Cellulose Insulation Myths

Like any other insulation material you may choose, cellulose installation has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is highly effective, eco-friendly, and is considered safer compared to other insulation materials. It is best to gain a better understanding of its pros and cons, ensure that it is ideal for what you require, then consult an expert who can guarantee high-quality installation and reduce cellulose insulation problems.  Here are some myth busters that are good to know:

It can settle

Cellulose that is dense-packed does not settle, simply because it cannot. It is installed twice its settled density, meaning it is under slight pressure in the ceiling or wall cavity. You may have seen home show displays which show cellulose settling, or even worse, being blown around in a box! These are nothing but tricks. They purposely did it just to promote the myth that cellulose settles in your walls and greatly help them sell you some other product. Now that you know, don't be fooled by this myth. It is definitely not among cellulose insulation problems that can come up.

Produces funny smells

You might have heard that when it rains, your ceiling could smell like wet newspapers. This is another myth. Cellulose insulations made from all borate formulations were designed to resist fire, pests and mold and borate is an odorless mineral. It does not outgas, which definitely would not produce funny smells. Some cellulose manufacturers use an ammonium sulfate and borate mix that can bring about objectionable odors, but only under the right and extreme, worse conditions. However, if you rely on all borate formulations, you will surely never have this problem, no matter what.

R-Value

R-values are measured in labs and are determined by one of the four ways by which heat moves through a wall. Therefore, R-value only measures how well heat movement through the insulation material is resisted by the insulation itself. So even if the R-value numbers of products are the same, it does not mean that they will yield the same performance.

It will burn

The thought that cellulose is made of newspapers and it can burn fast is a myth. The recycled content of cellulose is primarily a combination of over-issue newsprints, in higher quantities than its other composition, which is other ground wood paper sources. These paper are infused with the naturally occuring mineral, borate, and is fully reduced to cellulose fiber or fiberized. Borate gives cellulose its Class A fire rating quality. Truth is, a cellulose insulated structure is actually safer than other types of insulation material, because the borate treated cellulose has properties that limit the spread of fire and also does not yield any smoke.