On August 13, 2007, gl wood wrote:
I have heard that rats do not like Ultra Touch. Please confirm. Thanks, gl
3 Easy-to-Install Green Insulation Options
by GreenHomeGuide Subject Editors and Community Members, 09/19/06
If you’ve ever struggled with huge, unwieldy bats of fiberglass insulation or forced your way through a crawlspace, wrestling with a hose and trying to blow fluffy white fibers into every corner—all the while wondering what those toxic chemicals and shards of fiberglass are doing to your body—you’ll be relieved to know that there are green alternatives.
Here are three of our favorites for do-it-yourselfers.
Cocoon from U.S. GreenFiber
Cocoon insulation from U.S. GreenFiber is made from about 80 percent recycled newsprint plus about 20 percent ammonium sulfate and/or borate flame retardants. Because the product uses a formaldehyde-free binder, indoor air quality concerns are limited to installation—Cocoon insulation can be blown into horizontal spaces such as attics and crawlspaces or professionally sprayed into wall cavities and attics in new construction.
“Proper installation cannot be stressed highly enough,” says subject editor Bill Burke, a San Francisco architect specializing in green building. He recommends reading the California Energy Commission’s Procedure for Proper Installation of Insulation guidelines.
Virginia homeowner Andrew Brenc rates the job “easy but taxing. Four hours in the attic spraying and I’m ready to sleep, sleep, sleep,” he says. “The stuff sprays in easily enough, and it tends to even out on its own. It is messy as all get-out, however, so I highly recommend at least a fiber barrier mask and a pair of goggles that seal to your skin. You will come out looking like a big fuzzy guy when you are done.”
Get more details from our subject editors’ reviews and find out more about Brenc’s experience—including costs—on the Cocoon profile page in our green directory.
UltraTouch from Bonded Logic
Bonded Logic’s UltraTouch is made of cotton fibers with a foil facing. The cotton is treated with borate flame retardants and fungal inhibitors—it contains no chemical irritants. This formaldehyde-free product is very safe from an indoor air quality perspective.
Says subject editor Dietmar Lorenz, an architectural design and green building consultant in Alameda County, California: “Ultra Touch’s insulation uses cotton, a natural renewable fiber, as the primary source material. Taking into consideration the large volumes of pesticides and water used in cotton farming, the use of virgin fiber would be questionable. However, this cotton insulation is based on approximately 85 percent preconsumer recycled denim, like scraps from blue jeans production, which makes it an environmentally preferable choice.”
“The biggest benefit from the installation side is that there are no glass fibers in the air or on your skin, so you do not need to use gloves or masks, and you don’t end up itching for days afterward,” says builder Peter Kellner. “I would still use the same precautions due to the fire resistant coatings,” he advises, “but this is a definite improvement, especially for the homeowner doing their own work.” Even better, he adds, “It has better acoustic performance and lower vapor transmission than fiberglass.”
Go to the UltraTouch profile page in our green directory for more details about installation and costs.
EasyFit from Johns Manville
This lightweight insulation is made of long, resilient glass fibers bonded with an acrylic rather than formaldehyde-based binder. EasyFit contains a minimum of 20 percent recycled glass.
Subject editor Burke notes that EasyFit insulation is pre-cut, which makes it a good choice for do-it-yourselfers. And it works well in existing buildings because it’s backed with kraft paper rather than a vapor barrier. “In existing, uninsulated buildings, where the wall assembly may permit moisture penetration, kraft paper is preferable to a vapor barrier because it is less likely to trap moisture inside the wall cavity,” he explains.
He recommends reading the Builders Guides available from the Energy and Environmental Building Association before installation. “Airborne fibers of any kind can be an irritant to some individuals,” he says. “When properly installed, with insulation isolated from occupied areas, this should not be an issue with this material. However, personal protective equipment should be worn to protect the eyes, ears, skin, and respiratory system during installation.”
For more information, go to the EasyFit profile page in our green directory.
Comments
On March 8, 2008, Anne wrote:
To say that Ultra Touch contains no formaldehyde or VOC’s is not strictly true. The levels are low, but measurable. Take a look at the report of testing which is available as a PDF on the Ultra Touch website here:
http://www.ultratouch.net/techinfo.html
Click on the California 1350 Air Quality Standard link to download the PDF.
I had chosen Ultra Touch in part because it supposedly contained no formaldehyde. I’m very sensitive to formaldehyde, and had to vacate my house due to contact dermatitis after installing Ultra Touch in my attic. At first I had suspected that the aggravation of my dermatitis was due to poorer air exchange after having tightened the building envelope. However, my problems persisted after increasing air exchange beyond previous levels by leaving windows open. At last I came across the PDF which gives the full story on formaldehyde and VOC outgassing.
I think Ultra Touch is a great product. It is easy to install and environmentally friendly. However, for sensitive people low formaldehyde levels still can be a problem, especially with reduced air exchange. Cotton fabric which is not organic can contain levels of formaldehyde which are sufficient to trigger reactions in sensitive people, so I guess I should have been more cautious in thinking that just because this product has no added formaldehyde, that it would be entirely formaldehyde free.
On September 5, 2008, Maryann Welden wrote:
Could shredded newspapers with no added chemicals be used as an attic insulation? It would be easy enough if the homeowner invested in a paper shredder and would not have all the added chemicals.
Mary in Camden, Michigan USA
On January 24, 2009, Matt wrote:
Mary-Shredded paper without any additives would make your attic into a tinderbox and a VERY dangerous fire hazard. There are also mold issues to be concerned about
On February 12, 2009, T. Botkin wrote:
I live in a cold climate (Santa Fe) and I’m concerned more about the insulation capabilities of the products, and not one product description states its “R” value! Thats the whole point of insulation! The true “green value” of insulation is a reduction in energy costs (fossil fuel use), not reusing recycled demin or preventing you from having to wear a mask, gloves, and full clothing for an afternoon. In other words, I would rather put in R-19 fiberglass insulation and know my house was properly insulated than the reassurance that old jeans were put to good use.
On March 6, 2009, GMoney2009 wrote:
T Botkin - if you go to the same link and download the brochure, they give the R-values as well as some other statistics for Ultratouch.
On June 2, 2009, Darin Zurliene wrote:
Cellulose with ammonia sulfide has the potential to offgas - release the ammonia into the air, and can cause corrosion under the right natural conditions.
Fiberglass is very difficult to install “correctly” and is limited to resist heat and cold from 30 F t0 90 F or a delta T of 50 F.
The FTC put out a report in 2005 that explains resistance to heat in cold with insulation. R-Value is only tested at 75 F it is not a true measure of the insulations resistance to heat and cold.
You can go to sprayinsulationinc.com for information.
On June 2, 2009, GMoney2009 wrote:
We did insulate our attic with R30 Fiberglass for the first time (we live near the coast, so it was necessary, but not absolutely necessary). We have rarely used the AC since, although the weather has been slightly cooler lately. On the nights I used the heat, it cycled about 1/10 of the number of times it did prior to the insulation.
I did get a hold of the local Ultratouch distributor, and was given a quote. It was nearly double, without installation (they could recommend a vendor). I did have concerns about the preservatives used.
I also am against the spray cellulose, as I have always noticed an unevenness, and if work needs to be performed, the insulation and all of the dust on top of it, gets mixed into the air. How often do I disturb insulation? Hopefully never, but when I do, it is almost as bad as dealing with fiberglass. Even cellulose has a slightly itchy sensation under some circumstances, although, not like fiberglass.
Any way, I’m very happy thus far. We’ll see when the heat of summer kicks in.
On June 8, 2009, JakeHilfter wrote:
Hi, good post. I have been wondering about this issue,so thanks for posting. I’ll definitely be coming back to your site.
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