Asbestos was widely used as an insulator and fire-resistant until scientists discovered its negative effects on human health. Since then, it has been recognized as a cancer-causing toxic material. Furthermore, the EPA has been trying to suppress the mining and production of all materials, including asbestos. Alternatively, cellulose was introduced as a substitute for asbestos in the market. Nowadays, most manufacturers use cellulose in place of asbestos in their production. So, how to tell the difference between cellulose and asbestos insulation? Well, this article provides all the basic information to help you figure out the differences.
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What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a natural mineral used since the 1950s as a major insulation and fire resistance source. Asbestos is a toxic substance used for various purposes until it was banned due to its negative impact on human health in the 1980s. By the looks of it, asbestos is a fibrous substance that appears very similar to cotton. Moreover, its properties are also identical to cotton, making it an economical substitute for it.
Although the production and use of asbestos have been banned worldwide for several years, it is still present in one form or another in older buildings and homes. So, if you live in an old building, chances are you still have a significant percentage of asbestos around you.
Advantages of asbestos:
Asbestos is a toxic substance. However, there are several advantages that make it better than other materials. Here are a few advantages of asbestos:
- Thermal insulation:Asbestos is an insulating material that traps heat in it. For instance, a room insulated with asbestos will retain its temperature for several hours. This sole property is enough to make your house energy-efficient, as you don’t need to use a powerful HVAC system all the time.
- Non-volatile:Asbestos is a non-volatile substance that doesn’t burn very easily. On the other hand, several insulating materials are volatile that catch fire from a single spark. So, buildings with asbestos insulation are less likely to catch fire or spread it to other rooms.
- Cheap material:The biggest reason why builders chose asbestos was its lower cost. Usually, asbestos insulation costs almost half of cotton and foam insulation.
- Weatherproof:Asbestos is also a weatherproof material that doesn’t decay over time. Usually, the insulation remains intact for over 50 years, depending on its maintenance.
- Low maintenance:Overall, asbestos requires minimum cleaning and maintenance as compared to other materials. The insulation doesn’t absorb water, dust, or oil, and other contaminants easily run off the walls.
- Durable:From all these points, one thing is clear asbestos is a durable material. The insulation remains intact for several decades, whether you like it or not. As a result, older houses with asbestos insulation are still serviceable even after 5 to 6 decades.
Disadvantages of asbestos:
The only drawback to asbestos is that it is highly hazardous to human health. The material constantly excretes volatile organic compounds and fumes that can damage your lungs, skin, eyes, and the environment. Furthermore, the insulation also releases a trail of microparticles in the air, leading to severe illnesses if you swallow or inhale them.
Secondly, asbestos is a non-biodegradable material, just like plastic. So, it keeps releasing harmful toxins into the environment even if you remove it from your house. According to a study by EPA, asbestos can remain intact in the environment for several years. So, manufacturing or using asbestos can potentially cause land and air pollution.
Cellulose:
Cellulose is a compound produced by trees and plants. It is also a bi-product of cardboard, paper, straws, and newspapers. Usually, it is a human-friendly and eco-friendly substitute for asbestos, a toxic material. Nowadays, most manufacturers and construction companies use cellulose-based insulation as it doesn’t harm human health in any way. Moreover, the properties of cellulose can be improved by treating it with various chemicals. For example, cellulose develops fire resistance when treated with boric acid, just like asbestos. Lastly, the production and usage of cellulose have been approved by EPA and other authorities globally.
Advantages of cellulose:
The list of advantages of cellulose can go on for several pages. For instance, it includes all the advantages offered by asbestos and many others. As a result, it is one of the favorite materials for construction and insulation works in modern homes.
- Eco-friendly: Cellulose is a biodegradable material derived from waste paper and cardboards. Moreover, it doesn’t decay on its own to produce fumes, VOCs, and fiber microparticles.
- Economical: Cellulose is the cheapest insulating material that you can find on the market. Moreover, the manufacturing cost of cellulose is also considerably lower as it only requires paper shreds.
- Soundproofing: Another advantage of cellulose over asbestos is that it offers complete soundproofing for walls. So, if you plan to make a cinema room in the house, cellulose is the way to do it.
Disadvantages of cellulose:
Although cellulose seems like a perfect material without any disadvantages, however, like any other recycled product, cellulose also has its set of cons. Still, when you weigh the advantages with the cons, cellulose seems better than any other available option.
- No waterproofing: A major disadvantage of cellulose is that it isn’t a water-resistant material by itself. However, you can combine it with a protective coating to achieve a complete water seal.
- Volatile material: As you know, paper, cardboard, and cellulose are volatile materials. So, there is always a fire hazard when you insulate your house with cellulose. However, when it is combined with boric acid, it becomes non-volatile and doesn’t catch fire easily.
In short, cellulose has some disadvantages, but you can always cure them with chemicals. So, you can’t find a better insulating material than cellulose in the market.
Also checkout: air purifiers for asbestos
How do we differentiate between cellulose and asbestos?
There are some ways to differentiate between asbestos and cellulose through destructive testing. For example, you can take a sample from the house and test it with fire to see if it burns easily. Untreated cellulose catches fire like paper, whereas asbestos is a non-volatile material. Similarly, you can also test for asbestos if you know the construction year of the building. It is probably insulated with asbestos if it was built before the 1980s.
However, none of the tests are recommended for home users. In this regard, the best way to differentiate is to take a small sample from the house and send it to the lab for testing. If you are concerned about the hazards of asbestos, you must reinsulate the house with cellulose.
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FAQs:
How does asbestos damage your health?
Asbestos constantly breaks into microparticles and fumes. These pollutants remain suspended in the air for several days. As a result, you swallow or inhale some of these particles as soon as you step into the room. Scientifically, the asbestos particles aren’t degradable inside the human body. Thus, the microfibers remain in your body, leading to various disorders and even cancers.
What is the difference between the physical appearance of asbestos and cellulose?
Asbestos has certain physical qualities that make it different from any other insulating material. For example, vermiculite material with asbestos has a slight brown or dark brown color. Similarly, the fibers of asbestos have a natural shine that you can’t find in any other insulating material. Lastly, asbestos insulation has a fibrous feeling when you touch it, whereas cellulose is more like cotton or paper.
How to replace asbestos insulation with cellulose?
According to EPA, it is safe to replace less than 10 square feet of asbestos yourself. However, if the area exceeds this limit, then it is best to hire a professional for the project. The contractor will safely remove asbestos from the walls and microparticles from the air using reverse filtration and a HEPA filter. Moreover, it is best to use an air purifier at home to prevent future mishaps. Lastly, the contractor will order cellulose according to the requirement and firmly install it on the walls.
Conclusion:
Cellulose is the latest substitute for asbestos made from waste paper, cardboard, and other waste material. The use, mining, and manufacturing of asbestos were banned in the 1980s due to its toxic nature and its potential hazard to human health. So, how to tell the difference between cellulose and asbestos? The answer is quite complicated; you can differentiate by the physical and volatile properties of the material or send a sample to a testing laboratory.
