Greenest Insulation Products for the Home

By Sarah Lozanova, Clean Energy Writer
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​Pliny the Elder was the first to write that home is where the heart is, but many older homes are drafty and have cold floors and uneven temperatures that can chill an environmentally aware heart. Do you remember the nursery rhyme about a cold, old house where even the mouse is cold? The good news for the mouse and anyone else concerned is that there are many weatherization products on the market to make homes more comfortable and energy efficient. Insulation is one of them.

You might think that any insulation product that lasts decades and saves a decent amount of energy would be green. Unfortunately, many of the home insulation products on the market contain potent greenhouse gases or release chemicals, degrading indoor air quality.

Whenever possible, choose insulation products that:

• Contain natural materials
• Do not off-gas potent VOCs or contain asbestos or formaldehyde
• Are GreenGuard-certified products
• Do not contain harmful flame retardants or binders

Why Is Home Insulation Important?
Home heating and cooling are responsible for nearly half of all home energy use. Insulation is important because heat flows from warmer to cooler spaces until there isn’t a temperature difference. In the winter, heat flows from heated spaces in homes to unheated attics, basements, garages and the outdoors. In the cooling season, heat flows from outside the home to the interior. Insulation stops the flow of heat.

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Image Credit: Ryo Chijiiwa

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