subject: Sheep Wool Insulation - The Natural Wool Alternative To Fiberglass [print this page] Sheep wool insulation is the natural wool alternative to fiberglass for your home. There are many green, health and financial benefits to choosing to install this type of insulation in your house. Of course, wool has been keeping sheep warm forever so why not humans? For those homeowners who want a healthier alternative to fiberglass, 100% natural wool is the logical choice.
Sheep wool insulation material is better than fiberglass, cellulose or mineral wool because of the unique structure of each individual wool fiber. Each fiber is crimped and this special shape can hold and retain heated air trapped in millions of tiny pockets. Because of this, the R value (resistance to heat flow) of approximately is 3.5 to 3.8 per square inch. The crimped nature of the fibers also helps retain the structure and its thickness does not flatten, as is the case with other types of insulators.
Wool has a unique quality of being able to hold 30% to 40% of its weight in moisture without having any negative effect on its thermal characteristics. Only wool, among all other fibers, natural or inorganic, has this ability.
Wool is also an excellent choice for noise dampening and for acoustic insulation. Normally it would be installed between walls and under floor boards for this purposes. A typical 2 inch thick insulation roll can successfully block out the noise of 44 decibels.
Sheep wool insulation gives several health benefits over the lifetime of its use to the homeowner and his or her family. Wool does not make people with respiratory problems sick because the fibers are too thick to get into the respiratory system and they are allergen free.
The green advantages of wool are considerable. It has a very long life span as an insulating material and it comes from a naturally renewable and sustainable source. There is considerably less non renewable energy expended in the making of wool installation.
Wool insulation can add value to a property and can be installed without wearing special gear or equipment.
The appeal of sheep wool insulation has greater health protection, lower costs, greater savings, and sustainability though using a naturally occurring resource. It is the ideal choice for the homes of today and tomorrow for green families who want healthier indoor environments.
