Some good savings on winter heating and summer air-conditioning costs are provided by a well-insulated house. In fact, new insulation generally pays for itself in three to five years. But some insulation materials can pose a health hazard, especially if they’re installed or handled incorrectly.
Glass fiber, known as fiberglass or glass wool, is used more than any other insulation material: it’s cheap, easy to install, and resists fire and moisture. Most modern wood-frame houses are insulated with fiberglass. Loose-fill insulation made of fiberglass, cellulose (recycled paper), mineral wool (or rock wool), or cotton fiber is often blown or poured into areas where insulation is lacking. Foam insulation, which must be installed professionally, is injected from a pressurized tank into wall cavities. Rigid boards of pressed fiberglass, polystyrene, or polyurethane (which emits cyanide gas when ignited) are used to insulate exterior walls and wood floors.
Glass fibers can cause adverse reactions, such as irritated skin and eyes, stuffy nose, and scratchy throat, when touched or inhaled. Although some questions remain about their potential health effects, according to US health authorities it is unlikely that fiberglass (and other man-made vitreous fibers) are a significant risk to the general population.
Cellulose is popular and inexpensive but has several drawbacks: it is treated with a fire retardant, such as boric acid; it can be damaged by moisture, insects, and rodents; and it tends to settle. Some people may be sensitive to boric acid or the dyes, inks, and other chemicals contained in cellulose.
Here are some safety precautions to take when choosing and installing home insulation:
– Wear a particle-filter dusk mask when installing any type of insulation. When handling fiberglass, also wear clothes that cover the entire body, gloves, and protective goggles.
– Make sure all fiberglass insulation is sealed off around electrical outlets and windows.
– When insulating a room, seal off the area from the rest of the house; a new house should not be occupied until the insulation has been installed.
– Opt for encapsulated (plastic-covered) fiberglass that, except when cut, prevents any contact with the insulation. One brand is made of specially twisted fibers that are less likely to break off into the air when cut.
– Consider an alternative to fiberglass, including natural cork (which is very expensive), or Air Krete, a nontoxic, formaldehyde-free foam.
Asbestos, widely used to insulate water pipes, furnaces, and boilers before 1980, can cause respiratory illness or lung cancer if its fibers are inhaled. Urea-formaldehyde, a type of foam insulation popular in the 1970s, can emit formaldehyde gas if it is improperly installed. This causes eye and lung irritation, headaches, and dizziness in some individuals. Both materials are no longer installed. So if you think your home has asbestos or urea-formaldehyde insulation, get a professional evaluation. Don’t try to remove it yourself.
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