VACAVILLE, CA, Mar 28, 2024—While there are many different options for home insulation, the more traditional standards tend to be fiberglass, polystyrene and rock wool. However, these synthetic materials—which often contain harsh, irritating chemicals—aren't the only choices out there. As eco sensitivity grows, more and more consumers are choosing natural options for keeping their homes warm.
“Natural insulations have lower toxicity levels, making them healthier to have in your home, and better for the environment,” Stephen Spencer, Bev Dorsett & Sue and Steve Kappel, Broker/Owners of Coldwell Banker - Kappel Gateway explains.
In the following article, Sue and Steve Kappel takes us through some organic insulation options to keep you toasty all winter long, naturally.
Recycled textiles. Insulation made from old blue jeans? Yep, that's a thing. Cotton insulation batts—made from jeans and other old fabrics—perform just as well as fiberglass, but without that nasty formaldehyde.
Wood fiber. Wood fiber and/or hemp fiber is highly permeable, allowing moisture to pass easily through. However, it can be highly flammable, which can obviously pose a great risk.
Expanded cork. Cork performs well with both heating and cooling your home, and contains no synthetics. “This insulation option is the most environmentally friendly, and the most efficient, but unfortunately, it is also the most expensive,” Sue and Steve Kappel explains.
Sheep’s wool. Sheep's wool is an excellent insulation that actually doubles as an air filtration system, naturally pulling chemicals from the air. “Depending on your location, there are many options for finding sheep's wool insulation,” says Sue and Steve Kappel. You can look for wool batts, created from wool waste leftover by the textile-industry, or wool sheared directly from sheep.
Whatever natural insulation option you choose, be sure to work with a qualified installer to assure your home is properly—and safely—insulated.
For more real estate and home improvement information, please contact Coldwell Banker - Kappel Gateway at info@kappelgateway.com, 707-427-5344, or Coldwell Banker - Kappel Gateway.