McFarlane Insulation

Benefits

A mere 2% in voids and gaps associated with normal fiber glass batt insulation can result in an actual decrease in thermal performance of 14-42% less than the batts labeled R-Value.

According to a study at the University of Colorado on cellulose insulations superiority to fiberglass, Cellulose Insulation achieves a lighter building cavity and is 26-36% more efficient than fiberglass! Two structures were built identical in every respect but the insulation material. Blower door tests demonstrated that the structure filled with cellulose insulation was 36-38% lighter than the fiberglass and the structure filled with cellulose insulation went on to use 26.6% less energy for heating.

With Cellulose’s high density and custom fit around obstacles, Cellulose Insulation is able to deliver and maintain its effective R-Value against other forms of heat transfer through the buildings envelope (convection and radiation) while, in comparison, other insulations perform poorly.

Thermal Performance

Applegate Cellulose Insulation is one of a few building materials in your home that is commonly treated with fire retardants. Applegate takes fire safety a step further by using a unique, two stage process that injects dry and liquid fire retardants to saturate the fibers.

The result is exceptional insulation that meets or exceeds required fire safety standards, helping protect you and your family. This means that occupants have more time to reach safety in case of fire. Unlike fiberglass, Applegate greatly restricts the amount of oxygen available to support combustion.

 

Fire Resistance

Applegate Increases Fire resistance by 50%!

(Length of time to wall failure (minutes))

Environmentally Preferred

Recycled Content– Cellulose Insulation is made with 100 percent recycled newsprint, an excellent, high-quality, end-use for materials that may otherwise be dumped into landfills. In fact insulating a 155 square foot home with cellulose insulation recycles as much newsprint as an individual uses in 40 years!

 

Manufacturing Energy– Manufacturing Fiberglass to insulate the same sized structure to the same R-

Value, consumes 7 times more energy than it does to manufacture cellulose and to manufacture polystyrene consumes as much as 30 times more energy!

Emissions– Standing outside of a cellulose insulation plant, one can hear humming motors, but there are no smoke plumes and no odors because there are virtually zero emissions. Fiberglass is produced in large blast furnaces that burn natural gas, generate enormous amounts of chemicals (formaldehyde, urea, acetate, chlorides, etc.) and release greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

You can breathe easy with cellulose insulation!

Air Quality

Many common building materials release and/or contain fairly dangerous substances. For example, particleboard emits formaldehyde. Carpeting outgases volatile organic compounds. Fiberglass insulation is listed as a potential carcinogen, containing respirable glass fibers, and potentially formaldehyde. Applegate cellulose insulation has none of these concerns. In fact Dr. Arthur Frost, one of the world’s foremost toxicologists, states, “In essence, the dusts from cellulose insulation materials can be considered as any household dusts. Cellulose, per se, is non toxic. Biologically cellulose is innocuous.”

Donna Reynolds of the American Lung Association says, “Poor indoor air quality affects millions of worker’s health, decreases productivity, and increases the amount of sick leave.” Perhaps that’s why the American Lung Association of Virginia chose Applegate Insulation to insulate their 12,000 sq. ft. Breathe Easy office complex. Applegate helps ALA-VA realize their primary goal of minimizing air pollutants.

Take a look at some of the health concerns and see how Applegate stacks up against traditional fiberglass.

Images and Data Courtesy of Applegate Insulation

License # 13VH02262900