Materials

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This article is an overview of various insulating materials and methods used throughout the world. Special attention is placed on recent findings related to health issues as they relate to insulating materials and methods. Also, you will find little-known ways to improve sustainability with insulation.

Insulation Facts

Codes change because energy costs change. As the costs increase, so do the codes. With the fast rising rate of fuel costs, new codes are always implemented throughout the United States. The most recent insulation code change was in 2003. That means you can have a rather new home, yet be under insulated in the attic. In our zone in Michigan, building codes in 2003 changed from R-19 to R-30 for attics. It took another 3 years for Michigan to catch up to national standards of R-49.

Environmentally Friendly Insulating Products & Methods

• Cellulose: Made of recycled newspapers and wood pulp, fire-retardant and mold retardant chemicals are added to make this product a safe insulating product.  See our list of cellulose distributors.
• Fiberglass: made from sand, in some products minimal amounts of urea formaldehyde is used. See our list of fiberglass distributors

Foam

• Open Cell: 3.9 rs per inch. This type of foam includes soy and cementitious www.icynene.com | www.airkrete.com
• Closed Cell: 7 rs per inch. This polyurethane foam now includes a soy based product www.biobased.net

• Rockwool: Made from recycled furnace slag, this material is very dense and has excellent acoustical properties.
• Cotton: Made of 75% recycled blue jeans, a fire-retardant chemical is added. www.insultechnology.com |www.bondedlogic.com
• Wool: sheep’s wool, oils from the wool are stripped to make it fire-retardant
• Reflective radiant barrier: foil used particularly in the South.
• Mushrooms!!: In 2007 mushrooms were introduced as an eco-friendly insulating material. http://www.physorg.com

Older insulating materials, no longer used, but commonly found in houses

Even though what were considered environmentally friendly materials in the past, the following materials carried with them certain hazards.

• Vermiculite: This material is mined from various locations. A North American mine, Libby, Montana had a contaminated mixture of asbestos with their vermiculite (aka Zonolite).
• Urethane Foam: Popular in the ’70s, this was discontinued because of the toxic fumes emitted during house fires.

Health Issues

There is such a thing called Sick Building Syndrome and Building Related Illness:http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/sbs.html

The part insulation played in negatively affecting health.

• Asbestos Asbestos is dangerous when it it becomes airborne. The fibers, when disturbed, can enter the lungs. Mesothelioma, has become such a hot topic that a new industry of lawyers has been created: mesothelioma attorneys.
  • How do you prevent illnesses such as mesothelioma?
    • Locate possible places where asbestos was commonly used. Pipe wrap, Asbestos siding on older homes and as insulation in attics (Zonolite).
  • How to identify and fix an asbestos problem:
    • Only owners of noncommercial, residential buildings can legally fix an asbestos problem without professional help.
    • Stabilize the asbestos by installing blown insulation on top.
    • Vermiculite insulation be left undisturbed in your attic. Due to the uncertainties with existing testing techniques, it is best to assume that the material may contain asbestos.
    • You should not store boxes or other items in your attic if retrieving the material will disturb the insulation.
    • Children should not be allowed to play in an attic with open areas of vermiculite insulation.
    • If you plan to remodel or conduct renovations that would disturb the vermiculite, hire professionals trained and certified to handle asbestos to safely remove the material.You should never attempt to remove the insulation yourself. Hire professionals trained and certified to safely remove the material. http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/insulation.html
• Mold/Lack of Ventilation
  • Symptoms that indicate there is a mold problem — reoccurring illness, asthma, fever, cough, chest tightness, irritation.
  • Use of polyethylene film contributes greatly to mold issues. Why? It attracts moisture and does not let vapor laden water escape the living area.
  • If you have beautiful, large icicles coming from large ice dams in your gutters, you most likely have a ventilation problem that will indicate you are a candidate for, if not already a mold grower.
  • Some manufacturers state that their products resist mold. However, mold can grow on any surface. It can grow on a dinner plate. Mold will grow on any surface/material if it is dark and damp. Lungs are dark and damp, getting mold spores in your lungs is a huge health issue.
  • Therefore, preventing mold means you need to have good ventilation and completely clean up flooded areas. If your wall systems get flooded, you need to claim this on your insurance and get professional wall-dryers involved ¹
• Urea Formaldehyde: Urea Formaldehyde is used in a wide variety of building products. It is especially found in particle board. In the 1970s, foam insulation systems contained high amounts of UF. Those particular foam systems have been discontinued for a number of reasons including Sick Building Syndrome, cancer (in industrial workers), toxic gases during a house fire would often kill the inhabitants before they were overcome with smoke. ²

Insulation issues that have improved health

Energy reduction has improved health and reduced mortality rates.

The five states with the greatest total energy savings are (in order) Michigan, Texas, Nevada, Virginia and Illinois. These states account for 32% of the net total primary energy saved throughout the country, with the top half of the states accounting for 82% of the total energy savings potential.

Michigan is leading in total energy savings, not simply because of new construction codes, but homeowners are revisiting their home energy savings:

….As in the regional analysis, this clearly demonstrates that the states with greatest per-unit energy savings are not necessarily the states with the highest rates of new construction. ³

Home breath-ability

In the 70′s energy companies encouraged the use of polyeurethane vapor retarders. This led to mold problems. Introduction and requirement to use house wraps has remarkably improved the industry. House wraps (i.e., Tyvek) prevent moisture penetration, but allow moisture-laden vapor to escape. Moisture does not get trapped in the walls.

Ventilation

A better understanding of ventilation in attic systems. In the 60′s the popular style of housing involved low roof pitches. The ventilation through the attic spaces was nil. Perhaps a gable vent, but for the most part, ventilation in the older style homes was not a consideration. Thus, homes suffered black mold issues and poor insulation performance.

Since the 80′s, both roofers and insulators developed a ventilation system to improve air flow in the attic.

Flammability

Some insulating materials are fire-retardant by nature because they are made of materials that do not burn: unfaced fiberglass, rockwool, ceramic

Other materials are naturally flammable, so manufacturers add fire-retardant chemicals: cellulose, foam.

In all, our opinion of the fire-retardant issue is moot. In most, framed houses, there is very little that is fire-retardant, so why focus on insulation? Insulation materials will not keep a house from burning down when the wall systems are made of drywall, lumber and often wood siding.

Areas to check in your home

• Ceiling: This should be the first place you check. Though your walls may lack insulation (dealt with in the next point), heat loss is vertical and your attic should be addressed first. You are looking for the proper depth. What is the proper depth? Use this tool to determine what current standards are for your area. If you walk through your attic, wear shoes with excellent tread. Tennis shoes become very slippery when you step on insulation.
• Roof: When your roof is covered with snow, look for melting spots. Indicates a lack of insulation, separated ductwork, a bathroom vent has separated or an attic furnace has lost its covering.
• Cabinets or stairwells: Are they cold? Insulation may have collapsed into the cavities.
• Frost or moisture in ceiling. Insulation may not exist or has been pulled away by people working in the attic or animals nesting. Always remove wet insulation and replace with new. When adding insulation, blown in insulating material is best. It will fill all the gaps.
• Walls: Do you have insulation or not? If your home was built in the ’60s or later, you most likely have at least R-11 in the walls. Adding more insulation to walls that have an R-11 will not produce enough savings. If you have an older home and question whether you have insulation, simply remove an electrical face plate and look in the gap next to the plug to see if insulation exists.
• Rim Joists (aka Bonds): Until the ’80s, rim joists were rarely insulated. Simply fill the void with unfaced insulation.
• Recessed Lighting in Ceiling: Older fixtures breathe into the attic space. Thus, they bleed cold air into the room. Replacing these with new fixtures ($20) will decrease leakage. Make sure they are IC rated.
• Electrical Outlets: Remove the face plate. If you feel a draft, purchase an electrical outlet gasket. Do not fill the gap around the outlet with foam as it could raise the risk of fire. The gasket will do a much better job than foaming around the outside of the plug.
• Attic Access: We often find that either the insulation has been moved away from the hole or never existed in the first place. Either place a batt of insulation over the hole or glue 4” of foam to the access panel. A staircase access can be covered by a box made of foam.
• Crawl Spaces: Common practice is to insulate the floor above the crawl with batts. Our recommendation is, if heat can be introduced into the crawl space, then insulate the walls, not the floor. Your floor will be considerably warmer.
• Finishing your basement: It is common practice to put polyurethane film against the basement wall. Do not do this. The plastic attracts moisture and will rot the bottom plate. This is a common mold causer. Stud or use furring strips. Use fiberglass batt or foam board to insulate the wall. If you do not intend to use a wall system, you can have a vinyl, fire-rated insulation nailed into the wall. Owens Corning developed a pre-made wall system which is excellent, yet comes with a hefty price.
• Living spaces above garages: Insulate the garage doors with foam inserts like these.

For more information related to insulation materials and the environment

• www.greenguard.com
• www.usgbc.org
• www.greensage.com

Notes

Applegate Insulation has been in the business of insulating American homes (and the rest of the world) for the past 50 years. The family-owned business  is a leader  in the manufacture of cellulose insulation. The products are eco-friendly and energy efficient as  Applegate cellulose insulation has a higher R-value than most brands. Its application method is more efficient than some methods.  Applegate cellulose insulation is made of 85% recycled materials making this insulation material the “greenest” cellulose insulation material in the United States.

Applegate Insulation Products

Applegate insulation products are applied either sprayed or blown-in. All Applegate products meet the ASTM C739 standard and are LEED certified.  There are four major products and they are as follows.

Applegate Loose-Fill Cellulose Insulation is known for its successful use in residential and small commercial buildings. This ‘green’ loose-fill insulation provides maximum comfort and safety. It is an energy saver as the R-value of Applegate Loose-fill cellulose insulation is higher than its competitor brands. Loose-fill insulation is a favorite among installers and DIY-ers because of ease in application. Less dust results in safe and quick installation. This brand is the first-ever loose-fill insulation made 30 year ago and is now the top in this area of insulating material. This insulation is best for attics, wall cavities, vaulted ceilings and flat decks.

Applegate Stabilized Cellulose Insulator is made from recycled paper, treated to make it fire resistant to optimal thermal performance. The cellulose insulator is damp-sprayed into cavity walls and unfinished attics to make them air tight. The cellulose insulation contains a form of dry-adhesive that activates through the damp-spraying. The resulting seamless blanket of cellulose insulation makes the walls and attic virtually air tight which significantly reduces air flow (in and out) and serves as a noise barrier and even conditions the air inside the home.  The use of Applegate Stabilized Cellulose Insulator can reduce your electricity bill by 40%.

Applegate Bora-Spray is stabilized cellulose insulation contains high bora-spray but is sulfate free. Applegate only uses natural and pure Bora-Spray for a sulfate-free cellulose insulation material.  This makes this product easier to apply as there is less dust thus allowing for optimal performance on the part of the installer at the shortest time possible.  This material is fire-resistant and is best applied on stabilized attics and side wall cavities.

Applegate R Foam is the best solution for the re-insulation of walls with a low insulation performance. The R-foam can effectively “re-insulate” walls with batt insulation. The R-foam has a shaving cream consistency which allows it to compress and “flow” around existing batts and other obstructions inside the wall cavities.  Applegate C Foam is used for the insulation of concrete masonry units.

Where can you get Applegate Cellulose?

Contact Applegate Insulation here: www.applegateinsulation.com

This website features ADO Products. ADO products has long been recognized as a leading supplier for the insulation trade. Its insulation products are better installed by insulation and building contractors as application is not for a regular do-it-yourselfer.  ADO Products offer accessories that help properly ventilate a home. Insulation is not just blowing-in loose-fill cellulose or the laying out of thermal batts. Insulation and ventilation are in tandem to produce a well-insulated and ventilated structure.

Attic Ventilation

If you want a cooler attic during the hot summer months and a drier and warmer attic in the cold months, proper ventilation is a priority. The best insulation product will prove useless if your attic is not fitted with proper ventilation.  A properly ventilated attic will exhaust overheated air and take in cooler outside air during the summer months. In the winter, humid and moist air is exhausted from the attic. A properly ventilated attic/roof will also extend the life of roof shingles and insulation framing, prevent ice dams.

ADO Ventilating Products

There are two types of ventilating system product offered by ADO – intake vents and exhaust vents. As per ADO instruction, intake vents are best located at sides of the house to maximize its function. Exhaust vents ideally should be located at the highest part possible and spaced evenly for maximizing air flow. Intake vents are installed in soffit, under eaves and rafter vents. Exhaust vents will be most effective when placed at ridges, roof, gables vents and turbines.

• Durovent

This is foam attic ventilation that is best used for new construction.  Each span will fit 16 inches to 24 inches truss or rafter spacing. One span or channel of Durovent is recommended for each truss or rafter cavity. Dimension of one Durovent channel is 48”x22” with an air channel depth of 1.4 inches.  Durovent ventilation channel is stapled over the top plate of rafters or trusses. When done, insulation is applied against the ventilation channel.

• ProVent

Provent is best used for older homes with existing insulation. The plastic material is stronger than foam and can be installed over existing insulated attics with no trouble. Retrofit projects are usually tight because of existing insulation. More often than not, there is a need to “push” the ventilation channel over existing attic insulation.  Provent is designed to bear such force better than a foam ventilation channel. Provent has 2 models to each fit 16” and 24” roof joist or rafter spacing.

• Windblock

Windblock can prevent any wind-driven moisture and cold air from entering the rafter vent and the top wall. This will prevent undue energy loss in the attic. This will also stop mold growth due to moisture.  The Windblock can be effectively use for both new and old installations. Install one windblock per rafter or roof joist cavity.

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Until a few decades back, fiberglass installation was the most popular material for blown in insulation. However, modifications and improvements on loose-fill cellulose insulators have made this material one of the most popular choices for blown-in insulation. It has forced the fiberglass industry to upgrade the R-values for blown in fiberglass. Blown in cellulose insulation is a very eco-friendly, non-toxic, efficient and very affordable thermal solution for most homes.

Click here to read more about Blown in Cellulose Insulation

Cellulose insulation has been around for a long time. It is reputed to be the type of insulation used in Thomas Jefferson’s house the “Monticello”. However, a drift towards fiberglass was inevitable as cellulose insulation presented a lot of safety issues. In the 70s, cellulose insulation became a popular choice for loose-fill insulation as researches found a few positive points regarding cellulose insulation.

Click here to read more about Cellulose Insulation

A house needs to be properly insulated to save on energy. The walls, ceilings and roofing of a house need some form of insulation to avoid heat lost in the winter and to prevent heat from coming in the house during the hot months.   For a house to be truly energy-efficient and cost-effective, it should be airtight.

Click here to read more about Types of Blown Insulation Materials

For a home to be truly energy-efficient and cost-effective, proper attic insulation is the first place to consider. Heat rises and escapes through cracks and gaps in the roofing system during the cold months and that cold comes in through the same gaps during the hotter months.

Click here to read more about Attic Insulation

A study done by the Harvard University School of Public Health indicates that 65% or close to 2/3^rd of the homes in the United States are poorly-insulated. Most homes that were built earlier than 2003 are under-insulated.

Click here to read more about Importance of Home Insulation

Insulation is needed for a structure to maintain an ideal interior temperature. Properly insulating your home makes its interior a pleasant environment to live or work in; significantly reduces your heating and cooling bill and makes your home ecologically friendly because you help conserve environmental resources.

Click here to read more about What Is R-Value?