Vermiculite Removal

From a distance, vermiculite looks like small pebbles or gravel. Vermiculite is usually a brownish-gray or silver-gold color, but the color will fade to gray over time. Vermiculite is made up of minerals extracted from the ground and which, when heated to a very high temperature, explode to expand like a grain of corn being heated. Therefore, vermiculite is a very light material and that is why it was very easy to apply in attics.

It is important to know that only Zonolite brand vermiculite contains asbestos. But how do you know if the vermiculite in your attic contains it? Some will tell you that vermiculite of such a color almost always contains asbestos, this statement is totally FALSE! The only reliable method to identify if vermiculite contains asbestos is to perform a vermiculite test in a laboratory. However, if you find a Zonolite brand bag in your attic, you can save yourself this expense, it is definitely contaminated with asbestos.

A vermiculite test involves taking 3 vermiculite samples from random places in your attic. It is particularly important to recover the layer of vermiculite at the bottom and to take the dust which is present there. The analysis will therefore confirm or rule out the presence of asbestos in your vermiculite.

Have you just discovered vermiculite in your property and are wondering if the presence of it constitutes a hidden defect? Many different courts have ruled and the presence of vermiculite contaminated with asbestos is not considered a hidden defect. The Quebec court ruled in 2009 and wrote: “The mere presence of non-compliant material in a building, or even a residence, does not automatically mean that the building is affected by a hidden defect”.

The courts also rely on Health Canada’s claim that: “[Vermiculite insulation] can be dangerous if moved during maintenance, renovations or demolition. However, there is currently no demonstrated health risk if the insulation is sealed into wall panels or floors, insulated in an attic, or absent from ambient air. ”

In short, the use of non-conforming materials does not in itself constitute a defect which reduces the quality of a building or prevents its owner from using said building. However, the presence of vermiculite can decrease the value of a property until vermiculite decontamination work is undertaken.

You want to sell your property and you are wondering if you should remove the vermiculite first. Be aware that it is not mandatory to remove vermiculite, but the mere presence of vermiculite could deter more than one potential buyer. In addition, the issuing banks, CMHC (the company that will insure the mortgage loan if the down payment is less than 20%) and the insurance companies now require that one of the two parties proceed with the removal of the vermiculite if it is contaminated with asbestos. In fact, the devaluation of the property and the increase in potential costs during a disaster (e.g. leaky roof and collapsing ceiling gypsum carrying asbestos-contaminated vermiculite into the living space) were enough for these companies to now demand that vermiculite decontamination work be undertaken by a recognized and certified company. Therefore, you or the buyer will need to make a commitment to proceed with the vermiculite extraction and decontamination of the premises.

From experience, several real estate brokers have told us that it is best to remove the vermiculite from a house before selling it. This is because the number of potential buyers is increasing significantly and this increase in the number of buyers will sell at a much higher price. This gain in value often exceeds the costs of the vermiculite removal work. Despite the many benefits for sellers, a small proportion still prefer to reduce the amount of the sale to the benefit of the buyer.