Thread: Insulation identification

Please identify this insulation.

Thank you Chip Roberson

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Looks a lot like this?

http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_i...html#post81613

And kinda like this: http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_i...html#post82274

That looks like what is known as "Balsam wool / wool insulation".

rick

Thank you all very much!!!

Chip

In our neck of the woods it's called Rockwool.

Nope, thats not Rockwool

rick

Originally Posted by Randy Navarro

In our neck of the woods it's called Rockwool.

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

Nope, thats not Rockwool

rick

Rick is correct, that is not rock wool.

Rock wool is similar to fiberglass except that fiberglass is made from melted glass spun out into strands, whereas rock wool is made from rocks which are melted and spun into strands. Rock wool has a higher melting temperature than fiberglass.

Both fiberglass and rock wool are considered "mineral insulation" as both are made from minerals.

Okey dokey.

Balsam wool.

Originally Posted by Randy Navarro

Okey dokey.

Balsam wool.

Balsam wooD.

However, I would not necessarily specify the the species of wooD used and would go with the other name Rick used: wood insulation, or, more specifically, 'wood fiber insulation'.

That is that wood shavings as in 'saw dust' nor the wood shavings as in the old 'excelsior' I mentioned on the other thread - that stuff is curly shavings, like from planing or drilling.

Those wood shavings are more like 'shredded wood'.

I just would not identify the species of wood used unless you knew what species of wood was used.

Yes it IS called "Balsa wooL". Called "Balsa Batt" if it is/was encased in paper. Originally treated with hydrated lime to make it fire, insect, and rot resistant; later versions treated with borax or borites to make it resistant to insects, rot, and flame retardant. Treatment wears off over time if exposed to moisture (which is what the impregnated paper lining for the balsa batt was intended to prevent).

The all-encompasing general term would be cellulose insulation (not just "paper pulp" it includes any cellulosic sourced material).

Very common in pre 1930s construction in Northern areas. It didn't necessarily have to be made from Balsa Wood to be called that, became a generic term, whether made from cedar, hickory, balsa, etc. that it was shreaded or pounded and light weight (and saw dust in the balsa batt as well), like Kleenex (R) became generic for "facial tissue", "norge" was generic for refridgerator, Q-Tip (R) became generic for cotton swab, Baggie (R) became generic for clear poly bag for food storage, etc.

Realty Times - Everything Old Is New Again, Even Insulation

Insulation handbook - Google Book Search

http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_i...html#post25020

You'd more likely encounter asphalt impregnated fiber board in Florida - the fibers from pressed sugar canes, and other plant fibers. Offered some insulative value over the framing but little shear value - usually mesh overtop before stucco or clips into masonry. Heat and time make it very brittle and easy to break up.

In California and the Pacific Northwest you may likely encounter Redwood fibers making up the majority of "balsa wool" or "balsa batt" like cellulose insulation.

Looks like "Chewbacca turds"! Better get the pest guy in there, a BIG one!

Yes, it is called balsa "wood" insulation.

Alternative Insulation - Alternative insulation, fiber glass, green insulation, houses, homes

Identifying Old Insulation

There are many links to balsa wood being used for many types of insulating purposes and in many forms, with balsa wood insulation being just one of them.

I also found the same references Watson found, however, there were but only a very few using the term balsa wool.

Also, while balsa wood is the predominate wood used for insulation due to its light weight and thermal properties, other woods were used as they were locally available, thus, I still say I would 'not' call it "balsa" wood insulation ... it 'could be a different species of wood', so I would just call it 'wood fiber insulation', as I said above.

Jerry, you're right. Good job.

Could it be coconut husks?

Originally Posted by Randy Navarro

Jerry, you're right. Good job.

Now you did it! Jerry won't be able to sleep for a week.