hausdok Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 Yesterdays home. $1,475,000 - extensively remodeled not long ago; with an attic full of vermiculite. Sigh OT - OF!!! M. Image Insert: 26.52 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaoimhÃn P. Connell Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Aw shucksâ⬦. A little tremolite never hurt anyoneâ⬦ Actually, all joking aside. I assume that you are making mention of the vermiculite because of the concern for asbestos. Vermiculite may or may not contain tremolite or crysotile as secondary mineralization. It is entirely possible that the vermiculite is essentially ââ¬Åasbestos freeâ⬠Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exploreparadise2 Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 When his signature in a public forum includes a fine print legal disclaimer, I'm guessing Mr. Connell spends a lot of time in court and around lawyers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted February 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Hi Caoimhin, Yeah, I realize that, but there's no way that I can know that it is asbestos free, short of testing, and then, as Bill Kibble likes to point out, one can't really be certain even with testing. Here in the Seattle area, most buyers have essentially been conditioned by the Seattle PI, with years' worth of sensationalized stories about vermiculite killing folks, to turn tail and run. I really don't have a problem with them being scared of the stuff, 'cuz that makes my job easier - I report vermiculite and they run - duck soup. It's the folks that don't run that tend to make one nervous; especially when they can afford a house in this price range. I used to tell folks that I think that the most prudent course of action is to get it professionally removed by a licensed abatement firm, reinsulate, and then have the house thoroughly cleaned and then tested for asbestos. However, lately, I generally just tell folks they've got it, that it may or may not contain asbestos, so they need to limit their exposure to it, and I direct them to the EPA website here. If they want to know how to get rid of it I've been punting the whole thing to a local indoor air quality firm and letting them advise them what to do about it. Frankly, I have to wonder how dangerous asbestos really is. Hell, it's ubiquitous in the environment, most of us have been exposed to it for our entire lives and we know folks who worked around it for years and who've lived to a very old age and died of natural causes unrelated to asbestosis or mesotelioma or anything else like that. One would think that, if it were as dangerous as the media portrays it, most of the population would be walking around with oxygen bottles and there'd be lines outside of funeral homes (I could say the same thing about "toxic mold" too.). I bet a higher ratio of folks exposed to cigarettes die from cancer than the ratio of those exposed to asbestos, and an even smaller ratio of those exposed to vermiculite die. Still, thanks to the media and the "system" we inspectors have got to go around looking over our shoulders to make sure that there isn't some blood-sucking suit with a law degree chasing us around trying to take our homes and impoverish our families. Can you tell I'm feeling grouchy today? [:-gnasher ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted February 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Originally posted by exploreparadise2 When his signature in a public forum includes a fine print legal disclaimer, I'm guessing Mr. Connell spends a lot of time in court and around lawyers. Let's put it this way; you probably don't want to go up against this guy in court. He's so damned smart it makes my hair hurt just thinking about it. OT - OF!!! M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exploreparadise2 Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Relax Mike! The cherry trees have started to bloom. Go look at the pretty blossoms and you'll feel better. Later, you can tackle lawyers and newspapers and Duane Roundy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted February 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Originally posted by exploreparadise2 Relax Mike! The cherry trees have started to bloom. Go look at the pretty blossoms and you'll feel better. Later, you can tackle lawyers and newspapers and Duane Roundy. Well, the cherry trees, lawyers, and newspapers are worth the effort. I won't waste my energy on that last part. OT - OF!!! M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Carson Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Wow, I was going to ask a vermiculite question on this forum the other day for feedback and here we are. Had one yesterday with "possible" asbestos shingles, Vermiculite insulation in attic, Asbestos type wrap on ducts, etc. Suggested to have professionally tested and removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 Originally posted by Michael Carson Wow, I was going to ask a vermiculite question on this forum the other day for feedback and here we are. Had one yesterday with "possible" asbestos shingles, Vermiculite insulation in attic, Asbestos type wrap on ducts, etc. Suggested to have professionally tested and removed. Most of the time, with shingles and duct wrap, there's no need to test. The stuff is what it is. I generally tell folks that the EPA says the process of removing asbestos often causes a greater hazard than leaving it alone. They recommend encapsulation whenever possible. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted March 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 Well, Score a big one for the suits. I just got this off the wire. OT - OF!!! M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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