Insulation

Insulation - Good for the environment. Good for your pocketbook. Good for you.

Each month, the Builder/REALTOR® Alliance Committee brings in speakers on topics/products/services related to new construction. Insulation was the subject at the February 16, 2004 meeting. Bill Hatfield of Parkfield Insulation Services provided information the committee felt might be of benefit to the entire membership…

Heating and cooling account for 50 to 70% of the energy used in the average American home. Using energy efficient insulation is one of the fastest and most cost-efficient ways to use a whole house approach to reduce energy waste and save money.
Mr. Hatfield stressed the benefits of cellulose insulation as energy efficient, quieter, pest free and mold/mildew resistant.

Energy Efficient
Cellulose insulation reduces air infiltration better than conventional insulation materials. Insulation products carry a rating referred to as an R-value which is a measure of how well a product resists the flow of heat or cold through it.

Celloluse has up to three times the density of fiberglass and therefore a proportionately higher R-value per square inch. In addition, unlike fiberglass, cellulose retains its R-value as the mercury dips.

Cellulose’s superiority over fiberglass has been confirmed in one study after another. In 1990, for example, the University of Colorado at Denver compared the insulation properties of two identical homes, one using cellulose, the other, fiberglass batt. The cellulose residence was 38% tighter and required 26% less energy. Another side-by-side test, involving a senior citizens complex in Leominster, Mass., found that buildings protected with cellulose had 40% less air infiltration than similar structures fitted with R-13 fiberglass in the walls and R-38 fiberglass batts in the ceilings.

As an example, the owner of a 2,000 square foot home properly insulated with cellulose can save $25-$30/month in heating/cooling bills. The added cost of the cellulose insulation is about $500.

Quieter/More Comfortable
In addition to a noticeable reduction/elimination of drafts, cellulose creates a significantly more effective sound barrier. Although this is a benefit for a home owner, it is even more critical to hotels, apartments, condominiums, offices, medical facilities, etc.

Mr. Hatfield effectively demonstrated cellulose’s superior sound performance by placing a ‘screaming’ security device inside two containers - one insulated with cellulose and one insulated with fiberglass. Although the fiberglass container significantly reduced the noise, committee members were unable to hear the device inside the container insulated with cellulose.

Mold/Mildew/Pest Resistant
Most cellulose products contain borates which actually repel insects and rodents and inhibit mold and fungus growth yet are not harmful to humans.

Borate compounds contain the basic elements of boron and oxygen and are used to create products such as ceramic tiles, fertilizers, glass, detergents, soaps, cosmetics, medicines and pest control products.

Borates are toxic to both insects and fungus species. One mode of action is that borates disrupts the enzyme system of the insect and destroys the microflora (bacteria and protozoa) in the stomach of the insect, thus disallowing food digestion. Borates also affect the enzyme system of fungi and the active ingredient is a contact toxicant to fungus.

Insulation and the Environment
Just because insulation helps conserve energy does not mean that the product itself is environmentally sound, many other factors must be considered when assessing the product’s environmental soundness, including the health risks, energy required to produce the insulation, its flammability and its recycled content. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC):

Cellulose insulation manufactured from recycled paper is the least polluting and most energy efficient.
Cellulose has the highest post-consumer recycled content. The fiberglass industry averages 35% recycled glass, while the cellulose industry averages a minimum of 75% recycled content.
Due to air circulation and natural convection, the R-value of blown in fiberglass insulation decreases by as much as 50% as the temperature drops from 45º degrees Fahrenheit to 18º degrees Fahrenheit.
In contrast to fiberglass, cellulose has a better resistance to air flow and prevents the upward movement of air caused by temperature differences {the R-value of Cellulose actually improves during cold weather}. Heat flow problems associated with fiberglass make cellulose an attractive alternative.
It takes more than 10 times more energy to produce fiberglass insulation as cellulose insulation.
Substantial and well-documented public health threats are associated with fiberglass. Fiberglass insulation is required to carry a cancer warning label in compliance with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard.
No adverse health effects from cellulose insulation have been identified.
Both types of insulation meet the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) fire protection standards.