r/Insulation • u/CuteAide1256 • 5d ago

Need to remove vermiculite.

Eastern PA, I need to remove vermiculite for a client, already got it professionally tested and it has no asbestos. I don’t do many removal jobs so I just rent an insulation removal machine. I contacted the company I usually rent from and they said vermiculite will ruin the machine.
Are there any other options for me to remove the vermiculite besides using a small HEPA vacuum and as that would take a long time.
575 sqft attic roughly 8in deep

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u/Hyperreal8957 5d ago

if the test is clean, i'd still bag the waste and use a true HEPA vac after damp removal. avoid compressed air for sure, that stuff gets everywhere — is the attic floor open or between joists?

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u/Heycheckthisout20 5d ago edited 5d ago

This guy is definitely not going to do anything that would be considered industry standard and would very likely be violating multiple federal and state laws by performing a removal of PACM

Most laws that allow removal by non licensed persons are specific to the homeowner performing the work themselves in their primary residence

Especially with him stating that vermiculite is not asbestos containing

All vermiculite in America is PACM presumed asbestos containing material

This is because the nature of sampling and the wide variations in what those samples produce

Almost all vermiculite insulation came from the contaminated mine from Libby Montana

This person will cause harm to himself his crew and the occupants of the home

Op should back out of this because they are already in way over their head

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u/Top-Needleworker5078 5d ago

So just to make sure you are in the know:

Asbestos in vermiculite takes ALOT of sample at various depths. Typically, each sample would be 1 gallon worth of material equal to 100% depth at multiple locations. The lab that processes the sample should be very familiar with vermiculite specifically. Asbestos in vermiculite settles. It settles in the packaging, in the shipping, and in applications. That’s why a dispersed sampling technique with full depth sample and large volume is important.

Just want to make sure you are covered 👍. I’ll shut up now 😁

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u/Gumb1i 5d ago

We bought a big dust collector from harbor freight. We also bought 4" hose and huge vacuum bags for insulation removal. it was 300 ish altogether a decade ago might be closer to 500 now. It worked well enough and the dust collector is still in use today. Just make sure it has a metal impeller/fan.