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On an episode of Renovation Nation, a fellow melted a penny in his hand with a blow torch. The only thing separating his palm from the caustic flames of the torch was a little, gray clump of insulation. The penny dissolved into a liquid, but the clod of insulation was only charred. The man dropped the molten money into a bucket and broke the insulation in half. It had only sustained surface damage. What could this miracle product be?
The insulation is known as cellulose insulation, and technically, it is an age-old form of insulation. Straw, corncobs and sawdust are all types of old-fashioned cellulose insulation. These antiquated insulations would hardly withstand a blow torch, but the modern, flame-retardant product is a marvel of green engineering.
The chemicals added to the cellulose insulation to protect against fire are non-toxic, and in the unlikely event of a fire, the vapors released are not poisonous either. Other forms of insulation have trouble making this claim.
Cellulose insulation is made from three-fourths recycled content with most of the non-recycled content being the fire-resistant chemicals.
The materials that compose cellulose don't contribute to global warming, and they are not known to cause health problems in those who manufacture the product. Plus, manufacturing cellulose insulation doesn't require as much energy as manufacturing other forms of insulation. The incombustible chemicals, borax and boric acid, are also easier to mine than the chemicals found in fiberglass insulation.
When renovating your home, it might be a good time to think about cellulose insulation.
Want to create the perfect eco-nest? Get the nuts and bolts (pun intended!) on building green on Planet Green TV's Renovation Nation.
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