Green Building: 4 Types Of Healthy Insulation

Typical house insulation is made of fiber glass and is unfortunately treated with hazardous fire retardant chemicals that can outgas up to 7 years. The fiber glass material itself can irritate skin and damage your lungs if breathed in, plus the formaldehyde can cause allergic reactions such as skin rashes, nausea, burning, and coughing - (not to mention it gave laboratory rats cancer). There weren't too many other choices of effective insulation on the market for quite a while, but (finally) now you can keep your home properly insulated with materials that are not only healthier for you but also much more gentle on the planet!

Here's some options:

1. Thermo Hemp - I really love the idea of hemp insulation knowing hemp is naturally mold resistant, super strong, bug resistant, and a swatch of hemp fabric is the oldest piece of textile ever found by archaeologists! Here is some more info: "Provides effective vapour permeability giving you a naturally healthy indoor living atmosphere. Because Thermo-Hemp has naturally excellent diffusion properties, the automatic regulation of moisture can be achieved. This in turn provides the occupant with a naturally healthy indoor living atmosphere. As the fibres in Thermo-Hemp do not contain protein there is no requirement for the treatment of the insulation material for moths or beetles. Oppressive warmth entering the internal structure by summer sunshine is stored by Thermo-Hemp so that it can be given off again when external conditions become cooler. Only a sufficient amount of heat is allowed to pass through to the internal structure ensuring a comfortable internal living atmosphere."

2. Recycled Denim - A super low impact way to insulate any space that won't be getting too much moisture. Instead of using the usual fire prevention chemical they saturate the denim in borates. Here some info: "UltraTouch (denim insulation) is manufactured using post-industrial denim and cotton fibers that we source from denim manufacturing facilities. UltraTouch contains over 85% recycled denim and cotton fibers. UltraTouch does not itch, is easy to handle and requires no protective clothing to install. UltraTouch is manufactured to breathe or accept and release the moisture it receives in a timely manner. UltraTouch also acts as an excellent pest, mold, and mildew inhibitor."

3. Icynene - This is the foamy stuff that is blown into the walls or ceiling and expands into the space. It is a single cell foam, but Icynene is not like the stuff you get from Home Depot or Lowes , those contain harsh chemicals that can cause allergies for most people. Here is some info: "Icynene manufactures its products with three objectives in mind – to create Healthier, Quieter, More Energy Efficient® indoor environments. Icynene's products are suitable for steel- or wood- framed residential or commercial construction. No project is too small or too big, and no area or shape is too difficult to insulate. Every Icynene product is created so that trade professionals and homeowners can reap the benefits of a comfortable, energy efficient and healthier indoor environment."

4. Formaldyhde Free Fiber Glass - If you are on a budget and green building materials are just way out of your price range, yet you are in need of insulation that doesn't contain harmful chems, you can special order formaldehyde free insulation through your local building supply distributor. It barely costs but a few cents more per piece and won't be out gassing into your home for years. It still requires care when installing because the fiber glass is dangerous to breathe and touch.
I have used this type of insulation before in a home I renovated and found that it worked awesome. It comes in lots of levels of thickness, including higher then the standard R 14.

If I was building my very own eco hut right now, I think my first choice would be the hemp insulation. Have you used any of these low impact choices before?