Cotton insulation?

[jkp1187]

Just wondering if anyone had any experience with recycled cotton insulation? Pros & cons?

We have an exposed area above our laundry room that needs to have batts put down to block off the ceiling over the garage. I'd prefer not to use fiberglass (which is what's there now,) b/c it's the laundry room, and exposed to the 'living space'.

Thanks in advance.

[Xringer]

Sounds like good stuff from what I've read. Here's one how-to
Installing Ultra Touch (recycled cotton denim) insulation

It seems like the only 'con' is the price. And maybe availability.

I used some white fiberglass batts (Johns Manville) from Lowes last winter and I'm not sure,
but they may have added some kind of acrylic coating or something to the fibers,
since I was hot and sweaty (in the attic) and never really got the skin irritation
that I normally get when I've installed fiberglass in the past..
I did use a mask, but could not use the goggles over my glasses, since
they kept fogging up.. Just regular safety glasses without side blocks
and no eye irritation at all.

Maybe this is the reason??
Install Batt Insulation | How to install Fiber Glass Insulation

"thermal and acoustical insulation made of long, resilient glass fibers bonded with an acrylic thermosetting Formaldehyde-free™ binder."

[Ryland]

I really like blown in cellulose, it's made out of recycled paper, cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed crops, so I wonder if there is something better we can do with old cotton.

[rhizomatic]

I noticed Lowes and Home Depot seem to stock R-19 UltraTouch denim. I'm thinking of using it for the crawlspace. The reviews I find online are positive. I wonder, has anyone here installed it since this thread was first posted in 2009. Any updates to share? How has it held up for you? Here is an Instructable on it: Installing Ultra Touch (recycled cotton denim) insulation. Seems pretty much the same process as fiberglass, but without the fiberglass... what's the downside?

[Xringer]

The only thing I can think of is the price and maybe the weight.?.
How does it compare $/SqFt wise with FG insulation?

Looking at some of the install pics, it looks like pretty good stuff.

[Daox]

I guess for batt type insulation its nice, but I'd still go with cellulose everywhere possible because of its price (last I checked the cotton was $$$) and it has a higher r-value per inch.

[rhizomatic]

Originally Posted by Daox

I guess for batt type insulation its nice, but I'd still go with cellulose everywhere possible because of its price (last I checked the cotton was $$$) and it has a higher r-value per inch.

Yeah, I agree, but in this case I am doing the subfloor in my spookily shallow crawl space. I'll be looking into it more. I am wondering if I'll be able to get it locally with some sort of vapor barrier, like the fiberglass has. Getting the denim shipped makes it horribly pricey. If I can't get what I need in my local stores I'll probably have to use the fiberglass under the house.

[S-F]

Cons:
Price
Low R Value
Poor hhygroscopic value

Pros:
Ease of installation?

If cellulose isn't an option I'd just carefully install regular unfaced R-19 fibreglass and cover it with a vapor impermeable rigid insulation. Just imagine how nasty that stuff would be in 10 years.

[GaryGary]

Originally Posted by rhizomatic

Yeah, I agree, but in this case I am doing the subfloor in my spookily shallow crawl space. I'll be looking into it more. I am wondering if I'll be able to get it locally with some sort of vapor barrier, like the fiberglass has. Getting the denim shipped makes it horribly pricey. If I can't get what I need in my local stores I'll probably have to use the fiberglass under the house.

Hi,
Have you thought about doing a conditioned crawl space and insulating the crawl space wall and rim joist instead of the ceiling above?

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects...Space29238.pdf


I did this on my crawl space, and it has worked out well.

Gary

[rhizomatic]

Originally Posted by GaryGary

Hi,
Have you thought about doing a conditioned crawl space and insulating the crawl space wall and rim joist instead of the ceiling above?

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects...Space29238.pdf


I did this on my crawl space, and it has worked out well.

Gary

I just read the link. Thanks. I have had this recommended to me, and while it's interesting, it seems a bit outside my DIY ability, which is important. The space is quite tiny. And the ground is uneven in there, so cutting insulation for the walls would be trickier, it seems to me. I'm also concerned about the possibility of water infiltration into the space--and the mold formation that could follow. Lastly, I might want to hire someone to do some foundation work for me, which would require removing the insulation. I'm gonna stick to the subfloor itself.