As we mentioned at the beginning insulation has come a long way in the past several years.
Old attic walls made of paper.
It is priced at about 12 for a 19 pound bag.
Greenfiber is described by the manufacturer as made with up to 85 recycled material and has an r value of 3 7 per inch.
Install cellulose insulation by blowing it into the cavities in the attic with an blower machine.
Fibers from rock or recycled slag from blast furnaces.
The most common blown in material used but it can rot and grow moldy if exposed to moisture.
Now that we know the old attic insulation types on the market the question is whether there is a newer more modern alternative available.
Cellulose insulation an eco friendly alternative to conventional insulation primarily comprises newspaper shreds.
There are a couple creative yet expensive ways i would consider retroactively insulating the walls of an old house if you are in a far northern climate where it might make financial sense.
Most often used for attics since most heat enters through the attic.
The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation.
Truevalue stores offer cocoon insulation at less than 10 per 19 pound bag.
It needs a certain amount of loft to work properly.
It likely has the same 100 year old kraft paper behind it that provides virtually no water proofing support.
Manufactured by greenfiber it also contains up to.
Fibers from recycled post consumer paper that are treated for insect and fire resistance.
Home depot sells greenfiber in individual bales by the pallet and offers an all borate product.
Blowing insulation into walls is best left to the pros because it involves drilling into stud spaces that may contain electrical.
Handy homeowners can install blown in insulation in the attic.
Please note simply placing your old clothes around the attic constitutes a fire hazard not to mention a possible nesting haven for rodents.
Designed to keep your home cool.
Made from a reflective material such as aluminum foil over a substrate like kraft paper or foam board.
Don t mash or compress the insulation into the space.
Use r 30 insulation for the ceiling and r 13 for the walls.
Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials.
Always read manufacturers instructions and safety guidelines before beginning your project.
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.
How to replace it.
If building a knee wall for storage like karl did with this project make sure to insulate that area as well.
One of the more sophisticated products lately is spray foam insulation.
Staple insulation between the wall studs and ceiling joists image a.
Recycled clothing insulation has been properly treated for fire safety.