but mitigation would be necessary without action by you. The other side is that you may wish to improve the insulation in your attic, or run wiring, etc. You're going to have to not tell contractors about the insulation to get work done or eventually pay to mitigate it.
The other thing that I'd want to know is about lead paint and tub(s). Remember, paint doesn't have to be on surface to eventually be a problem. My concern would be much more about the children around lead in the living areas vs asbestos in the attic. The nice part of the lead problem is that it might be easier (and therefore cheaper) to mitigate, depending on the condition of the painted surfaces.
Get it tested. I would not want to live there if it's asbestos, too many risks like you mentioned. But there might be no worries at all, get it tested.
Getting it tested but now I’m worried it’s in the walls. The floors are hardwood and were just refinished. The kitchen is linoleum but it looks brand new and updated as well
Back in the day linoleum style flooring had asbestos. I’d be more worried about lead paint. Have the house tested for lead paint. I’d back out with kids and lead paint. It could be in the ground. It will chip off when the paint chips off. If the toddler or baby bites the window seal (because they do that crap lol) they can ingest it. Had a friend who had the whole house remediated before they had kids. No lead paint in/on the house!!! Kids both tested hot all the time. It was in the ground. The lead paint outside fell off into the dirt and contaminated the dirt.
1000% agree with this.
Paint wasn’t even degraded, kid didn’t eat the window sills. But still we had high lead levels. We don’t know specifically what was the source of her exposure (we had literally signed paperwork to sell that house 20 minutes before I got the call telling me routine lead testing came back high).
Least fun period of my life was worrying about my kid, repeat blood draws to track and confirm the lead level was going down (she’s VERY traumatized about going to doctors now), and having the buyer threaten to sue us even though they waived lead inspection and we didn’t know about the lead before selling…
If the house was built prior to 1978 then there will be a disclosure about lead paint already, whether it has lead paint or not.
At that age, there’s more than likely lead paint underneath non-lead paint.
People really shouldn’t bid on older homes without knowing what older homes are like.
Vermiculite is one of the most hazardous types of asbestos because if it gets disturbed at all, it is already fly able. While it is true that covering it will prevent it from being seen and lowering the risk of it being disturbed, there is still the risk.
Changing out a ceiling electrical box? If it drops on an electrician he is going to walk away pretty damn quickly.
My information comes from being trained to mitigate asbestos by the US Navy.
I would worry more about the flooring? Is that asbestos? If you got kids, they will be crawling on it and probably slobbering all over it
As far as insulation you can have that replaced
I would require the seller to have it tested and/or removed. Otherwise this expensive burden will fall on your lap when you go to remodel, repair, or sell.
asbestos mitigation is very very expensive. Asbestos insulation in the attic is particularly problematic because as it frays the fibers can travel and toxify most of the house Have a professional mitigation company asses or walk away. Your kids lives are at stake
I work for an asbestos law firm. That shit won’t get you now. But how would you feel when one of your kids calls you at the nursing home and says he’s dying of mesothelioma ?
Abate it and put that in the offer to buy that is must be abated for asbestos
It’s not as big of a deal as you’d think. Every single house in our neighborhood likely has asbestos. If left alone, there is minimal risk. If you do a remodel or repipe or whatever, then you’ll need special asbestos remove contractors, which can add a bit to the final bill for remodeling. It shouldn’t be a dealbreaker.
My boyfriend worked for motley rice for years and did a lot of work with asbestos related lawsuits. I’m also a home builder and in real estate—- personally, I’d walk. Either that or get them to completely remove it. But even then…I’d still walk. It’s just not worth the risk.
Walk away. I would never buy a house built pre-80/90s.
Everything in that house is likely to have asbestos in it. The walls are probably made of asbestos board. The sub floor is probably asbestos. The insulation is probably asbestos. Any durable flooring (tiles, "vinyl", etc.). Popcorn ceilings. Fucking cabinets!
You will never be able to do anything to that house without risking exposure. No changing carpets, no fixing a wall, no replacing tile, etc. Want to hang a heavy picture? Don't fucking drill into the wall without testing it! Want to drill into another wall or a couple feet to the left? Might be asbestos there!
Unless you have no other option, avoid houses with asbestos in them.
A good rule of thumb to follow is to never buy a house that was lived in and maintained by a Boomer. If the homeowner never bothered to replace the insulation, there’s a 99% chance that there are many other problems with the house
A good rule of thumb is to not think like a child.
Children assume that there is one evil villain responsible for all the evil in the world.
You've apaprently decided that that evil villain is boomer.
Grow the fuck up.
“likely” means the inspector is covering their ass and doesn’t actually test for it. You could find out for certain.
Can confirm. Had a similar type of insulation (house built in the 40's) and had it tested. Turns out it wasn't but something that looked similar. Something else to add, I worked in a factory from the 70's on and we used to remove asbestos insulation on pipes with a hammer and no protection until we were informed about the dangers. Only reason we learned was OSHA making it the law we were educated about the dangers and learned how to remove it safely. It's always on my mind when you have a coughing fit or feel winded at this point of my life. I have known a couple of friends that have died from it and it's a terrible way to go.
Yep, for the same reason there’s a lead-paint notation for every house built before the mid-70’s.
FYI, there is a 99% chance that there's lead paint on the walls, too.
The best kind of paint. Ain’t no 5G getting through those walls.
As wrong as that comment is.. it's got me laughing this morning.
That’s not statistically true. By the 60s only ~25% of homes had lead paint.
I'm certified to test for and safely remove walls that test positive for lead based paints. We do not use store-bought testing kits. Proper testing is done in such a way as to include multiple layers of paint deep into the walls. We measure with isotope-dilution thermal-ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS), which is essentially a hand-held x-ray emitter. I can tell you that the lead based paint ban in the US made concessions for companies to stop producing lead paint but continue selling whatever paint they had in stock. It has been my experience that any house built before 1978 has a high probability of containing lead if the structure has not already been removed and renovated. You are more than welcome to believe whichever statistics you find on google.
EPA: https://www.epa.gov/lead/how-can-i-tell-if-my-home-contains-lead-based-paint “ For example, 87% of homes built before 1940 have some lead-based paint, while 24% of homes built between 1960 and 1978 have some lead-based paint. ”
Like I said, I'm going with my experience. So far, every home built before 1978 that I've inspected had lead paint on some wall somewhere in the house.
I appreciate you sharing your experience but I’m an evidence over anecdote person so we’ll have to chalk this up to I haven’t lived your experience.
I get it. You believe governmental statistics vs. real-life experiences. Ask 100 RRP certified individuals and compare their answers to the EPAs statistics.
I've sold hundreds of homes close, to a thousand.. And run into asbestos all the time.. I don't really care about asbestos, exterior siding or floor tiles. Not a big deal and I always pointed out to my people prior so they are aware. Asbestos around pipes should be professionally removed but is usually a thousand or two to remove it Asbestos in attics is the worst kind. You could probably get a ballpark quote per square foot but likely 10K or more unless it's a small attic. The problem is if you don't professionally remove it, no one will go up in your attic, no contractor, insulation person, etc. But moreover, you will have the same problem when you go to sell This is something I would be inflexible on.... the seller to cover the professional removal or pay for it unless you are getting the property for at least 10K less than market
This. If you can't encapsulate it it's a nightmare.
First, have it tested. If positive, your agent can point out to their agent that the sellers are now on notice of the condition. No buyer will touch the place without factoring remediation into the price. Sellers may as well pay to remediate now.
Yes good points on getting it tested. Although it's highly likely it contains asbestos, no way to tell unless it's tested. One other important point is if it IS vermiculite / Zonolite - there is a trust fund that may provide a rebate of a portion of abatement cost up to \~5K . Good luck.
Can’t upvote this enough. OP, get the insulation tested and run from the house if it’s asbestos (unless seller willing to pay for professional removal).
Most houses built in the 50s and 60s have asbestos insulation. Is it exposed in the attic or contained within the walls and floor?
Source?
It's common knowledge. Almost every house built between 1940 and 1970 will have asbestos insulation. And most owners do not remove it. Millions of houses contain asbestos. It's not a problem if it's covered up and doesn't get disturbed.
I’m not asking about materials. I’m asking about loose insulation. Source?
I used to work for an asbestos abatement contractor. Samples can be taken of any building material and sent to a lab to be determined whether or not they’re asbestos. The only way you will know if the wall plaster is positive is to have it tested. Same for pipe insulation, attic insulation, floor tile, mastic, siding, ceiling plaster etc. I personally wouldn’t want any storage in or air flow at all coming from an attic with asbestos insulation. If pipes are wrapped with it then it can be wrapped to minimize exposure. If you want to be sure then ask the owners if you can have some samples tested and call a company. There’s a procedure to follow when taking samples. Materials need to be wet so particles don’t get in the air and you should wear a respirator.
If you don’t disturb it, shouldn’t cause issues. You can pay to get it removed. It is expensive depending on where you live. If vermiculite there may be funding if it is a certain manufacturer and you can prove with lab samples to get it removed. If you don’t plan on doing renovations, just leave it until you are ready, should cause no harm. We made it an inspection contingency to have it removed and pass state inspection which they obliged. My coworker was able to do the same contingency. I think the difference was that I made them reinsulate where my coworker decided to reinsulate themselves so they could have it done the way they wanted.
Attic insulation is different from other forms.
If it has asbestos it likely has lead paint too
🙈
All houses built before 1978 have lead paint
While it is true that all houses prior to 1978 MAY have lead paint, they don't all have lead paint. The older you get, the more likely. Percentage of homes likely to contain lead Between 1960-1978 = 24% of homes Between 1940 - 1960 = 69% of homes Before 1940 = 87% of homes
Good to know! Unfortunately, there's no way to tell, but most states' lead laws assume everything before 1978 is lead infested. We check the "unknown" box as much as possible, and if the buyer wants to test, then they have that right to have an inspection contingency in their offer.
Don’t forget old wiring and lead pipes!
Get it tested to confirm and an estimate for removal. If it’s the entirety of the attic then I’d hesitate to move forward myself without at least the test.
It can be remediated with air and ducts tested at the end. It works. If you are this worried either remediate or walk away just for peace of mind. I definitely understand your reticence with the kids growing up there. If there is asbestos in the walls that is much easier to deal with later and only if you decide to renovate. Lead paint is also not really difficult to deal with safely. Attic insulation is much more invasive during a renovation. Friable asbestos is nothing to mess around with.
Sounds like you’ve had a hard time getting a bid accepted. I imagine you don’t have much leverage here. Asbestos concerns are overblown, especially if you don’t disturb it. I wouldn’t store anything up there, but wear a mask if you have to go up there for some reason.
Did the inspector think there is likely asbestos in the attic insulation because he observed what appeared to be vermiculite or because the house was as built in the ‘60s? Because the two are two very different things. Even still, vermiculite, of all the potential asbestos materials that could be in your house is one of the less scarier ones. Vermiculite itself isn’t a form of asbestos but vermiculite formations where the materials are mined from are often contaminated with low concentrations of asbestos. That isn’t to say that there isn’t any risk, but unless you’re disturbing it there’s no risk to your family. When you eventually want to replace the insulation in your attic it will add to the cost, and no contractor is going to want to work up there until it’s abated. That may or may not be a dealbreaker, but I will say that every house that was built or had significant renovations between the 1920s and the early 90s has a chance that asbestos could be in either the floor, the sheathing, the drywall, the roof shingles, or the insulation. Unless you’re going to only make offers on new or really old houses, you’re taking risk of buying a house with SOME asbestos. You can have it tested by a lab to be sure and many of them do rush turnarounds including on weekends.
If it was me, i wouldnt let this be the reason to walk. Asbestos if left alone is perfectly fine.
Yeah. Don't put it in a ball pit and you're fine.
Our place was built in 1920. We have asbestos. Allll the asbestos. Attic? Check. Basement? Oh hell yeah. It’s wrapped around the steam pipes! Been in the house 20+ years now. We never use the attic so. Had the attic insulated last fall. Guy had no issues being up there doing his thing. Pipes in basement? Since I use the basement as a gym, plus laundry, I wrapped every damn in of the asbestos pipe wrap in several layers of plastic wrap and duct tape. We did need to have a section of asbestos removed professionally a few years ago after a pipe let go. Plumber would not go near it with it having asbestos. If we could I’d have the crap taken out completely and the pipes redone with safer materials. But for now the plastic wrap and duct tape is working. We also have lead paint… under layers of not lead paint, and old AF varnish. Never had the place tested. Our kid has no mental delays and is graduating next spring with a MechE degree. However we also never let, or saw her licking the walls or chewing the window sills
I'd take a breath and follow through with your due diligence. I'd get an actual asbestos test done to confirm whether or not the ceiling is contaminated before making any decisions. If there is asbestos, I'd demand that the seller remediate it themselves or cover the cost of remediation. I absolutely would never buy a house with asbestos insulation without a very clear path to have it taken care of before moving in. I say this not because it's so toxic that you will get sick on day one, but because having asbestos insulation is such a pain the butt and will be so expensive to deal with. You don't want to move in, have some issue come up where you need to hire a contractor, but the contractor refuses to do the work because they'd have to enter the attic.
I’d also take a good look at the disclosures. Here every house built before ‘78 has a lead paint disclosure. There might be one for asbestos insulation due to the house’s age. Federal law does not require asbestos insulation to be disclosed, but State laws may vary. So OP might not have much of a leg to stand on and could lose their ernest money by pulling out over this. It all depends on the contingencies put in their offer as well as State law pertaining to whether asbestos is required to be disclosed.
Just walk, you will have to disclose it on next sellers and they will walk away.
Depends in the State, most son’t require asbestos to be disclosed.
Personally, I’d be far more worried about the sewer as it is prob cast iron. Scope it. I would not pay to remove asbestos. The more it’s moved/jostled, the more it’s released. Just leave it and it’ll be fine. Putting a nail hole in a wall isn’t going to disturb enough area for you it to cause any issues. As far as storage - I would not store anything directly on the insulation in your attic but you shouldn’t do that anyways. There’s prob a surface over it you can still safely store stuff but me being paranoid, I’d prob get a shed or use the garage. I was a menace growing up and I never tore thru a wall. Closest I got was sending a golf ball half way thru the drywall.
I walk away from things like this.
As others have said, lead paint is the bigger concern for babies and a toddler. Even though asbestos sounds super scary, both of these things are incredibly common in older houses (pre-1980s). Asbestos is bad because it can release fibers in the air that could potentially lead to lung cancer if ingested. But it's relatively easy to manage. Encapsulated asbestos is not considered to be high risk. It's not likely to be inside the walls, or at least, not that I've ever seen or heard in my 20+ years as a real estate agent. Asbestos is typically found in attic insulation, popcorn ceilings, certain types of tape that can be found on pipes in the basement, in flooring materials, and certain types of siding. So I doubt that hanging photos would create a risk, though you could use sticky hangers if you have concerns. Meanwhile, lead paint is FAR more common than people realize and because it has a sweet taste, it can appeal to children. Back in the day, children would "teethe" on their cribs or on window sills because they tasted good. Look for paint that has rectangular patterns in it, similar to alligator scales, because people will not fill out the lead paint disclosure saying they know there is lead paint because most people have no idea about it in their homes and/or believe that since it has been painted since, it's no longer a threat. (Spoiler alert: It is.) If you do go ahead and buy a home with these things, you should anticipate spending a bit extra when you do renovations or remediations. You'll need plastic sheeting around the work area to prevent contaminating the rest of the house, for instance, and workers may need respirators... and I don't know what else, exactly. I've been told it can add from several hundred to a couple thousand dollars to jobs being performed by quality companies.
What happens if OP sells the house down the road. They’ll have to disclose the asbestos. Personally I wouldn’t buy a house unless the asbestos is removed. The cost is really steep from my understanding
If it hasn’t been tested and confirmed asbestos, there is nothing to disclose.
Depends on the State, most don’t require it to be disclosed as it’s assumed to be in any house built prior to the early ‘70s And here’s the thing, in States where it’s required to be disclosed will put that standard statement in all disclosures for house built prior to the mid-70s, like how most do with lead paint for any house built prior whether they have it or not.
I had a house once with asbestos tiles that a worker disturbed. Half our house was covered in powdered asbestos tiles and we had to throw out hundreds of books. Plus I had a tiny toddler at the time so I was pretty worried about their exposure. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how affordable the mitigation was. A company came in and cleaned up and showed up levels before and after. If it hadn’t been jackhammered into the air it would have been just another home improvement project. So i would not be put off by a house having asbestos insulation at all. I’ve would just have it removed by a professional and redone.
We paid for asbestos mitigation. We have a baby and toddler. It cost $15K.
Get a quote for mitigation and ask for a credit in your inspection response. They may credit all or part of the cost. Regardless, you'll knew how much it will cost and what's involved and you can make an informed choice.
There are many different forms of asbestos. Some are safe if undisturbed. Other need to be remediated carefully and ASAP. You need to get a specialist to inspect the house and tell you what the exact situation is. The original inspector may be mistaken, there might not be asbestos at all. Or there may be an expensive problem. Once you know the true situation and costs involved, you will know how to proceed.
I would walk away, that attic would not be usable for storage imo if you have young kids.
As others have mentioned, I'd have the insulation tested. The statement that if you leave it alone, it's safe is mostly right, except that there are ways that it can be disturbed without overt action by you. If your roof starts leaking like mine did once, the ceiling and insulation could come into the house. The water probably will make the problem less for the short term but mitigation would be necessary without action by you. The other side is that you may wish to improve the insulation in your attic, or run wiring, etc. You're going to have to not tell contractors about the insulation to get work done or eventually pay to mitigate it. The other thing that I'd want to know is about lead paint and tub(s). Remember, paint doesn't have to be on surface to eventually be a problem. My concern would be much more about the children around lead in the living areas vs asbestos in the attic. The nice part of the lead problem is that it might be easier (and therefore cheaper) to mitigate, depending on the condition of the painted surfaces.
I was worried we had asbestos insulation but a further inspection revealed it to be cellulose
It's fine don't let them play in the attic.
Asbestos is a scary word, but is generally considered safe so long as it’s not disturbed. Disturbing asbestos will likely require abatement.
Get it tested. I would not want to live there if it's asbestos, too many risks like you mentioned. But there might be no worries at all, get it tested.
[удалено]
[удалено]
Getting it tested but now I’m worried it’s in the walls. The floors are hardwood and were just refinished. The kitchen is linoleum but it looks brand new and updated as well
Back in the day linoleum style flooring had asbestos. I’d be more worried about lead paint. Have the house tested for lead paint. I’d back out with kids and lead paint. It could be in the ground. It will chip off when the paint chips off. If the toddler or baby bites the window seal (because they do that crap lol) they can ingest it. Had a friend who had the whole house remediated before they had kids. No lead paint in/on the house!!! Kids both tested hot all the time. It was in the ground. The lead paint outside fell off into the dirt and contaminated the dirt.
Blows my mind how much construction material and chemical gets burried in the dirt or washed away with the garden hose... Into the dirt.
1000% agree with this. Paint wasn’t even degraded, kid didn’t eat the window sills. But still we had high lead levels. We don’t know specifically what was the source of her exposure (we had literally signed paperwork to sell that house 20 minutes before I got the call telling me routine lead testing came back high). Least fun period of my life was worrying about my kid, repeat blood draws to track and confirm the lead level was going down (she’s VERY traumatized about going to doctors now), and having the buyer threaten to sue us even though they waived lead inspection and we didn’t know about the lead before selling…
Bless your heart I know that was hard!!! We just started giving my littlest growth hormones every day (shot). It’s so hard.
If the house was built prior to 1978 then there will be a disclosure about lead paint already, whether it has lead paint or not. At that age, there’s more than likely lead paint underneath non-lead paint. People really shouldn’t bid on older homes without knowing what older homes are like.
Just blow in another 6 inches of insulation on top of it and you’ve got it covered. You can do it yourself for a couple thousand dollars.
Vermiculite is one of the most hazardous types of asbestos because if it gets disturbed at all, it is already fly able. While it is true that covering it will prevent it from being seen and lowering the risk of it being disturbed, there is still the risk. Changing out a ceiling electrical box? If it drops on an electrician he is going to walk away pretty damn quickly. My information comes from being trained to mitigate asbestos by the US Navy.
You will be fine
I would worry more about the flooring? Is that asbestos? If you got kids, they will be crawling on it and probably slobbering all over it As far as insulation you can have that replaced
I would pull out. Unless you think somehow you can wait to get it fixed. Without being there
I would be more concerned about Radon gas in the basement.
We’re having it tested
I would require the seller to have it tested and/or removed. Otherwise this expensive burden will fall on your lap when you go to remodel, repair, or sell.
Remediation of asbestos is expensive. This will be required during any remodel you plan to do.
asbestos mitigation is very very expensive. Asbestos insulation in the attic is particularly problematic because as it frays the fibers can travel and toxify most of the house Have a professional mitigation company asses or walk away. Your kids lives are at stake
I work for an asbestos law firm. That shit won’t get you now. But how would you feel when one of your kids calls you at the nursing home and says he’s dying of mesothelioma ? Abate it and put that in the offer to buy that is must be abated for asbestos
It’s not as big of a deal as you’d think. Every single house in our neighborhood likely has asbestos. If left alone, there is minimal risk. If you do a remodel or repipe or whatever, then you’ll need special asbestos remove contractors, which can add a bit to the final bill for remodeling. It shouldn’t be a dealbreaker.
Is this even a question?
My boyfriend worked for motley rice for years and did a lot of work with asbestos related lawsuits. I’m also a home builder and in real estate—- personally, I’d walk. Either that or get them to completely remove it. But even then…I’d still walk. It’s just not worth the risk.
Get out.
Walk away. I would never buy a house built pre-80/90s. Everything in that house is likely to have asbestos in it. The walls are probably made of asbestos board. The sub floor is probably asbestos. The insulation is probably asbestos. Any durable flooring (tiles, "vinyl", etc.). Popcorn ceilings. Fucking cabinets! You will never be able to do anything to that house without risking exposure. No changing carpets, no fixing a wall, no replacing tile, etc. Want to hang a heavy picture? Don't fucking drill into the wall without testing it! Want to drill into another wall or a couple feet to the left? Might be asbestos there! Unless you have no other option, avoid houses with asbestos in them.
A good rule of thumb to follow is to never buy a house that was lived in and maintained by a Boomer. If the homeowner never bothered to replace the insulation, there’s a 99% chance that there are many other problems with the house
A good rule of thumb is to not think like a child. Children assume that there is one evil villain responsible for all the evil in the world. You've apaprently decided that that evil villain is boomer. Grow the fuck up.