Bathing In Vermiculite

Status
Not open for further replies.
frizbeedog

frizbeedog

Senior Member
Location
Oregon
As I was cutting in some boxes in the cieling today I ended up taking a vermiculite bath. Homeowner said she had it tested prior to taking possesion of the home and was found to be within safe levels. Thinking to myself yea, ok, whatever, I'm wearing my dustmask anyhow. I had never given this stuff called vermiculite much thought and wanted to see something on this. Just a couple of sites I found. There are many.

http://www.emsl.com/index.cfm?nav=News&action=show&NewsID=144

http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/verm.html

http://www.phharcenv.com/pdf/news/P...standard&OVADID=7632173011&OVKWID=45965738511

http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/insulation.html

Have fun, be safe. :)
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
They fill the cores of concrete block with it sometimes too. If you're bashing holes for new boxes in an existing block building on the outside walls it'll pour out like sand from an hourglass.
 
electricalperson

electricalperson

Senior Member
Location
massachusetts
frizbeedog said:
As I was cutting in some boxes in the cieling today I ended up taking a vermiculite bath. Homeowner said she had it tested prior to taking possesion of the home and was found to be within safe levels. Thinking to myself yea, ok, whatever, I'm wearing my dustmask anyhow. I had never given this stuff called vermiculite much thought and wanted to see something on this. Just a couple of sites I found. There are many.

http://www.emsl.com/index.cfm?nav=News&action=show&NewsID=144

http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/verm.html

http://www.phharcenv.com/pdf/news/P...standard&OVADID=7632173011&OVKWID=45965738511

http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/insulation.html

Have fun, be safe. :)
Click to expand...
at a job im doing in a 300 year old house the attic is filled with that stuff right to the top of the joists. pretty nasty stuff
 
stickboy1375

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
mdshunk said:
They fill the cores of concrete block with it sometimes too. If you're bashing holes for new boxes in an existing block building on the outside walls it'll pour out like sand from an hourglass.
Click to expand...


I love cutting in an old work box with the stuff in the wall, its like winning jackpot!!! :grin:
 
mivey

mivey

Senior Member
electricalperson said:
at a job im doing in a 300 year old house the attic is filled with that stuff right to the top of the joists. pretty nasty stuff
Click to expand...
But would you rather have that in the face or 100 year old pigeon poop? Old homes have a little bit of everything.
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
mivey said:
But would you rather have that in the face or 100 year old pigeon poop? Old homes have a little bit of everything.
Click to expand...
I've cut into a wall and had the entire cavity filled with bat guano! That stuff just rolls out too. In old pre-war duplexes, they would sometimes fill the party wall with cinders for fireproofing. That makes a real mess, since it makes everything it touches black.
 
frizbeedog

frizbeedog

Senior Member
Location
Oregon
mdshunk said:
I've cut into a wall and had the entire cavity filled with bat guano! That stuff just rolls out too. In old pre-war duplexes, they would sometimes fill the party wall with cinders for fireproofing. That makes a real mess, since it makes everything it touches black.
Click to expand...

And don't forget the walnut shells. I'm not sure if it was part of the original mixture but I sure do find a lot of them. I suspect critters though.

But the best was the pile of old razor blades that came a tumbeling down. It seems that old medicine cabinets have a slot in the back for the disposal of old razor blades right into the wall cavity. Cool. :cool:
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
frizbeedog said:
And don't forget the walnut shells. I'm not sure if it was part of the original mixture but I sure do find a lot of them. I suspect critters though.
Click to expand...
Yes, nut shells from critters, and packed grass and straw from birds.

frizbeedog said:
But the best was the pile of old razor blades that came a tumbeling down. It seems that old medicine cabinets have a slot in the back for the disposal of old razor blades right into the wall cavity. Cool. :cool:
Click to expand...
Un-huh. I quite often utilize the fact that recessed medicine cabinets can be easily removed as a "path" when fishing wires whenever it will be helpful. I'm not sure when the razor blade disposal slot was phased out, but I know it was at least into the mid-70's.
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
frogneck77 said:
I took down an old ceiling fan a couple years back and got a mouthful of oil-YUM!First one Id seen-You live and learn
Click to expand...
I think it's funny when you take down an old paddle fan, and the homeowner gets all embarrassed about how dusty it is. They often dust it off, when it's just going in the trash anyhow. Keeping up appearances.
 
e57

e57

Senior Member
Location
San Francisco, CA
frizbeedog said:
Thinking to myself yea, ok, whatever, I'm wearing my dustmask anyhow.
Have fun, be safe. :)
Click to expand...

There are no safe levels - IMO Levels of WHAT? She has documents for this testing? 3rd party testing?

Many contain a certain type of asbestos/mica - try a respirator, Tyvec suit, booties and gloves if you have children - you're tracking that dust in your home with you.

And yes that will be the one and only condition I will recommend booties!

I watched a horrifying documentary on the W.R.Grace cover-up that just turned my stomach - they apparently made "Cookies" from it in the 60's and served it to children as a promotional campaign. The dust has killed nearly a whole town... Watch that - and you'll think twice the next time you mess with some of it...
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2007/libbymontana/


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermiculite#Controversy_over_health_risks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libby,_Montana#Zonolite_and_asbestos
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top