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What is this stuff?
Previous Topic: How to vent roof with 1/4 no soffit - Topic - Next Topic: moisture in attic New TopicReply to TopicShare Topic
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[#1] Posted: 07/10/2010 - 10:45:25 AM		Reply with Quote
I've never seen this material before. Can one of you tell me what it is? This 110 year old house had UFFI in the walls and this stuff in the attic floor. I think it was likely installed within the last 10 years or so. The little puff balls were almost the same consistency as a Cheeto.

Thanks in advance,

Jimmy
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What is this stuff?
 [#2] Posted: 07/10/2010 - 1:01:39 PM		Reply with Quote
Any pic Jim?
Terry



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What is this stuff?
 [#3] Posted: 07/10/2010 - 1:32:45 PM		Reply with Quote
Let me try again:

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What is this stuff?
 [#4] Posted: 07/10/2010 - 2:01:27 PM		Reply with Quote
....man... that looks like cotton, Jim... "Meffa"?
If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work? (S. Wright-Boston Area Philosopher)
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What is this stuff?
 [#5] Posted: 07/10/2010 - 2:02:30 PM		Reply with Quote
wait a min... Cheeto-like ... ? No idea... weird.. I'd burn it to see how it would react ... (at home) :)
If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work? (S. Wright-Boston Area Philosopher)
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What is this stuff?
 [#6] Posted: 07/10/2010 - 2:32:43 PM		Reply with Quote
Popped perlite?
Kurt in Chicago

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What is this stuff?
 [#7] Posted: 07/10/2010 - 2:36:21 PM		Reply with Quote
My guess was gonna be perlite-- so I second that one.
Brandon

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What is this stuff?
 [#8] Posted: 07/10/2010 - 5:20:45 PM		Reply with Quote
The coarsest perlite you can get is about 1/4" in diameter. If the stuff is that big or smaller, I'll bet it's perlite.

If it's larger, I have no idea.
Jim Katen, Oregon
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What is this stuff?
 [#9] Posted: 07/11/2010 - 03:17:05 AM		Reply with Quote
It looks just like the UFFI I took out of my walls after I broke it up for transport. (transport= put it in the truck and drive around until it was gone.)
Chad Fabry
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What is this stuff?
 [#10] Posted: 07/11/2010 - 06:10:48 AM		Reply with Quote
That's funny, but I'm not sure I'd have put in writing.

That stuff looks really clean, are you sure it's ten years old? I have no idea what it is, never seen anything like it.

Tom
Tom

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What is this stuff?
 [#11] Posted: 07/11/2010 - 06:29:30 AM		Reply with Quote
Quote: (transport= put it in the truck and drive around until it was gone.)


Not that I've ever done this a month ago, but that's a great way to get rid of planer shavings too.
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What is this stuff?
 [#12] Posted: 07/11/2010 - 07:04:57 AM		Reply with Quote
The pieces were as large as about 5/8 inch I'd guess, but it definitely wasn't UFFI.

Rob- Not Meffa, but Hamilton.

Jimmy
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What is this stuff?
 [#13] Posted: 07/11/2010 - 07:26:50 AM		Reply with Quote
Quote: Originally posted by Chad Fabry

It looks just like the UFFI I took out of my walls after I broke it up for transport. (transport= put it in the truck and drive around until it was gone.)
Reminds me of the time when I was moving some tree branches to a pile on my in-laws property in the country. I had tried to burn them in my backyard but they were too green to burn much. So I stomped the fire out and loaded them into my pickup for a 2 mile trip right thru the middle of town. I happen to look in the rear view mirror at a red light and a 6' fire is blazing in my truck bed! I jump out, put the fire out, get back in, chk the rear view mirror and a fat column of smoke is rising from my truck bed. By now the light is green, so I take off. 500' later, I chk the rear view mirror again and another 6' fire is blazing in the bed of my truck, right in the middle of town!

It took quite a while to get to my in-laws house that day.

Marc
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What is this stuff?
 [#14] Posted: 07/11/2010 - 08:07:26 AM		Reply with Quote
Perlite, taken off Wikipedia.......



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Maybe it's Fresh Mozzarella Cheetos........
Kurt in Chicago

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What is this stuff?
 [#15] Posted: 07/11/2010 - 08:54:28 AM		Reply with Quote
It's perlite.

Expanded perlite is graded into different sizes and is separated by screening. The stuff that's 1/4" or less is typically available as an additive for gardening soil and light-weight concrete. There is one grade, that's used almost exclusively for thermal insulation, that can be screened to as large as 1". 5/8" chunks is not unusual for expanded perlite.
Bill Kibbel, Historic & Commercial Building Inspections - Old House Resources
   
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