2 Recycled Insulation Products For The Ultimate In Green Home Building
With an increase in interest in sustainable building design, coupled with the rising costs of electricity, effective insulation has become a vital inclusion in house construction. If you, like so many other Australians, wish to create a home that stays warmer in winter and cooler in summer in a more energy passive manner, then you've no doubt given insulation some careful consideration when planning your house design.
If you're serious about creating a truly eco-friendly abode, then you may have some concerns about how environmentally friendly some of the standard materials used for insulation purposes are. Using petroleum based spray insulation or aluminium lined reflective sheets, both of which create toxic pollutants during the manufacturing process, may negate the eco-friendly credentials they'll add to your home. Fortunately, there are several sustainable insulation options that will provide the same effectiveness without the negative environmental impact, and here are two of them.
1. Earthwool insulation
Earthwool insulation is a product that uses recycled glass as its primary material. Using a recycled base material makes Earthwool a far more sustainable option than many other insulation types, which require raw, non-renewable materials to manufacture them.
Earthwool insulation comes in a variety of sizes, and can be used equally well to insulate your home's roof, walls, or floor. The use of glass, as well as the manufacturer's patented ECOSE technology, make this type of insulation impervious to insect infestation, moisture absorption, or microbial growth, all without the use of harmful chemical additives.
2. Spray-in glass wool
Like Earthwool, spray-in glass wool is made using recycled glass. It's light, almost cotton wool-like, appearance belies how effective it is as an insulation product. The combination of minute glass particles and the pockets of air between the particles, create a formidable barrier against heat and cold for your home.
Because it's a spray-in insulation, glass wool is ideal for use when constructing a home using hollow block work. The spray-in glass wool can reach and fill cavities that aren't suitable for using insulating batts or rolls in. This type of insulation is also perfect for filling in the small gaps around plumbing fittings and electricity conduits that more traditional products might neglect.
Effective insulation is essential to creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly home with low energy requirements. With these two insulation products, you'll also have the peace of mind that not only will your home be optimally insulated, the products themselves are intrinsically green and renewable because of the nature of their materials and the manufacturing process.
