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Broken Fiberglass Insulation Can Enter Through Loose Recess Lighting

March 19, 2017

Fiberglass insulation from the attic, air ducts, and above the ceiling can break apart and enter the airspace through cracks and openings within recess lighting, air vents and other fixtures. We recommend testing your air for fiberglass and seal all fixtures to prevent unwanted glass intrusions. Children and Asthmatics appear most sensitive to elevated fiberglass counts with symptoms ranging from irritated eyes, persistent coughing, and runny nose.

Harmful Health Effects 

Fiberglass is a silicate fiber made from very fine strands of glass. Today, it is primarily used for insulation in homes. According to the American Lung Association inhaling these fibers can reduce lung function and cause inflammation.  Fiberglass can cause skin, eye and throat irritation. Fiberglass causes skin rashes and difficulty and breathing issues. Other symptoms may include:
 
  • persistent, dry, hacking “barking” cough
  • sore throat, bloody taste in throat or blood in sputum
  • bloody nose
  • persistent, occasionally very severe, sinusitis and rhinitis which does not respond to common medical treatment
  • headaches, nausea, dizziness, insomnia, irritability, depression,
  • asthma-like breathing attacks or constant wheezing,
  • other allergy-like symptoms (which do not respond to allergy treatment),
  • “reactive airway disease,”
  • swollen, red, watery, infected eyes,
  • skin infections, ranging from mild to very severe, requiring hospitalization,
       

Contact your physician and seek medical support to ascertain effects of indoor air pollutants in relation to any healthy symptoms.

Fiberglass is very difficult to remove from furnishings, surfaces and suspended particles in the air. Most of all, pay extra attention while HEPA vacuuming surfaces and with air scrubbing to remove fiberglass particles.

 

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