You can select from a variety of manufacturers in the market when buying an insulation material. There are important factors, however, that you should consider such as stability and performance for your application. You can save a lot more energy from a properly ventilated envelope as compared to the environmental impact from the manufacture of the insulation.
Cellulose insulation is created mainly from recycled paper. It is manufactured from energy and waste material produced during the manufacture of fiberglass. You can actually reuse scrap cellulose created as a byproduct during installation to reduce waste. Cellulose insulation does not have any significant impact on air quality within the building. It is blown into ceiling, wall cavities and loft surfaces.
Cotton insulation, as the name suggests, is made primarily from cotton, with a little boron to prevent fire as well as some polyester. Most of the cotton used in insulation is recycled from scrap generated in the manufacture of denim. The insulation does not have any formaldehyde, and cannot cause skin or respiratory problems from its fibers. You can use cotton batts in the same function as mineral wool batts or fiberglass, rolled out between ceiling joists, open roof rafters or wall studs.
Fiberglass on the other hand, is made of recycled glass and silica sand, which are abundant resources. Its manufacture requires assembling the materials to melt in a fossil fuel, which uses a lot of energy and produces a significant amount of air pollution as compared to other types of insulation. It is hard to inhale the fibers if you install them properly, which can irritate the skin, eye and throat.
The other type, which may have a greater environment impact than these is foam insulations due to its extraction, processing and transport of recyclables like oil and gas. They however have significant benefits that may override these difficulties for example greater R-values for any certain thickness plus they air seal surfaces better. Additionally, they use less due to their sturdiness and R-values.
A more environmentally preferable form of foam insulation is Polyisocyanurate. It is made of polysio, a rigid foam board, and covered with a layer of foil at the back as a radiant or vapor barrier, which can be used in almost all areas of your home. It is preferred more than polyurethane and polystyrene foam insulation because it has more than nine percent of recycled content, and flame retardants, as well as a high R- value.
Another option to select from is polystyrene, which has two types; expanded and extruded, otherwise known as beadboard, and blueboard respectively. With no minimum content for recycling polystyrene, its products may have some recycled content due to the recycling of the polystyrene itself. The presence of brominated flame retardants, however, has raised serious environmental and health concerns.
Mineral wool is manufactured from strands of minerals. It is required by the EPA for it to have more than seventy percent of recycled content by weight. Though more costly than fiberglass and cellulose, it is more moisture-resistant and durable.
Cellulose insulation is created mainly from recycled paper. It is manufactured from energy and waste material produced during the manufacture of fiberglass. You can actually reuse scrap cellulose created as a byproduct during installation to reduce waste. Cellulose insulation does not have any significant impact on air quality within the building. It is blown into ceiling, wall cavities and loft surfaces.
Cotton insulation, as the name suggests, is made primarily from cotton, with a little boron to prevent fire as well as some polyester. Most of the cotton used in insulation is recycled from scrap generated in the manufacture of denim. The insulation does not have any formaldehyde, and cannot cause skin or respiratory problems from its fibers. You can use cotton batts in the same function as mineral wool batts or fiberglass, rolled out between ceiling joists, open roof rafters or wall studs.
Fiberglass on the other hand, is made of recycled glass and silica sand, which are abundant resources. Its manufacture requires assembling the materials to melt in a fossil fuel, which uses a lot of energy and produces a significant amount of air pollution as compared to other types of insulation. It is hard to inhale the fibers if you install them properly, which can irritate the skin, eye and throat.
The other type, which may have a greater environment impact than these is foam insulations due to its extraction, processing and transport of recyclables like oil and gas. They however have significant benefits that may override these difficulties for example greater R-values for any certain thickness plus they air seal surfaces better. Additionally, they use less due to their sturdiness and R-values.
A more environmentally preferable form of foam insulation is Polyisocyanurate. It is made of polysio, a rigid foam board, and covered with a layer of foil at the back as a radiant or vapor barrier, which can be used in almost all areas of your home. It is preferred more than polyurethane and polystyrene foam insulation because it has more than nine percent of recycled content, and flame retardants, as well as a high R- value.
Another option to select from is polystyrene, which has two types; expanded and extruded, otherwise known as beadboard, and blueboard respectively. With no minimum content for recycling polystyrene, its products may have some recycled content due to the recycling of the polystyrene itself. The presence of brominated flame retardants, however, has raised serious environmental and health concerns.
Mineral wool is manufactured from strands of minerals. It is required by the EPA for it to have more than seventy percent of recycled content by weight. Though more costly than fiberglass and cellulose, it is more moisture-resistant and durable.
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