Fiberglass hazards in buildings:

This article series provides information about how to identify fiberglass insulation in buildings and fiberglass hazards and fiberglass insulation contamination issues in residential and light-commercial buildings.

The fiberglass research literature is replete with studies indicating that there are no health hazards associated with airborne fiberglass particles, and with other studies reaching quite the opposite conclusion.

We recommend that readers examine carefully the methodology used in such studies, the expertise of the researchers, and the sources financing of such work.

Q&A on Fiberglass Insulation Hazards set 1

Frequently-asked questions & answers about exposure to fiberglass or fiberglass dust & fragments in buildings: the sources, causes, health concerns, & remedies.

These questions and answers about the hazards of exposure to fiberglass or fiberglass dust in and around buildings were posted originally at FIBERGLASS HAZARDS - topic home. Be sure to review that article.

On 2022-12-21 by InspectApedia (Editor) -fall from attic creates fiberglass mess to clean up

@Rachel,

Damp wiping and HEPA vacuuming would be sufficient cleaning after that fiberglass spill, but the cleaning needs to be sufficiently extensive that you're not leaving a significant reservoir of loose fiberglass dust throughout the home -

that may mean cleaning items on shelves, shelving, moving out the Christmas tree, and running your air handler while changing out the air filter a time or two.

We have no data that would permit even an opinion about the risk to health of building occupants from left-over fiberglass but in general if there is no acute exposure the risk is probably not measurable.

Fiberglass company research argues that large particles that are normally found are not a significant health hazard. I'm not sure that's the whole story, but the carcinogenic risk worry seems to have been pretty much put to bed as you can read on our home page for this topic

FIBERGLASS HAZARDS - topic home - (you're on the FAQs page).

When you think that cleaning is complete, an aggressive indoor air sampling (stir up the air in the room during testing) and some checks of the asbestos level in settled dust can tell you if there is in fact significant fiberglass left in the environment.

On 2022-12-20 by Rachel

My husband fell through the attic yesterday and bunch of fiber glass fell through. We had a masks and googles on to put it all into bags, and have vacuumed multiple times and wiped surfaces down. We changed all the air filters and I’m currently washing our couch cushions.

But I keep finding small pieces on the counter, stairs, near the front door, etc. Is this hazardous to my children’s health? Is there more I need to do other than basic vacuuming and wiping things down?

Thank you!

 

On 2022-11-24 by InspectApedia (Editor) - work environment related health issues

@Hadden77,

No we certainly believe that you're suffering and I'm sorry to hear it. I'm sure you understand that no one can identify what the material is in your workplace from a text message alone.

But in my opinion the place you should start is with your doctor. If your doctor feels that you're Health complaints are work environment related that's certainly something to pursue. Keep me posted and we will take it from there.

On 2022-11-24 by Hadden77

Hello everyone i had recently started a new job in a warehouse doing hvac sales. I drive fork lift and inside sales as well as deliveries. Duct board 2" and 1" are sold and also used with our machine when customers need to cut it. This place has no ventilation whatsoever.

I am a woman and i came into a warehouse that was a disaster so i have organized day after day. However not only did i just get over the most miserable time with whatever is all over me but im currently going through it again horribly now. Nobody at work believes me cuz they dont have this irritation and surely not this bad.

I have scars from picking chunks of glass out of my whole body. Particularly my mouth is most painful and these shards hurt to get out but almost completely kept me from opening my mouth due to different directions of it being in the corner of it.

Please tell me what this is its not plain fibreglass and if i have it this bad in my mouth im sure my lungs are exposed. And comments, help, or cases would be greatly appreciated. Thanks God Bless

On 2022-09-03 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - fiberglass contamination brought on by a memory foam mattress

@Danny,

Indeed some of our readers report persistent skin irritation and have tossed out clothing and other soft goods after what appears to be fiberglass contamination.

In my OPINION that is often an expensive over-kill.

Laundering, dry cleaning, damp wiping, HEPA vacuuming can usually remove most fiberglass fragments from clothing, soft goods, and the building interior, and it's absolutely the case that those steps can remove nearly all fiberglass fragments from hard surfaced materials such as books, tables, electronics.

It is not necessary nor justified to attempt to bring the particle level of any contaminant indoors down to zero per square meter.

Some particles, including fiberglass fragments, are normal and are virtually always present in normal indoor house dust (that's dominated by fabric fibers and skin cells).

After normal cleaning, the level of fiberglass that remains is not normally a health concern.

On 2022-09-03 by Danny

Hi there. I am currently dealing with fiberglass contamination brought on by a memory foam mattress that I’ve been using for the last 2 years (I didn’t know at first but over time it became apparent after seeing shards every where)

Anyways, I have a question regarding my property. I know most things like clothes, upholstery, have to go. But what about books and electronics? I care more about my collection of books. How does one clean those out? Am I better off just throwing everything away?

I apologize for the questions. Any advice at this point will be extremely helpful (even if it is bad news lol)

On 2022-05-03 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - is new fiberglass installation causing health issues for my son?

@Natanya Cohen,

I sympathize with you and the IAQ problem you describe.

But I'm a bit concerned about having taken and the prospect of taking even more very expensive steps to modify your home before having a clear understanding of the problem.

Here are a few initial diagnostic questions that might let me offer better advice:

What "blown-in" insulation was removed?

How was it determined that that insulation was a problem?

What was the problem exactly?

Is it possible that removing that insulation sent unusual amounts of insulation dust into the home?

Has your doctor confirmed that for your family's health complaints, insulation exposure is the top likely cause and focus?

You can do air testing - any environmental test consultant can collect samples and have them analyzed by a lab to identify the dominant or most-frequent particles. Usually the most-common particles in indoor dust are fabric fibers and skin cells.

Since the accuracy of air tests be very poor (results vary by 4 orders of magnitude depending on small changes in test conditions), I often like to look qualitatively at settled dust samples as well.

But I'm reluctant to start ordering specific tests that may be sticking arrows of supposition all over the target, none coming near the heart of the matter.

For example:

How old is the home?

What are its building materials?

What is its leak history?

Is there a possible problem with more-common allergens like dust mites, pollen, or mold?

On 2022-05-03 by Natanya Cohen

We just got some fiberglass batt insulation installed and my son has been sneezing with runny nose ever since. Is there a way we can check the particles in the air who would we hire to do this or is that an home testing kit? We also had to take out blown in insulation from our sensitivities. It’s becoming a costly battle for us!

On 2022-02-08 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - couch with dust contamination

@Dawna,

If you damp wipe and HEPA vacuum indoor surfaces there would be no significant level of remaining dust from your project.

But you might be hypersensitive to something in your environment.

You should start by reviewing your symptoms and concerned with your doctor. Find a doc whom you trust and listen to her advice.

About a couch and dust contamination, I've done extensive testing of dust and contaminants in thick materials like couches.

While I do not have one iota of data about your specific home or its couch, a general picture of the situation is this:

1. surface dust that settles onto a couch from nearby building work like sanding can be mostly-removed by vacuuming with a HEPA vacuum, most-effectively if the vacuuming is performed promptly after the dust settles onto the furniture. You can improve the vacuuming efficacy by

thoroughness: vacuum all sides of removable cushions and vacuum the exposed surfaces of the couch including areas available when cushions are lifted off.

patting or thumping the couch and cushion surfaces while vacuuming; this loosens more surface dust and helps the vacuum cleaner.

2. Couches or similar thick-upholstered furniture that are contaminated by insect infestation deep inside the cushions or by mold growth if the furniture has been wet can not be effectively-cleaned. No vacuum cleaner can draw out particles that are inches-deep into upholstered furniture, nor can steam cleaning reach all the way through such thick materials. Those items, if contaminated, are usually disposed-of.

On 2022-02-08 by Dawna

I redid the counter in our RV with epoxy and had to Bondo a couple spots. I didn't think to cover the couch and it seems the dust from sanding is all over the house. I have deep cleaned the entire RV from top to bottom twice but it seems to be embedded in the couch.

I used a shop vac to vacuum it with the exhaust pointed put the window. That didn't seem to help. I am covered in little sores and my whole body is itchy and red.

What can I do to get it out of the couch? We just bought this couch 2 years ago and I would hate to think throwing it away is the only solution.

On 2021-08-23 by inspectapedia.com.moderator - foil lined gypsum board

@Erin,

Gypsum board, or "drywall", apparently with remains of a foil-type lining or layer;

Was this an interior gypsum board surface or part of a building exterior wall sheathing?

What are the country and city of location and the building age?

On 2021-08-21 by Erin

Can you tell me what type material this is?

On 2021-08-21 by Erin

Can you please tell me if this drywall has asbestos?

On 2021-08-18 by inspectapedia.com.moderator

@Erin,

You will also find in that topic home page links to our article series on analysis of fiberglass hazards.

Unless there is some unusual condition, for the case you describe it sounds to me as if ordinary construction dust clean up is going to be appropriate.

When the job is completely finished, if you want to be very meticulous you can also damp wipe and HEPA vacuum the surfaces

On 2021-08-17 by inspectapedia.com.moderator - asbestos in John Mansville fiberglass insulation?

@Erin,

our home page for this topic, FIBERGLASS INSULATION IDENTIFICATION & PROPERTIES

inspectapedia.com/insulation/Fiberglass_Insulation_Identification.php

found by using the "Search the InspectApedia website" line for "asbestos in fiberglass insulation"

finds in that article this topic

FIBERGLASS INSULATION ASBESTOS CONTENT?

inspectapedia.com/insulation/Fiberglass_Insulation_Identification.php#Asbestos_in_Fiberglass

On 2021-08-17 by Erin

Hello I'm writing again but this time about fiberglass insulation. As I mentioned to you in the other post about the fiberboard removal my husband is making our carport into an extra room and this past weekend they had to pull down some siding on the outside of the house and underneath

They also removed some yellow fiberglass insulation Fiberglass brand name John's Manville I'm a little concerned about that namebrand because i was reading that some John's mansville insulation had asbestos. I have been trying to find pictures of the John's mansville insulation that contained the asbestos.

I'm also concerned about about the fiberglass dust because I'm sure there was alot when they were tearing it off the wall. My question is if there is fiberglass dust how long does that stay airborne? What is the proper cleanup after removal of fiberglass insulation?

I have been running an air purifier in my living room which is next to the carport just in case some got in my living room but I have been avoiding the work area to not disturb anything. They removed everything and cleaned up the carport area with a broom which I'm sure kicked up more dust.

We left the windows in the carport open to air it out but what other steps should we take to be sure there is no lingering fiberglass in the carport before they continue with installing the drywall?

On 2021-03-18 - by (mod) - supersensitivity to the microscopic particles of fibre glass

@Anonymous, our most-complete guidance on this fiberglass particle concern is organized at

FIBERGLASS HAZARDS - topic home - https://inspectapedia.com/Fiberglass/Fiberglass_Hazards.php

And you might consider that other small particle or even chemical irritants could be at work.

You'll also wan to discuss this problem with your doctor and ask her about Morgellons' Syndrome to see if that helps.

On 2021-03-18 by Anonymous

Help I'm at my wits end does anyone else suffer from supersensitivity to the microscopic particles of fibre glass so much so that it never stops.

I know it must be rare as I ve scoured the Internet and found no-one, its not the small fibres that irritate everyone it's the sub micron particles that are left in the air that can't really be got rid of that go everywhere

Clothes soft furnishings walls carpets etc, my loft was opened and chimney drew dust down I had to have builders in, I'm a tenant so I had no choice. I've had to move house twice because of this. It's just continuous itching and irritation day and night, no sleep I've just bought a tyvek suit to get some respite. Ps it's definitely the fibre glass particles as when I'm out of the house it stops. I've had this problem for years but no one understands or takes me seriously.

When I move again I just have to pray the landlord doesn't want to access the loft. I'm not holding out much hope that il get an answer but I keep trying on different sites and places thanks Robbie

On 2020-09-06 - by (mod) - what to do with my stuff that were exposed to insulation?

Mayra

Thank you for the photo of the insulation mess caused by a ceiling collapse. Do we know what caused the ceiling to fall-in ? That may tell us the level of risk that the same event may happen elsewhere in the home.

I can't quite make out in your photo whether the insulation is cellulose (paper based) or mineral wool (mineral fibre insulation) - perhaps you can also post a sharper close-up photo with a bit better lighting.

To clean up that mess you'd want the bulk of the insulation removed, followed by damp wiping and HEPA vacuuming.

You might get a bit more dust out of your fan if you can take it outside and blow the motor clean with compressed air - some gas stations or garages can do that for you.

Bedding and soft goods get washed or dry-cleaned;

Hard surfaced items get wiped and vacuumed. Wall to wall carpeting cannot be adequately-cleaned and would be removed and replaced (along with padding and with a cleaning step before new carpet is installed).

When cleanup is completed give the home a few days for airborne dust to settle, then have a dust sample checked by any forensic lab who can identify the dominant particles. If insulation is still the dominant dust particle then a second pass and cleaning would be helpful.

On 2020-09-06 by Mayra

I am looking for some expert advice on what to do with my stuff that were exposed to insulation. A couple weeks ago the ceiling on my kid's room at our old apartment fell off.

Everything in my kids room got dusted with old looking insulation and everything itched. I have a fan that I had just bought, and I tried dusting it off but still see dust in the motor, and I was wondering, should I just buy a new one?

Also, is it safe to.keep all their plush toys, they were in the closet but was still exposed to the damage for about a week.

I am concerned that, in the long run, if I keep something and don't clean it well enough my kids health could be harmed with this.
Any advice is very appreciated. Thank you.

On 2019-10-31 - by (mod) - Do air purifiers with HEPA filters remove the smaller harmful fiberglass particles?

Earl:

Generally yes - and no. A HEPA filter will remove small particles down in the 1 micron range but ONLY for air that passes through the filter.

NO "air purifier" can remove the source of a problem particle. So if a particle source remains, those particles will continue to enter the building air.

So an "air purifier", if run in a small enclosed space that itself doesn't contain the source of problem particles, will indeed reduce the level of such particles within that space.

But it would be a fundamental error to think that such a device corrects a building indoor air quality problem at the source. As a not entirely silly example, if you stand in the kitchen and wave a vacuum cleaner wand in the air you will have no success at removing the dust bunnies under the living room couch.

Thank you for asking; don't hesitate to ask further questions.

On 2019-10-31 by Earl

Do air purifiers with HEPA filters remove the smaller harmful fiberglass particles?

Question: what to do with this Johns Manville Fiberglass Insulation in my basement

On 2019-07-20 by Anonymous

In this unfinished portion of basement, there is the Johns Manville fiberglass bats attached between ceiling joists. As pics show, they are not attached as well as they could be. What would you recommend, if anything, with this insulation? Thanks again.

Reply:

Re the Johns Manville fiberglass insulation batts in your basement ceiling

The insulation looks loose and falling; if it is clean and dry, thus not mold-suspect, you can leave it in place, stapling up a permeable barrier such as housewrap to prevent shedding asbestos dust into the area below. Don't use plastic as you don't want the moisture barrier on the wrong side (down) of the joists.

Reader followup:

When you say “shedding asbestos dust” below, did you mean shedding fiberglass dust?

Moderator reply

Sorry Yes I meant FIberglass Dust.

Question:

Steve said

a month ago
Thanks for your help. I have another fiberglass insulation question. I have what appears to be chopped fiberglass insulation in attic space above our den. There is plywood covering the entire floor in that attic space, except few inches along one side where floor meets wall in between floor joists.

Split level house and this attic space is accessible from the garage. I had to do some work up there recently and had to briefly handle the fiberglass in a few of the joists. It was only briefly handled and then put back.

After reading that fiberglass insulation can sometimes release small particles in air that can be dangerous I was curious if this type is insulation (chopped) is more likely to produce dangerous dust.
Should I bring a hepa vac up there to vacuum area or do anything else? Thank you

Reply:

Steve

In my experience it's mechanical damage to fiberglass insulation, such as being walked-on or being shredded by a duct cleaning machine, that is most likely to cause airborne transport of small fiberglass particles into building air.

I agree that if you see a dust issue that HEPA vacuuming is a more effective cleanup method than ordinary vacuum cleaners.

On 2017-12-11 by (mod) - source of small airborne particles?

Joann

I'd like to help but with just the information in your note I cannot hazard an intelligent guess at what is causing the airborne particles you are seeing.

It might help to know that there are always particles in the air. In most lighting conditions we don't see them, but when using a flashlight or other light beams, even sometimes sunlight through a window opening they become apparent.

They were always there and they may be perfectly normal typical indoor dust such as fabric fibres.

The photograph above shows what I mean: I simply turned on a flashlight in a dimly-lit room.

On 2017-12-11 by Joann

I have small particles air born falling. It can be seen with a led light.this is in my apartment. What causes this.

On 2017-09-19 by (mod) - hazards from fiberglass in oven doors?

Kim

Fiberglass as well as other mineral-fibre insulation products are widely used inside the walls or doors of ovens and are not a hazard to you. In normal use you will not be able to detect fiberglass fragment contamination from that source.

During cleaning you want to avoid damaging the insulation, or if it were found in very poor condition or soaked with something messy that required replacement, then you will want to speak with the manufacturer of your specific appliance to purchase replacement insulation that's the right material, thickness, density, and dimension.

On 2017-09-19 by kim

To clean a spill, I removed the metal cover that lays in the bottom of my convection oven.. Discovered raw exposed fiberglass insulation.. I know this is cause for alarm.. Please help with some direction.. Thanks

On 2017-08-31 by (mod) - discuss itching with your doctor first

Orener, you want to first discuss the itching with your doctor.

If there is an indoor fiberglass particle problem it might be proven with solid data by having a lab examine a sample of settled dust from the living area. You'd also want an expert to check that no dope ruined the duct work interior by chopping up a fiberglass duct liner during a cleaning effort.

On 2017-08-31 1 by Orener

I have been having a lot of problems with itching for a while now. At first I thought it was something biting me but after checking my sofa I saw no signs of bugs or found no signs of bites.

Then I thought it might be something that my leather sofa and/or carpet was treated with that might cause the itch. They were newly purchased during this summer 2017. I also noticed that I would have needle like sensation along with the itching.

So I decided to use the light on my phone and hold it close to my skin and that's when I notice fine shinning particles on my arm so fiber glass came to mind. My air condition went out this summer as well.

Maintenance came out to repair it. I hate sitting in my livingroom. Itching is worst there which made me think it was my sofa/carpet until I saw the particles on my skin. Also my vent are up high in livingroom but is in the floor in bedroom.

So out of everything that I have mentioned can you give me advice of what it could be and what I can do about it?

On 2017-08-14 by (mod) -

Joann,

see FIBERGLASS HAZARDS

Also

FIBERGLASS HAZARDS - topic home, discusses the possible health hazards of large and small fiberglass fragments. Please go back to the top and read through those first few paragraphs and then let me know if you have further questions and I'll be glad to discuss it further

On 2017-08-14 by Joann anderson

Who do I call to be certain that's wat it is ?and wat kind of health rist are there?

On 2017-07-04 0 by (mod) - minimize dust during cleanup

Pamela,

With the understanding that we cannot assess the conditions in your home based just on a text message, it sounds as if it would be reasonable to clean up in a way that makes as little extra Airborne dust as possible.

That means gentle sweeping and then damp wiping of Dusty surfaces. It is not likely that it would be appropriate to try to call Hazmat experts to clean up some residential fiberglass left on a floor.

On 2017-07-03 by Pamela solorio

I live in an older house i rent we had plumbing problems they cut big squares out and a whole in the floor huge there is insulation old small bunches of it all over hallway and bedroom floor what should i do to clean it up or should i have hazmat

On 2017-07-02 by DONNA - considering using the flexfoil AC duct tape to cover it

Help please! I can see yellow fiberglass insulation surrounding the round HVAC flexible ducting inside my registers (where air blows out). Not much, just around the edges. Is this a hazard?

am considering using the flexfoil AC duct tape to cover it so it is not exposed. Please let me know if this is an appropriate fix, or if it is needed at all. I am really worried now that I've been breathing fiberglass for years!

On 2017-06-14 by Stephen

Our house is over 150 years old. The attic had blown in loose fiberglass insulation under the attic floor even though there were finished heated rooms in the attic, the attic roof/ceiling is uninsulated. I never saw the point of putting insulation in an interior space.

The 150 year old walls of our house do not have any insulation, only the walls of the newer additions to our house were insulated, this includes the kitchen, two bathrooms and one bedroom. For these walls we removed the fiberglass insulation from the outside to avoid making a mess inside. We re-insulated with rigid styrofoam. The original walls of the house are still uninsulated.

It was the insulated parts of our house that were making us sick. Our youngest daughter who slept in the only bedroom that was insulated with fiberglass would often have coughing fits in the middle of the night, that stopped when we moved her to an uninsulated bedroom.

Now with all of the fiberglass gone we all feel much better and some ongoing health problems have gone away.

On 2017-06-14 by (mod) - We solved this problem by removing all of the fiberglass from in our walls and from our attic.

Thank you for the interesting observations Stephen.

Is unfortunate that you had to go to such Extreme Measures as removing building insulation - a procedure that in fact increases the risk of creating lots of dust that needs to be controlled and or cleaned up.

I don't think I would be satisfied with simply removing insulation. I assume that you re insulated your home, perhaps with blown in foam - generally very effective at reducing air leaks.

I would have wanted to find the source of such unusual air leaks and to fix that, as unusual windblown leaks into buildings risk other damage to the structure, such as windblown rain entering wall or roof cavities. It's also the case that the under roof or attic venting could be improperly installed.

On 2017-06-14 by Stephen

On windy days we had little bits of fiberglass coming out of the electrical outlets and light switches. My wife figured this out by taping over some outlet and then seeing tiny glass fibers stuck to the tape after a few days.

We solved this problem by removing all of the fiberglass from in our walls and from our attic. The amount of dust in our house has gone way down and we all feel much better. It was a large and expensive job to remove the siding from the outside of the house just to be able to remove the 40 year old fiberglass. Even the constant rash on our dogs went away.

On 2017-06-09 by (mod) - carpet dust issue

Andrea,

You can collect a dust sample or tape sample of settled dust (search InspectApedia for SETTLED DUST SAMPLE PROCEDURE) to send to any forensic lab - large or small - who can do a particle characterization to tell you the properties of the dominant fibre present. What lab you use might depend on your country.

Often simply knowing the fiber type and colour mix will lead to its probable source in the building.

For South Australia, Intertek has multiple locations - see http://www.intertek.com/contact/asiapacific/australia/#sa and give them a call to discuss what you want.

Much of their work is industrial, so you will want to be clear that you want a simple dust characterization to identify the dominant particles by type, colour, and other properties that might then point to sources in your building.

I'm guessing you're going to end up pointing to your carpeting, whose fibres are in fact not only vacuumed up but perhaps also stirred up by your vacuum cleaner.

On 2017-06-09 by Andrea - fiber complaints in South Australia

I can't make head nor tail of where fibre is coming into my room. I have covered an air vent and left it there for about 3 weeks with very little fibre on the paper at all. However on my low bedroom cupboards I can swipe my hand after 3-4 days and I collect what looks like thickish fluff, different from the usual household dust.

Are there carpets that continually shed their fibres. I find that when I am home after a couple of hours my voice starts to become croaky and hoarse. I would love someone to give me some advice as it worries me that my health is compromised.

I am out a lot and only experience this when I am home. The house was built in 1984 and unfortunately I don't know how old the carpets are but they are good condition. I have also had them steam cleaned twice over the past 12 months and I vacuum every week.

There always seems to be a large amount of fibre from the carpet when I vacuum. If anyone can give me some advice about where to take the fibre to have it tested, I would be most grateful.

I have tried to ring the South Australian Environmental Pollution phone number without success. Any advice to my email ajcresswell58@hotmail.com would be great.

On 2017-04-23 5 by (mod) - fibreglass from hole in ceiling over shower

Maddi

A big hole in the ceiling over a shower is asking for trouble as surely a lot of moisture is being improperly vented into the roof space and into any insulation there, inviting mold growth in that space. If you smell mold there's probably some present.

Left alone that could increase to be a costly problem (moisture damage, mold contamination, ice and frost in winter, etc) as well as a potential health concern for building occupants. I wouldn't panic about the fiberglass itself.

On 2017-04-23 by Maddi

At my moms house there is a huge hole over the WHOLE SHOWER and all you see is fiberglass mold and cardboard material.....

when I take a hot shower I swear I start smelling the mold, I'm not sure how long it's been this way but it seems not new. There are children there who take bathes right under it. Also my mom and her husband have a continued cough but not the little ones.

I expressed my concerns but my mom said that the yellow type(which is what is being exposed) she says is not "the harmful type" so she brushes it off. But it looks ripped up and holes so I would assume particles are falling.?? Plz let me know something to shower her...

there landlord is also the maintenance man, he doesn't seem to have any rush on fixing it since I've been around, can he get In trouble .?

On 2017-04-04 by (mod) - how much fiberglass dust exposure is dangerous?

From what I know, the way you pose the question "how much fiberglass dust exposure is dangerous" is perfectly reasonable but will not adequately get at the potential hazards. Large fiberglass particles are much less likely to be a respiratory hazard than very small particles.

So one would need to know more about the specific dust in a specific environment. In addition one wants to take care when reading or ordering fiberglass dust studies or tests.

From my own forensic lab experience I must emphasize that unless the lab technician is not looking for the very small fragments that would be of concern, their presence may not be detected and thus not reported.

A more practical approach is to study the activity in the area of interest. For example, grinding or sawing fiberglass materials is more-likely to produce small fiberglass fragments than simply installing fresh fiberglass insulation batts or handling fiberglass fabrics.

When one's overall objective is good health, it's important to keep all safety and health topics in perspective: someone who smokes, doesn't wear a seat belt when in a car, or who frequently dashes up and down poorly-constructed stairs without hand or guard railings is far more likely to suffer a near-term injury from one of those than from dust.

On 2017-04-04 by Ken

Perhaps this is too subjective, but how much fiberglass dust exposure is dangerous? Referring more to quantity. I had a contamination issue and after moving homes and cleaning out my stuff, as well as throwing a number of things out, I've got a fairly clean environment.

But I'm now noticing more than ever how many things are made from fiberglass and contribute to dust in my home. From fake grass on miniature models, to seemingly fibers in certain packing tapes, to my aunt visiting who works building canoes.

I find that after the big exposure/contamination issue I had, I'm a lot more hypersensitive of dust, particularly fiberglass in my environment. So much that family has recommended I talk with "someone" about it. It's made me quite overly paranoid about things I was naive about before. Look forward to your thoughts.

On 2017-03-27 by (mod) -

That is to say more extreme measures should not be needed.

On 2017-03-27 by (mod) - low fibre release from intact fiberglass panels

If the fiberglass is not being mechanically disturbed and you have already covered it I would expect that the panels you describe would not release detectable levels of fiberglass into the space.

On 2017-03-27 by Anonymous

I meant 2'X4'X2" panels in the comment below.

On 2017-03-27 by Charles Feathers

How to seal fibers of owens corning 705 acoustic room treatment panels from coming loose in the room. I'm encasing the 2'X4'X4" panels in 1X4 wood frames. The frames and insulation is then covered with speaker cloth

. I could spray the panels with 3M spray adhesive on all sides unless this will affect the acoustic absorption properties. Or I could mix dry powered wall paper adhesive and coat all surfaces.

On 2017-03-19 by (mod) - damaged fiberglass lined duct or damaged air filter

This sounds, Phyllis, as if either fiberglass (or fiberglass-lined) duct material has been damaged OR an air filter has been damaged.

The dangers are two:

1. breathing in a lot of irritating dust, more so if fiberglass has been macerated

2. a filter getting drawn into the blower fan in the air handler, causing a fire.

On 2017-03-19 by phyllis

there are pink fiberglass feather like tufts coming from my air ducts in my home. also plastic fragments. they are on the carpet and in the vents. Is this dangerous?

On 2017-03-16 by (mod) - stop using fibreglass insulated space?

Anne,

I am doubtful that there is any significant extra release of fiberglass fragments into the air caused just by people walking below a ceiling where it's exposed.

But if you want to avoid disturbing the material at all, and for peace of mind, it's pretty easy and inexpensive to put up a particle barrier.

Rather than stopping use of a space, it would be quick and easy to just staple up some housewrap on the underside of the ceiling joists.

Housewrap is not a moisture barrier, it's a water barrier, that is, it breathes, but it'd not permit passage of measurable levels of fiberglass from a ceiling.

See HOUSEWRAP PRODUCT CHOICES at https://inspectapedia.com/BestPractices/Housewrap_Choices.php found by searching Inspectapedia.com for "housewrap"

Daniel

On 2017-03-16 by Anne

Thanks for offering your expertise. My large, unfinished basement has exposed insulation batts on the ceiling, and there's a walkout to the backyard door so we pass through the basement a lot, and there is a moderate amount of air movement down there from opening/shutting the doors, playing drums, etc.

Should we stop using this space for general living purposes unless the insulation is covered? If so, is there an inexpensive method that meets fire/building codes that we could use to enclose the ceiling insulation and regain the use of that space?

On 2017-02-15 by (mod) - hvac (heater) has been making us sick

Katie:
Insulation around the outside of ductwork would not be likely to be a source of indoor insulation particles in your air unless the loose insulation is close to a return air inlet or a hole in the return ducting;

but damaged insulation inside of an air handler or ductwork would more-likely be a source of indoor fiberglass insulation fragments in air and dust. It sounds as if a more-expert inspection of the air handler and ductwork are in order.

On 2017-02-15 by Anonymous

@Katie,
I meant around the duct work in the large hole that goes into the ceiling, not dust holes lol

On 2017-02-15 by Katie - hvac (heater) has been making us sick

I live in an apartment, the hvac (heater) has been making us sick for more than a month, After dusting my house daily then turning on heat I realized it was coming from the vents,

today I checked inside the furnace closet which is outside on the balcony and there is pink batting insulation stuffed into the dust holes that go up into the ceiling, it doesn't look like it is sealed or contained and the ductwork is also not sealed in some areas,

is this even up to code to have that kiND of insulation right next to the furnace, there were particles flying all around when I opened the door and now I think this is what might be making us sick from it getting sucked into the duct work?

On 2016-11-23 by (mod) - using building ceilings or walls for hvac air return path

Use of building wall ceiling or floor cavities has a return air path is a common and very old practice. However you certainly don't want loose or conventional fiberglass insulation in that Passage. Having insulation in their passage will make it impossible to clean, and risks blowing fiberglass into the occupied space

On 2016-11-22 2 by jerry_dus@yahoo.com

Sorry, I meant the latter.

Cosmetically the work is fine. To clarify, there is still insulation in-between the studs (between the ceiling and duct hole). There is no actual duct running down the wall between the studs. He simply used the studs as a pathway for the cold air to travel from the floor vent to the hole cut through the wall which connects a short duct from the hole to the furnace.

The insulation is above that hole in-between it and the ceiling.

There is nothing preventing the insulation fibers from being sucked into the duct hole thus being circulated throughout the house. Just am not sure if this is acceptable or common practise?

On 2016-11-22 by (mod) - fiberglass after duct installation

Jerry

Sorry but I don't have a clear picture of the situation. If you mean that the workmanship of your duct installer was not the neatest and he left an opening where you can see insulation in a wall or ceiling cavity, that's a cosmetic repair that makes sense.

If you mean that loose or damaged fiberglass building insulation is being drawn into the HVAC system ductwork and thus blown around onto occupants and in the occupied space, that ought to be corrected.

On 2016-11-22 by Jerry_dus@yahoo.com

I have a question which I think I already know the obvious answer to but want someone to confirm. I had a professional plumber/heating company install a couple additional cold air returns to my furnace.

When the furnace ran it sounded like it was starving for air. The technician ran two returns to two different rooms in the basement which backed against the furnace itself. This made it relatively easy just bringing a duct off of the furnace's cold air and ran it through the wall to a bedroom. the other one he ran a duct off of the cold air return to an interior closet wall and used the studs and finished wall to create the air cavity.

the problem is that the walls are insulated with insulation (I suspect fiberglass. He removed the insulation from the duct coming through the wall (couple of feet from the ceiling) to the wall vent (placed almost at floor level); however,

when I put my head in the floor vent and look up I can see insulation remaining above the duct hole in the wall (as well there is insulation in the remainder of the wall). Is this acceptable or common?

Does this pose a major health concern? When I brought it to his attention via email including pictures he will not acknowledge, reply or communicate with me at all. If you could reply to this and even send me an email (jerry_dus@yahoo.com) with thoughts, it would be appreciated

On 2016-11-01 by Ken Vaughn

Does anyone have the answer what I can do to get the tiny microscopic glass fibers and fiberglass out of a van I drive I've tried air scrubbers and fans but it is slow and doesn't cut it .I called fiberglass crawl space removal experts who do houses they claim they have a machine that sucks it out but they only do houses I'm desperate this stuff is killing me

On 2016-10-27 by (mod) - cleaning off fiberglass from body & clothes

Marianne:

Assuming you've by now bathed and thoroughly laundered your clothing, what remains is to have your car interior thoroughly cleaned using HEPA-vacuuming. HEPA vacuuming will avoid simply sending small asbestos or fiberglass particles airborne to settle back into the car interior.

Perhaps running the car's air system while HEPA Vacuuming at vents and changing the air filter in the air system (if there is one) will get the dust level down to a trivial level.

On 2016-10-27 Marianne

Hi there. I have an interesting situation.

I am a speech pathologist providing in home speech therapy to a medically homebound student. While I was in their home their solar water heating system malfunctioned causing a flood which caused their ceiling to collapse on me. The ceiling had both fiberglass and encapsulated asbestos insulation which fell on me along with the drywall. I was covered in the stuff...

my clothes, hair skin, therapy bag etc. I of course went home in my vehicle. Now, I am experiencing coughing, shortness of breath and irritation every time I ride in my vehicle. What needs to be done to get rid of re-exposure danger in my car

I am planning on taking a long trip this weekend and wonder what I can have done to make my vehicle safe again. I am concerned not only about the upholstery and hard surfaces but the danger of re-exposure from the air system. Thank you for any help/advise you can give.

On 2016-10-24 by (mod) - questionable significance of low "raw count" mold or other airborne particle numbers

It depends. A "raw count" or for that matter any "count" of mold is fundamentally unreliable as a building mold scan without a thorough visual inspection, case history taking, and other evaluations, particularly if the count seems "low".

Search InspectApedia.com for AIRBORNE MOLD COUNT NUMBER GUIDE to read details.

If the person you paid and who presented themselves as a "mold test expert" cannot even tell you what the count means for your specific building and situation, I would request a complete refund of whatever fee was paid as such work is unconscionable.

On 2016-10-24 by Laurie

We had a 6611 raw count reading of Fiberglass Fibers and a 6600 reading in count/cm2. This is on the floors of our office in the building. Should this be of concern to us.

On 2016-10-17 by Anjisan

I just found a 2" diameter hole in ceiling of a closet where it looks like cable installer fed cable through the insulation. I am now worried that insulation fibers are getting all over the closet and contents? Am I being too worried or is his a concern?

On 2016-09-06 by Rob - safe covering for fiberglass-insulated walls

We recently renovated our garage and insulated the walls with fiberglass insulation. The contractor then used studs between the wooden beams and nailed pine wood panels over the fiberglass insulation. Is this considered safe?

I read that normally the fiberglass is underneath the drywall or sheetrock material, making it hard for the fibers to cross through. However, is it possible or easier for the small particles of fiberglass to travel through the cracks of the wooden panels. Thanks

On 2016-08-26 by Nick - cutting old Fiberglass off of a tank

Brother lives with me and they were cutting old Fiberglass off of a tank at his work for a couple days. Using circular grinder/cutters. He came home and always hung his coveralls up in his doorway, which has a fan in his room blowing towards it. I'm now noticing small fibers on everything in the house.

Seems like every room. It's on all my stuff, his room is directly across the hall from mine. The fibers are only a couple mm long but sometimes there are big ones, like a few cm. They're done that job now and I convinced him to get rid of those coveralls. How much of a hazard is this? Should I be throwing stuff out? It's even on my clothing.

On 2016-06-20 by (mod) - attic insulation/fiberglass falls on carpet from a hole in ceiling,

Following a simple fall of some insulation from above there is no justification for disposing of carpeting (onto which some fiberglass insulation has fallen).

Simply vacuum it up; use a HEPA-rated vacuum cleaner to minimize sending small particles airborne.

On 2016-06-20 by Larry (no email) -

COMMENT:When attic insulation/fiberglass falls on carpet from a hole in ceiling, would it be best to have carpet cleaned or have carpet removed?

On 2016-06-17 by (mod) - Fibreglass is a perfectly good insulation material

Fibreglass is a perfectly good insulation material and one of the most widely used in many countries. Installation dust during construction is normally not a problem in the finished structure but certainly if you're dust sensitive you can damp wipe and HEPA vac all surfaces, particularly floors and tops of horizontal trim before bringing in your furnishings.

On 2016-06-17 by Linda Truskett

I have a new build going on (large 2 story house) and unfortunately I did not know that the insulation used everywhere in the walls and ceilings is Earthwool (fibreglass). It is too late to do anything about its installation now,

however I am extremely worried about the airborne fibres that are absolutely EVERYWHERE through the the house. Gyprock is nearing completion.

Can you guide me to the best solution for contamination cleanup? Whether I should hire HEPA vacs and do it myself or call in the professionals? And if so who are they exactly? Thanks for any advice. Signed: severely
worried new home owner. Linda

On 2016-05-11 by (mod) - mold or fiberglass hazards from steel roof at work - unsafe food?

Anon:

It is possible for mold to contaminate fiberglass insulation without any obvious visual clue - search InspectApedia.com for MOLD in FIBERGLASS INSULATION to read details. "The man" who said "there is no mold" because he couldn't see any is not perhaps fully informed. Good practice is to remove and replace building insulation that has been wet.

Keep in mind that the complaints you cite could be from other causes such as fiberglass fragments, other dust fragments, or other indoor air quality issues.

Selling food clothing from that environment sounds a bit risky to me as do risks to the workers that you describe. You may need an independent or OSHA-recommended consultant on site to reduce risks for workers, management, and customers all three.

On 2016-05-11 by Anonymous

where I work is a flat roof (steel- I believe) fiberglass insulation with a slight slant, New Building, about 5 months ago the roof started to leak,

if we pushed up on plastic the rainwater would come out in buckets (like a water fall) the man that installed it says there is no mold, but the thing is

employees are coughing, hacking, itching where there is exposed skin, runny nose, eyes watering, sore throats, smells bad inside, also we sell food items (sealed) clothing items,

just wondering if this is a health issue or not, corporation is going along with man who installed the roof, but they never came in to check it out yet, township did fine corporation for leaking roof, the roofing man did come in and fix the leaks ?

and removed a couple of small sections of soaked insulations but that's it so far, what are your thoughts or suggestions, as employees we are not sure what to do at this point. Thank You--Michelle

On 2016-05-08 by (mod) - small fiberglass fragments are more likely to be hazardous than large fibres

Diane:

Potentially, yes. Particularly, small fiberglass fragments are more likely to be hazardous. Why not turn off the HVAC system that is blowing and have the duct repaired?

On 2016-05-07 by diane

The pipe has disconnected from the vent, now air is blowing from the disconnected pipe and fibers are gathering all over the kitchen area where I work, is this a health hazard? It has been blowing for 5 hours now!

On 2016-04-30 by Heide

I have some extremely tiny dust particles that appear to be insulation dust but a contractor was in our home and said he checked and we have no way for this to occur from our insulation installment.

We moved in this new house about 6 months ago and since we moved in all my products from soap to newsprint gets there tiny dust particles in the bottle with.

Somega things that are not even opened but sealed from factory will get this into it withing 10 minutes of me walking in the door.

Is this possible? If b I use the product for example the shampoo causes this strange reaction to my long hair and it seems like it w <7>

...

Continue reading at FIBERGLASS HAZARDS - topic home, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see FIBERGLASS HAZARD FAQs-2 - other fibreglass dust & fragment hazard Q&A

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• DIRECTORY of MOLD / ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS
• DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE
• FIBERGLASS HAZARDS - home
  • AIR FILTERS, FIBERGLASS PARTICLES
  • DUST ANALYSIS for FIBERGLASS
  • FIBERGLASS DETECTION in BUILDING AIR & DUST
  • FIBERGLASS ENVIRO-SCARE
  • FIBERGLASS FRAGMENT HAZARDS in AIR or DUST
  • FIBERGLASS HAZARD RESEARCH
  • FIBERGLASS INSULATION EXPOSURE LIMITS
  • FIBERGLASS PARTICLE CONTAMINATION TEST
  • FIBERGLASS REINFORCED PLASTICS
  • FIBERGLASS SHEDDING from MATTRESSES
  • FORMALDEHYDE in FIBERGLASS INSULATION
• FIBERGLASS HVAC DUCTS
• FIBERGLASS INSULATION EXPOSURE LIMITS
• FIBERGLASS INSULATION IDENTIFICATION & PROPERTIES
• FIBERGLASS SHEDDING from MATTRESSES
• MORGELLONS SYNDROME

 

Suggested citation for this web page

FIBERGLASS HAZARD FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to FIBERGLASS HAZARDS

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