Are You Insulated?

(Page 10 of 10)

December/January 1995
By Edward Harland 
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Softboard R-Value 2.7 per inch
Low-density fiber board should not be forgotten although its use has largely been overtaken by plastic foams.

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Cork granules R-Value 2.5 per inch
Cork granules—made from the bark of a type of oak and used for loose fill insulation.

Compressed straw slabs R-Value 1.6 per inch
Used where some rigidity in insulation is required. Straw slabs must also be kept dry.

Sheep's wool matting R-Value 4.0 per inch
Wool is now being made into various insulation products and can withstand a fair degree of moisture.

Glass-wool/Rock-wool etc. R-Values 3.0, loose 3.5
To make these fibers into usable products such as batts, slabs or pellets for blowing, around 10% phenol-formaldehyde resins are added. Glass-wool production can entail the creation of glass fibers of a small enough size to be as carcinogenic as asbestos. It is therefore very important to wear a mask and protective clothing when handling it.

Foamed glass R-Value 2.8 per Inch
Available in slab form-particularly suitable for underground construction and green roofs.

Plastic foams R-Values 4.5 to 6.0 per inch
Plastic foams such as polystyrene and polyethylene all share a similar environmental impact and there is sometimes little to distinguish them. They are mainly polluting in their production. They can give off toxic fumes when burnt so they are best avoided in surface applications.

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