Staple insulation between the wall studs and ceiling joists image a.
Old attic walls made of paper.
If your attic or wall insulation is in batt or blanket form whether it s fiberglass cellulose or another material you generally don t have to be concerned about asbestos.
Loose fill insulation comes in a variety of materials.
Made from a reflective material such as aluminum foil over a substrate like kraft paper or foam board.
The most common blown in material used but it can rot and grow moldy if exposed to moisture.
Truevalue stores offer cocoon insulation at less than 10 per 19 pound bag.
Not measured in r values.
The types of insulation that were most commonly made with asbestos are loose fill also called blown in insulation.
Designed to keep your home cool.
Fibers from rock or recycled slag from blast furnaces.
One of the more sophisticated products lately is spray foam insulation.
Cellulose insulation an eco friendly alternative to conventional insulation primarily comprises newspaper shreds.
How to replace it.
There are a couple creative yet expensive ways i would consider retroactively insulating the walls of an old house if you are in a far northern climate where it might make financial sense.
You can install it in your home usually in the attic to save energy and insulate the house.
Home depot sells greenfiber in individual bales by the pallet and offers an all borate product.
Handy homeowners can install blown in insulation in the attic.
Most often used for attics since most heat enters through the attic.
It likely has the same 100 year old kraft paper behind it that provides virtually no water proofing support.
As we mentioned at the beginning insulation has come a long way in the past several years.
If building a knee wall for storage like karl did with this project make sure to insulate that area as well.
Manufactured by greenfiber it also contains up to.
Please note simply placing your old clothes around the attic constitutes a fire hazard not to mention a possible nesting haven for rodents.
Always read manufacturers instructions and safety guidelines before beginning your project.
Greenfiber is described by the manufacturer as made with up to 85 recycled material and has an r value of 3 7 per inch.
It is priced at about 12 for a 19 pound bag.
Best for attics unfinished walls ceilings floors and attached garages in hot climates.
Recycled clothing insulation has been properly treated for fire safety.
Don t mash or compress the insulation into the space.
It needs a certain amount of loft to work properly.
Fibers from recycled post consumer paper that are treated for insect and fire resistance.
Use r 30 insulation for the ceiling and r 13 for the walls.