For 70 years vermiculite was installed as attic insulation throughout Racine, Kenosha, and the greater Milwaukee area. Unfortunately, much of this vermiculite was contaminated with asbestos. because vermiculite can’t be reliably tested to be safe the state of Wisconsin has dictated that all vermiculite, regardless of test results, must be treated as if it contains asbestos. Read why lab test results should never infer attic vermiculite is safe.
The company responsible for selling vermiculite, usually under the brand name Zonolite, was sued by the families of those who died working in the vermiculite mines (read about the Libby, Montana vermiculite mine catastrophe). Through bankruptcy proceedings, the company responsible was allowed to restructure and stay in business. However, they were required to set aside $140 million dollars to help existing homeowners remove the vermiculite from their attics and then have those attics properly re-insulated. The program is now called the Zonolite Attic Insulation Trust. In summary, they will pay for 55% of the cost to remove and re-insulate an attic with Zonolite brand vermiculite attic insulation. Most of the vermiculite used in the Midwest from 1920 to the 1990s was the Zonolite brand vermiculite.
If you are a homeowner, a home buyer, a realtor, an electrician, a home renovator, an HVAC installer, or a home inspector, please contact us today. Our company, Racine Home Insulators, LLC, can remove the vermiculite from your home and properly insulate the attic and we can usually do that before your chosen closing date. We give priority to all homes involved in sale transactions.
Removing the vermiculite will keep your family safe, and also greatly raise the value of your home. We are a licensed asbestos abatement company that carries pollution liability insurance, a necessity when handling vermiculite and asbestos. We are also a “Trade Ally” of Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy program, so we can qualify your home for the additional discounts provided through the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program.
Our company regularly networks with real estate professionals, home inspectors, electricians, and HVAC professionals in order to keep everyone safe. And by safe we mean safe from not only hazardous vermiculite but also safe from liability and potential lawsuits that can arise when vermiculite is disturbed or removed by a person or company that is not a licensed asbestos abatement company. If you are a professional, please review the following information about vermiculite and the ZAI Trust:
- Home Inspectors, please read this article about identifying vermiculite
- Real Estate Professionals, please read this article about resolving buyer and seller concerns when vermiculite has been identified
- Electricians, please read this article about saving your client money and keeping you and your employees safe from liability and hazardous vermiculite
- HVAC professionals, you run a much greater risk for liability if you work on ducts or an air handling system that is in an attic with vermiculite. Read this article on doing HVAC work safely an attic with vermiculite.
After all of the eligible program discounts and reimbursements, some of our customers end up paying as little as $2.50 per sq-ft of attic space for not just removal of the old insulation, but also air sealing and re-insulating the attic with 15″ of fresh insulation. Attics with difficult access, floorboards that need to be removed, locations that are far away, or vermiculite that is mixed with other insulation will increase the cost.
Regardless, that is a great price for a lot of difficult work. Racine Home Insulators, LLC, would like to help you remove the vermiculite from your attic and properly re-insulate it to ENERGY STAR standards. The program requirements are available today, and until funds run out. Call us today at 262-989-8299 for a free cost estimate or to learn more about the immediate discounts that are available.
