Glossary · Health & indoor air
Asbestos
Also called: asbestos-containing material · asbestos-containing materials · ACM · asbestos insulation · asbestos pipe wrap
A mineral fiber once common in building products; low risk when left intact, but dangerous to breathe when materials are damaged or removed.
What it means
Homes built before 1990 may contain asbestos in pipe and boiler insulation, vermiculite attic insulation, floor and ceiling tiles, plaster, drywall compounds, siding and roofing. You can't tell by looking; a lab test of a sample is needed.
Why it matters in an audit
Suspected asbestos changes the scope, order and cost of insulation and renovation work, so audits flag it before anything is disturbed.
In the United States
EPA advises treating vermiculite attic insulation as asbestos-containing and leaving any removal to professionals.