Remove Vermiculite Insulation From Your Home Before Listing It To Ensure A Home Inspection Goes Well

17 August 2015 by Marvin Carroll

Home buyers, before they close on a house, often have a home inspection done. Any major issues that arise during an inspection can lower a home's final sale price, and they could potentially derail the entire deal. If you're putting your home on the market, it's impossible to anticipate everything that might come up in a home inspection. One issue you can address if your home has it, however, is vermiculite insulation. 

Vermiculite Insulation May Contain Asbestos

A lot of the vermiculite insulation used in Canada before the 1990s contains asbestos, which has been shown to cause respiratory illnesses and cancer. The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety explains that much of the vermiculite insulation manufactured before the 1990s came from a mine in Libby, Montana where asbestos has been found. Therefore, even though vermiculite is harmless to people, the insulation may contain asbestos.

Homebuyers Might Not Want a House with Vermiculite Insulation

Because vermiculite insulation may contain asbestos, many home inspectors will make special note of it on their reports. Some homebuyers may ask you to reduce your home's selling price on account of the insulation, while others might revoke their offer. They may not want to live in a house that has asbestos, or they might want to seal off the area with the insulation.

Testing or Removing the Insulation Will Appease Homebuyers

If you have vermiculite insulation, there are two ways you can appease homebuyers. First, you can have it tested to determine whether your home's insulation does contain asbestos. Each sample you send to a lab could cost you $25 to $62.50. If you're insulation doesn't contain asbestos, though, paying to have it tested at a lab is an inexpensive way to put potential homebuyer's concerns at bay.

If your home has vermiculite insulation that does contain asbestos, you may need to remove it before selling your house. Asbestos-containing materials, including insulation, should only be removed by professionals, who can provide you with a certificate of removal afterwards. You may even want to have the area tested for asbestos afterwards, to prove that none remains in your home. 

If you're selling your home and it has vermiculite insulation, consider having the insulation tested before listing your house on the market. If it has asbestos in it, you might want to pay a contractor to remove the insulation before showing your house. If it doesn't, then a certificate from a lab will alleviate any concerns homebuyers have about the vermiculite insulation. Click here for more information on asbestos removal.  

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