Loose fill cotton insulation?

[msteger]

At this morning's inspection, I ran across a white cotton-like loose fill or blown in insulation that was put in a few years ago. It isn't itchy like loose fill fiberglass but appears to be a bit lighter-weight and easier to move around. I asked the seller about it since it was installed 2 years back and the paperwork he had just said R-30 loose fill and it was 10" thick, appearing to be R-3 per inch. The paperwork didn't go into specifics about what type of insulation it was. Does anyone know what this stuff really is and what it is called and the actual R-value?

I did a Google search for 'cotton insulation' and similar but didn't find what I was looking for.

Thanks.

[Robert Jones]

Sure sounds like fiberglass to me. Loose fill is fairly limited to cellulose, fiberglass and mineral wool.

[inspector57]

Look here http://www.specjm.com/commercial/insulation.asp

[Erby]

Where's the picture, Matt??

[kurt]

Sounds like a low density fiberglass. Lottsa convection heat loss.....

[hausdok]

Hi,

It's loose fill fiberglass. I see mountains of the stuff on a daily basis. The new formulation is the white stuff and it doesn't itch at all. The yellow and pink stuff? That'll drive ya nuts.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Jim Katen]

The new formulation is the white stuff and it doesn't itch at all.

The new formulation? Would that be the new formulation that they started using in 1990? My how time flies.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[JEuriech]

Interesting. There is information about cotton insulation at this web site: http://www.iq-home.com/HVAC/types_of_insulation.htm

[Bill Kibbel]

Cotton insulation was manufactured from the late 1930s through the early 1950s. It's made a comeback in the last few years and is touted as a green building product. Some is made from raw cotton while other is recycled cloth or scraps from denim manufacturing.

I've never seen it in anything but batts. It almost looks like a really thick blanket.

[hausdok]

The new formulation is the white stuff and it doesn't itch at all.

The new formulation? Would that be the new formulation that they started using in 1990? My how time flies.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

Hi Jim,

Hell, I dunno. There's the older white stuff that I see that's got a different texture and is itchy - kind of looks like poodle hair - and then there's the stuff I see in brand new houses that seems to be lighter and doesn't itch at all.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Erby]

Is it this stuff??

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[Les]

"insulfil" common in Michigan.

I have seen actual cotton loose fill, but it stunk like crazy and had an R value of "-12".

*had to come back and edit this post - insulfil has lots of definitions. Jim L's web reference shows the actual product we call insulfil.

[Jeff Beck]

Bit of a topic drift.

Does anyone identify and report on insulation beyond a category and type?

e.g. fiberglass batts or blown-in cellulose

Does anyone actually report as: insulfil or a named product?

[RobC]

At this morning's inspection, I ran across a white cotton-like loose fill or blown in insulation that was put in a few years ago. It isn't itchy like loose fill fiberglass but appears to be a bit lighter-weight and easier to move around. I asked the seller about it since it was installed 2 years back and the paperwork he had just said R-30 loose fill and it was 10" thick, appearing to be R-3 per inch. The paperwork didn't go into specifics about what type of insulation it was. Does anyone know what this stuff really is and what it is called and the actual R-value?

I did a Google search for 'cotton insulation' and similar but didn't find what I was looking for.

Thanks.

Chances are that it could be Fiber Glass Blowing Wool Insulation.

JM Formaldehyde-freeâ„¢ Insulation has been around since 1999 with some degree of success. That success is dependent on the applicator and how his machine is set up.

"but appears to be a bit lighter-weight and easier to move around."

If it's installed according to manufacturer's recommended thickness and mass per unit area then it works fine. When it's installed incorrectly then you have cavitation and scouring especially in high wind exposures.

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This is the documentation that SHOULD be included with all installations, usually stapled on a web near the hatch. I've yet to see it.

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That's the reason I never mention R values when I describe blown in insulation because that value is a function of density and present applications usually don't conform.

I describe it as having a thickness of Xinches.

[Scottpat]

Bit of a topic drift.

Does anyone identify and report on insulation beyond a category and type?

e.g. fiberglass batts or blown-in cellulose

Does anyone actually report as: insulfil or a named product?

I just call it blown-in fiberglass insulation, after all it is a fiberglass product.

[Les]

I see the certificates quite often stapled on newer construction. I do not identify it by brand. I often use the words "tuffed fiberglass" for old style glass wool.

[SonOfSwamp]

FWIW, I've seen old cotton batt insulation, pretty much all of it in 1930s houses. It looks like, well, cotton.

WJ

[msteger]

Is it this stuff??

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YES, that's the stuff. I guess it really is fiberglass. The insulation contractor finally called me back today and confirmed it. He called it "Insul-Safe". Just wanted to be sure since it didn't feel like fiberglass.

[Denray]

I opened an attic hatch the other day and got a neck full of it. A bunch in my hair. Pile on the carpet. Picked it up bare handed with vacuum final. Took my shirt off and dusted myself. No itch at all. Cleaned up well from the carpet.

[msteger]

What did the client say when you started to disrobe?

[Ben H]

What did the client say when you started to disrobe?

[:-bigeyes[:-bigeyes[:-bigeyes []

I like it when you don't need to actually time to respond...

[mgbinspect]

I believe "Insul-Safe" is one of the 'white stuff', brands and I saw one yesterday that said InsulPro on the certificate. The latter I'm not so certain of, since it was merely a glance and the first time seeing it, but "InsulSafe" is very common around here. And, as stated, it resembles cotton, but is indeed fiberglass.

[Tim Maxwell]

The white stuff has become the most common in my areas for the past few years. Certainteed being the widest used brand, and it is the Insulsafe. It is a bit nicer since you don't get the itch factor.

[mgbinspect]

It sure brightens up the attic, too, making inspecting a bit easier. Everything is no nicely contrasted. [:-thumbu]

[feleds]

At this morning's inspection, I ran across a white cotton-like loose fill or blown in insulation that was put in a few years ago. It isn't itchy like loose fill fiberglass but appears to be a bit lighter-weight and easier to move around. I asked the seller about it since it was installed 2 years back and the paperwork he had just said R-30 loose fill and it was 10" thick, appearing to be R-3 per inch. The paperwork didn't go into specifics about what type of insulation it was. Does anyone know what this stuff really is and what it is called and the actual R-value?

I did a Google search for 'cotton insulation' and similar but didn't find what I was looking for.

Thanks.