Is Home Insulation Flammable?
Cellulose Insulation is Not Flammable
However, it can be if not treated correctly. Cellulose insulation is a great insulation choice for many reasons. It’s a cheaper insulation option that still provides great heat trapping properties, and is environmentally conscience as it is made from retired materials. Most cellulose insulation is made of about 75-80% recycled fibers, like denim or newspaper- even cardboard! Cellulose insulation gives a second life to many products that would otherwise be simply placed in a landfill, but are instead treated and repurposed for your home. However- these materials on their own are highly flammable. Shreds of paper, fabric, and carboard can easily catch fire if they aren’t otherwise treated. That’s why insulation experts near me always use cellulose insulation that has been treated with flame-retardant chemicals. These turn an otherwise highly flammable product into a flame-resistant material that will still do an excellent job at keeping your home warm during the winter and cool during the summer. If you’re still worried about just how well these chemicals work, you can talk with a local insulation contractor today. They can answer all of your questions, and even explain how certain chemicals are used, and why. If you want to learn more about Residential Insulation in Brooklyn Center MN, reach out to our insulation experts at Century Insulation today.
Spray Foam Insulation is a Fire Resistant Product
Spray foam insulation is another excellent type of insulation that can help protect your home from fire. If you’re worried about the chemicals used in cellulose, then you should consider spray foam insulation as an alternative. This product is made up of a water base, and it expands up to 100 times its original size when sprayed into place by an expert spray foam insulation installer. It’s a highly effective way to insulate your home, and there are no harmful chemicals included in this type of product when installed correctly. However, as spray foam insulation is plastic, it- like all plastics, is not fire proof. This doesn’t mean that it is a fire accelerant. In fact, spray foam insulation has a “class 1 hour fire rating”; meaning that this insulation will resist exposure to a standardized fire for at least an hour. This is great news for homeowners, as it means that your home’s insulation can help control the spread of fire, even if it itself is not 100% fire proof.
Fiberglass is Naturally Fire Resistant
If you’re worried about the chemicals Cellulose fibers need to be fire proof, or the fact that spray foam insulation is fire resistant but not fire proof, then fiberglass insulation may just be the perfect solution for you. This material is catches fire only at extremely high temperatures (370 degrees Fahrenheit, to be exact), and are no-combustible without needing any additional chemicals to assist it. We all worry about the safety of our homes, that’s why it’s best to contact a local insulation installer and talk over your options and concerns before moving forward with any final option. As far as installation goes, you’ll want to make sure that the installer has all of the proper certifications in order to ensure that they’re doing their job properly. This is especially important if you go with a spray foam system because it’s much more complicated than simply laying down fiberglass or cellulose. No matter what option you choose, we hope that this article has helped you to understand how each of these insulation materials resists fires in their own unique ways, and we hope that it has helped you narrow down which option you think will be best for your home.
At Century Insulation, our goal is to keep your home warm during the winter and cool during the summer. We offer services in Fiberglass Insulation, Cellulose Insulation, Spray Foam Insulation, Attic Insulation, Waterproofing, Energy Insulation Rebates, and more! Have a question about our services? Check out our FAQ page to find an answer, or contact us for more help. Our experts provide insulation services all throughout the Twin Cities and beyond. Check below for a full list of locations we service!
We offer our expert insulation services in the following cities in Minnesota:
Minneapolis| Roseville| St Paul| Coon Rapids| Brooklyn Park| Minnetonka| Edina| Woodbury| Lakeville| Eden Prairie| Fridley| Maplewood| Shoreview| Arden Hills| Mounds View| Maple Grove| Shakopee| Chanhassen| Rogers| Plymouth| Golden Valley| Victoria| Champlin| Chaska| Prior Lake| Savage| Hopkins| Andover| St Louis Park| New Brighton| Apple Valley| Burnsville| Ramsey| Anoka| Crystal| Ham Lake| Bloomington | Blaine| New Hope| Richfield| Spring Lake Park| Columbia Heights| Brooklyn Center| Eagan| Little Canada| Mendota Heights| Oakdale| Vadnais Heights| White Bear Lake| Stillwater| Centerville| Falcon Heights| Forest Lake| Gem Lake| Hugo| Lino Lakes| Lauderdale| Mahtomedi| North Oaks| Wyoming| Hudson| Lake Elmo| Grant| Bayport| Newport| Pine Springs| Inver Grove Heights| Rosemount| Orno| St Cloud| Brooklyn Park| St Michael| St Anthony| Hastings