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Energy Adviser: Green insulation options abound

The Columbian
Published: March 18, 2010, 12:00am

What are my options for insulation that are also good for the environment?

There are several green insulation products on the market. How green you want to go, though, will be up to you, your budget and how well you do your research. While all these products will insulate well when properly installed, some products are greener than others. What may be green in one sense, isn’t in another — such as how much energy is consumed to create the product as well as its composition.

Here is a rundown on the options:

• Cellulose

Cellulose insulation is made from ground-up newspaper and paper and can be blown in or installed as batts.

“The insulating value performs nicely,” said Rick Richart, of Richart Builders in Vancouver, which blows in cellulose. “It packs tighter in wall cavities here and gives a higher insulating value per inch. It’s quite popular.”

Cellulose insulation is non-toxic and has no significant effect on indoor air quality after it’s installed. It’s treated with natural boric acid as a fire retardant and resists mold and mildew.

• Cotton

Cotton-batt insulation is mostly made from recycled denim and other cotton fiber. It is non-toxic, easy to handle and does not contain formaldehyde, so it will not emit fumes.

“Manufacturers are doing a good job of being green, reusing scraps rather than creating a product from scratch,” said Phil Knight, a sales representative for Service Partners of Vancouver.

• Foam

If you shop around, you’ll find eco-friendly spray insulation foams. One, for example, contains castor oil to reduce the use of petroleum-based polyol and uses water instead of chemicals when applying the material. Another foam product uses soybean oil instead of petroleum.

Clark Public Utilities Energy Counselor Bob West has foam insulation in his home. “It performs really well in the real world. Foam gets into all the gaps that fiberglass batts might miss,” he said.

• Fiberglass

Even manufacturers of traditional fiberglass insulation are making strides to “green” their products. Fiberglass today contains “upwards of 40 percent recycled glass” and sand, according to the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association.

“The industry is getting smarter and better,” Knight said. “Knauf Insulation has a fiberglass product that uses an organic binder. It cures better and has zero petroleum.”

Another major manufacturer is using latex as a binder, which avoids using formaldehyde like other products.

Whichever product you choose, Richart advises starting with an energy audit. “An experienced weatherization company or auditor can tell you your best choices,” he said. “Whatever insulation you choose, you have to inspect and measure the heating envelope — that’s the area between you and the outside air.”

An inspection with an infrared camera is a good idea when adding insulation.

The Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities energy counselors, who provide conservation and energy use information to utility customers. Send questions to energyadviser@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, in care of Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA. 98668. A panel of local energy efficiency and energy product experts will review your questions. Past topics are available at www.clarkpublicutilities.com.

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