How To Insulate Your Property In The Most Eco-Friendly Way
Every homeowner strives to have an energy-efficient home. We all want to reduce our carbon emissions and save up some money on energy bills. The best way to achieve these goals is to insulate your home. However, when picking the insulation, you have to be aware of what type is the best, especially if you want to have an eco-friendly home. So, let’s see what you should pay attention to and which are the best eco-friendly insulating materials.
Why Add Insulation?
Adding insulation to your home is one of the easiest and most effective ways to boost energy efficiency on your property. A very large portion of heat is lost through poorly insulated walls, roofs, doors, and floors, and that is why more and more people opt for eco-friendly insulation. Whether you want to boost energy efficiency, lower the carbon footprint of your property or simply improve the comfort in your home, insulation is the answer. Interior wall insulation is a great place to start, and you can also add layers of protection to your roof and floors.
Additionally, there are many eco-friendly options on the market that can help you achieve your goals. You can use sustainable materials for insulation which will bring you many benefits, including:
- Raw materials are available and support zero waste
- Green materials can be recycled, reused and composted, which keeps waste out of landfills
- Eco-friendly insulation requires smaller amounts of energy to be produced
- Such materials contain fewer levels of irritants and toxins
- Lower risks of health issues due to toxins in insulation
The Problem with Traditional Insulation
The most common types of traditional insulation materials are polystyrene and fiberglass. To get insulation from these materials, they have to go through longer manufacturing processes that consume a lot more energy than greener alternatives. Also, such insulation materials are often made from fuel-derived plastic and other chemicals that potentially could be harmful to us and the environment.
Also, the biggest problem with traditional insulation is that it often includes flame retardants and VOCs that can be toxic to the environment, as well as to people. That is why more and more people are turning to more green options when it comes to insulation.
Eco-Friendly Insulation Materials
Eco-friendly insulation is produced in a much greener way. It uses fewer toxic chemicals and no synthetic substances. And yet, the effectiveness of this type of insulation is still the same and it protects the home. So if you are interested in greener home insulation options, check out these materials.
Cellulose
Cellulose is the natural component of plant cell walls. This type of insulation is produced by using fiber from recycled paper which is then ground into fine dust. Then, it is treated to become fireproof and the result is proper insulation, made out of recycled materials and it has the highest amount of recycled content compared to other forms of insulation.
Wood Fiber Wool
Wood wool insulation is made from sawdust, timber shavings, woodchips, and other waste wood. This is a raw material that is untreated softwood and it is a biodegradable compressed fiber that can be treated to come in all sizes, shapes, and thicknesses. This means that this type of insulation is easily customizable to fit any home. Plus, it is damp-proof and non-irritant.
Sheep’s Wool
Sheep’s wool is also called nature’s wonder material as it has so many great benefits and it is a great alternative for synthetic insulation materials. This has become a huge trend with homeowners, and more people are using sheep’s wool to insulate their homes entirely. This insulation is compressed wool fibers that create tiny air pockets that provide that amazing insulating property to this material. Plus, it regulates moisture and it is completely recyclable.
Hemp
This type of insulation is derived from woody fibers from the hemp plant. It has a high thermal mass and low conductivity which is the perfect feature if you want to insulate your interior walls, floors, and roofs. Hemp insulation is also fire-resistant and waterproof and you can get any shape of it you want.
Insulation is an important part of any home. It helps preserve the heat, reduces carbon footprint, and offers amazing climate control in your home. However, traditional insulation has become less wanted as it does contain harmful chemicals. That is why homeowners are starting to switch to more natural options, the ones that are recyclable and safe.