Cheap and Green Insulation: Recycled Paper Cellulose
By GoingEcoGreen on Jul 24, 2010 with Comments 9
Recently, Jay’s dad started building on some property he owns in Rural Virginia. The first structure built was the garage/workshop. Jay and I were eager for the chance to try out some green building materials as an alternative to the usual stuff. Before traveling over to the east coast for Turkey Day, we did some research along side his pops about what the cheapest, most green insulation material could be used (which could also be purchased at a major box store near by). We found that Recycled Paper Cellulose was the least expensive material you could buy, at 25 cents per sq. foot and it is available through most building material suppliers. The alternatives were ‘The Pink Stuff’, fiberglass rolls at about 50 cents per sq. foot. I was wary of using fiberglass because of its notorious itch inducing particles that will irritate not just your skin, but your lungs as well! If the particles ever become loose and get into your ventilation system, this can mean big trouble for your internal organs and cancer fighting immune system. Another recycled and mostly benign insulator are the trendy new denim rolls. These are made from recycled scraps from jean manufacturers. This was my top choice until I did a price check. This stuff goes for $1.00 per sq. foot. Yikes! The price factor is still top priority when you have to build, those square feet can add up fast. And when you’re trying to convince a retiring baby boomer to go green even though it costs 4 times as much, they’re gonna …
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the smell gets much much stronger if it gets wet… think about a tiny little drip because a child knocked the tub spicket too hard
Even though Fiberglass itself is cancerous, Fiberglass is energy intensive in manufacture and fibers are wrapped in oil-based resins. Fiberglass batts are typically backed with formaldehyde, a hazardous chemical known to slowly off-gas from the insulation over many years.
Actually, fiberglass itself is not cancerous. In October 2001, an international expert review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) re-evaluated the 1988 IARC assessment of glass fibers and removed glass wools from its list of possible carcinogens by downgrading the classification of these fibers from Group 2B (possible carcinogen) to Group 3 (not classifiable as to carcinogenicity in humans). All fiber glass wools used for insulation are included in this classification.
I commend you on wanting to use cellulose in your walls. My business specializes in cellulose insulation damp spray and retrofit applications. The problem I see with you installing this way is that you will not get the proper densities and it will surely settle at the top of the wall cavity. The machines that are used ensure approx. 3.5lbs of density. If you have poured in that way throughout I would guess that the cellulose will settle at least 15%.
A great way of making huge savings on home improvements is by reusing salvaged building materials
While I commend you for your desire to use products that are the least negatively impactful to the environment, you are not getting near the insulating power than you would if you used the correct delivery system. Either product (paper or glass) should be blown to provide the lofting of the material which creates the air pockets that provide the thermal break. You have carried your minimalist approach to the extent that you have diminished the return possible if you had installed it correctly.
Could you use the flooring paper contractors use to protect walk areas as a way to contain the insulation in the cavity? Portland cement and such used to come in paper bags. A lot heavier than insulation I suppose. It held up during shipping with minimum damage. And finally spraying the insulation was done and left as it was in industrial applications.You will see a lot of this from the 70′s. there’s more to say, but that should be enough for now. I have been there, I have done that.
The machines you use to blow it in fluff and prepare the insulation to install it. Usually when you dense pack it is behind a cotton breather fabric sold at supply insulation houses where you can rent the machine also. As for plastic bags you you’d need a really tough shredder to take care of the bags as they have to hold up for shipping which isn’t always gentle
There is a machine that would blow water in with the cellulose and cause it to stick hence no need for plastic. The big plus here is you wont get cancer from cellulose. You can from fiberglass.