What is the color of my insulation?
Looks like white mineral wool or "rock wool" insulation. Or possibly white fiberglass - but mineral wool usually has more gray in it. I see soe gray filaments and some dark inclusions in your insulation; if those are not soiling from the insulation's history then those details argue for mineral wool or slag wool insulation.
What does cellulose insulation look like?
Cellulose contains a high percentage of recycled paper and does not contain minerals. In general, it looks like shredded gray paper. Cellulose insulation is a perfectly safe type of insulation that is commonly blown into attics. It also comes in batt and blanket forms.
What type of insulation is made from shredded Pape fibres?
Also some cellulose insulation includes shredded pape fibres. Hello! Trying to identify this insulation found behind a kitchen wall. House built in 1981
What does loose fill insulation look like?
If you have loose-fill insulation that is gray, soft, and without a shine, it is probably cellulose insulation. Cellulose contains a high percentage of recycled paper and does not contain minerals. In general, it looks like shredded gray paper.
What kind of blown insulation is white?
Northern White is an unbonded, white, virgin fibre, loose fill fibre glass insulation. The glass fibres are manufactured from postindustrial and post-consumer recycled glass.
How do I know what kind of insulation I have?
Identifying Old Insulation If the insulation is wool-like and gray, it may be loose-fill rockwool. If it is white, however, it may be a newer product. Shredded newspaper, or loose-fill cellulose, was another common insulation in the past.Jul 17, 2017
What is the difference between white and pink insulation?
The core difference in colors is simply that certain manufacturers have trademarked specific colors. For example, Owens Corning is the only company allowed to produce pink fiberglass insulation, while Johns Manville holds the trademark for the white and green colors.Jan 10, 2022
What is the fluffy stuff in the attic?
Fiberglass: This insulation that looks like cotton candy is commonly seen in long strips — called batts or rolls — between wall studs and ceiling joists. It might be pink, white or yellow, and it also comes in a loose-fill form, often blown into attic spaces.May 1, 2018
What is the white insulation in attic?
If you have loose-fill insulation that is white and fluffy and has a little shine, it is probably fiberglass fill. Because it is a glass product, fiberglass has a slight shine when subjected to bright light. It is very soft, almost like cotton candy, and is composed of very fine fibers.Mar 28, 2022
What is woven R17 insulation?
The woven R17 insulation is a combination of aluminum foil, bubble material, and woven material which produce the R17 rating. Thickness: 17.475 mil – .688″ Roll Size: 4′ x 98′ Weight: 45.04 lbs per roll. Reflectivity: 97% Photo of woven R17 insulation.
Is white insulation good?
If you have loose-fill insulation that is white and fluffy and has a little shine, it is probably fiberglass fill. Fiberglass can irritate the skin and potentially cause respiratory irritation, but it is not known to cause cancer or other significant health problems.Jan 4, 2020
What is pink fluffy insulation?
The small fibers of pink insulation can become airborne and irritate the eyes. Fiberglass insulation is used in homes and other buildings to block sound and heat transfer. It is almost always pink in color. This insulation is colored artificially to make it recognizable to consumers.Feb 27, 2022
Is there white insulation?
White insulation, for example, can be installed as either a batt or loose fill. The insulation material is the determining factor for how it will be installed. Fiberglass and cellulose fiber insulation are the most common materials used in blown-in projects.Dec 21, 2021
What type of insulation was used in 1960?
While fiberglass and cellulose rose to popularity some years apart from each other, they were the mainstay of insulation during the 1960s and onward (thanks to the fall of asbestos).Aug 16, 2016
What type of insulation was used in the 1920s?
Vermiculite is a very lightweight material, which made it a popular choice for thermal insulation from the 1920s to the mid-80s.
What is loose fill insulation made of?
The most common types of materials used for loose-fill insulation include cellulose, fiberglass, and mineral (rock or slag) wool. All of these materials are produced using recycled waste materials. Cellulose is primarily made from recycled newsprint. Most fiberglass products contain 40% to 60% recycled glass.
What is white insulation?
White insulation, for example, can be installed as either a batt or loose fill. The insulation material is the determining factor for how it will be installed. Fiberglass, rock wool and cellulose fiber insulation are the most common materials used in blown-in projects.
What is the best insulation material for a house?
Types of Insulation Materials. Fiberglass is undoubtedly the most popular choice of material for home insulation. However, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, other choices include mineral wool, cellulose and other natural fibers, polystyrene and various foam materials.
What is the second type of insulation called?
Two primary types of insulation installation techniques exist. The first is known as batt and roll and the second is called blown-in or loose fill insulation. Advertisement. The color of the insulation does not determine the type of installation procedure that will be used.
What does the color of insulation mean?
Instead, the color usually represents the color of the binding agent used by the manufacturer.
What is the color of cellulose insulation?
But other materials may appear in their natural state. For example, cellulose fiber insulation, also known as newspaper insulation, tends to look brown or white.
Is fiberglass clear?
Fiberglass naturally appears clear. Insulation manufacturers bind the microscopic strands of fiberglass by using a resin. The color of this resin determines the final color of the insulation. The same holds true for other insulation materials, such as polystyrene.
What is double bubble insulation?
EcoFoil Double Bubble Foil Insulation is primarily used for pole barns, metal buildings, basement walls, crawl spaces, and storage units.
What is balsam wool insulation?
Balsam Wool Insulation photo. "Balsam Wool" is a wood fiber product or "cellulose" insulation that was widely used in homes and in a variety of other applications in the U.S. from at least the 1930's. See BALSAM WOOL BATT INSULATION for details.
What is pellet insulation made of?
Pellet forms of fiber type insulation have been made of cellulose (including seaweed as we'll show below), fiberglass, and also mineral wool or rock wool.
What is fire block foam?
Fire-block foam is a fire-resistant foam spray used to seal building floor, wall, or ceiling penetrations, especially in new construction or a spray-foam insulation retrofit job. See FIRE-BLOCK Fire Retardant Foam Spray Building Insulation.
How deep is insulation in attic?
There is an insulation in a house that we recently purchased. It looks like finely ground up wood. Almost dust like. It is all over the attic floor maybe 5 to 6" deep.
What is balsam wool?
"Balsam Wool" is a wood fiber product or "cellulose" insulation that was widely used in homes and in a variety of other applications in the U.S. from at least the 1930's.
What is wood fibre panel?
Contemporary wood fibre panels are sold in a variety of textures and for a wide range of uses including as a nail base in roofing and siding, as structural insulated panels or SIPS, as insulating sheathing (fiberboard), and as acoustical panels for interior use.
What is blanket insulation made of?
You also can find batts and rolls made from mineral (rock and slag) wool, plastic fibers, and natural fibers, such as cotton and sheep's wool.
What type of insulation is used in Denver?
Types of Insulation. Icynene plastic insulation blown into the walls of a home near Denver. Icynene fills cracks and crevices and adheres to the framing. When insulating your home, you can choose from many types of insulation.
What is foam board insulation?
Foam boards -- rigid panels of insulation -- can be used to insulate almost any part of your home, from the roof down to the foundation. They are very effective in exterior wall sheathing, interior sheathing for basement walls, and special applications such as attic hatches. They provide good thermal resistance (up to 2 times greater than most other insulating materials of the same thickness), and reduce heat conduction through structural elements, like wood and steel studs. The most common types of materials used in making foam board include polystyrene, polyisocyanurate (polyiso), and polyurethane.
What is ICF foam?
ICF systems consist of interconnected foam boards or interlocking, hollow-core foam insulation blocks. Foam boards are fastened together using plastic ties. Along with the foam boards, steel rods (rebar) can be added for reinforcement before the concrete is poured.
How are SIPs made?
SIPs are made in a factory and shipped to job sites. Builders then connect them together to construct a house. For an experienced builder, a SIPs home goes up much more quickly than other homes, which saves time and money without compromising quality. These savings can help offset the usually higher cost of SIPs.#N#Many SIP manufacturers also offer "panelized housing kits." The builder need only assemble the pre-cut pieces, and additional openings for doors and windows can be cut with standard tools at the construction site.#N#When installed according to manufacturers' recommendations, SIPs meet all building codes and pass the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards of safety. In buildings constructed of SIPs, fire investigators have found that the panels held up well. For example, in one case a structure fire exceeded 1,000°F (538°C) in the ceiling areas and 200°F (93°C) near the floors, and most wall panels and much of the ceiling remained intact. An examination of the wall panels revealed that the foam core had neither melted nor delaminated from the skins. In similar cases, a lack of oxygen seemingly caused the fire to extinguish itself. The air supply in an airtight SIP home can be quickly consumed in a fire.
How to evaluate blown in insulation?
To evaluate sprayed or blown-in types of insulation, measure the depth of the insulation and check for gaps in coverage. If you choose to install the insulation yourself, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and safety precautions carefully and check local building and fire codes. Do-it-yourself instructions are available from ...
What is foam board?
Foam board, to be placed on outside of wall (usually new construction) or inside of wall (existing homes): Some manufacturers incorporate foam beads or air into the concrete mix to increase R-values. Unfinished walls, including foundation walls. New construction or major renovations.
What type of insulation is used in a batt?
Loose-Fill Insulation. If your attic or wall insulation is in batt or blanket form, whether it's fiberglass, cellulose, or another material, you generally don't have to be concerned about asbestos. The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose-fill, also called blown-in, insulation.
What is loose fill insulation?
Loose-Fill Fiberglass. If you have loose-fill insulation that is white and fluffy and has a little shine, it is probably fiberglass fill. Because it is a glass product, fiberglass has a slight shine when subjected to bright light. It is very soft, almost like cotton candy, and is composed of very fine fibers.
What percentage of vermiculite insulation is asbestos?
Insulation made from this material represents over 70 percent of the vermiculite insulation found in U.S. homes. Because the Libby mine closed in 1990, houses built or remodeled before that date might have asbestos-containing insulation. If the house was built after 1990, the chance that your house has asbestos-contaminated insulation are reduced ...
Where is asbestos insulation found?
In the United States, most of the vermiculite insulation containing asbestos was sourced from a mine near Libby, Montana, which was active until 1990.
What is rock wool made of?
Rock wool is usually gray, white, off-white, or brownish-white. It is a manufactured product, made by melting basaltic rock and dolomite with added binders. The raw material is heated to 2,750 degrees Fahrenheit until it melts, then the molten material is spun into fibers with air pressure.
Is asbestos fiber dangerous?
Asbestos fibers are most dangerous when they are airborne and can be breathed in. Leaving insulation undisturbed greatly reduces the risk of exposure. You can test the insulation for asbestos using an asbestos testing kit or by having a sample tested at an approved testing laboratory.
Does loose fill insulation have paper backing?
Loose-fill never has paper or other types of backing, like some (but not all) batt and blanket insulation does. If you determine that your attic or walls have loose-fill insulation, the next step is to determine what type of material it is, as only some types may contain asbestos.
Why is asbestos used in insulation?
Asbestos was frequently used because of its excellent heat retaining and fire proofing properties. Let’s look at the different types of insulation containing asbestos that you may come across in older homes:-.
Is fiberglass the same as asbestos?
Asbestos is a natural material derived from silicate minerals, whereas fiberglass is man made from fiber reinforced plastic using glass fiber. Both materials are fibrous and have excellent heat resistant properties, which is the reason why they may appear similar and are often compared.
Is fiberglass insulation safe?
Fiberglass does not contain any asbestos and was used as a substitute for asbestos insulation once the health effects of asbestos exposure became apparent in the late 1970’s and into the 1980’s. Fiberglass, unlike asbestos, is considered to be generally safe when properly installed.
