Winter is Coming: Keep Your Home Warm with Green Insulation

For much of the country, fall is in the air and the nights
and early mornings are starting to dip below freezing. For some, it's a welcome
change from hot summer days and sticky summer nights. Other folks aren't so
fond of the cold weather, counting the days until spring peeks its head through
the chilly frost, producing colorful flowers and warm days once again.

Unfortunately, there are those of us who have to live with
the cold and many who live in older, drafty houses that sometimes chill to the
bone. I have a friend who lives in a beautiful Victorian home in suburban
Philadelphia that's simply stunning but fails to keep its residents warm and
toasty during sometimes bitter cold months like January and February. This
long-time friend recently decided to do something more about the poor
insulation in her 100+-year-old home, noting that her aging bones and muscles
weren't dealing with the chill the way they once did.

Being more of a money-saver than a green proponent, she
began to research the "cheapest' way to upgrade the insulation in her huge
home, which has three stories, five bedrooms, and lots of high ceilings. Before
she made any definite decisions, a few eco-conscious friends encouraged her to
investigate some alternatives to the classic pink fiberglass stuff that has
been wreaking havoc with people's health for decades. Fiberglass is destined -
according to many experts - to someday be "the new asbestos". These experts
expect to soon see an onslaught of lawsuits connected to the use of fiberglass,
not unlike the lawsuits for asbestos-caused mesothelioma lawyer
cases that clog the court dockets today, with individuals like shipbuilders and
construction workers seeking mesothelioma
settlements for the severe health problems they now face.

My friend was pleasantly surprised at her options and soon
decided that going green wasn't all that expensive and may be the right
direction for her, especially since she suffers from severe allergies at
particular seasons of the year. She investigated three options;

• Cellulose
  - Some people chuckle when they learn that this insulation product is simply
  finely-shredded newsprint treated with a chemical to reduce mold and strengthen
  fire and heat resistance. They don't laugh, however, when they learn that
  statistics show it reduces energy bills as much as 20-25 percent per year. It's
  become one of the most popular green insulating materials on the market.
• Cotton fiber -
  Not unlike cellulose, cotton fiber insulation has been known to also reduce
  annual energy costs. It's generally crafted from a batted cotton material like
  denim then treated with borate - a natural fire-retardant - which obviously
  increases its fire resistance. Some people jokingly call it "Blue Jean
  Insulation." But the best reason to use it is that it's TOTALLY non-toxic,
  releasing no off-gasses. One popular brand, Ultra Touch by Bonded Logic, was
  recently touted in Newsweek magazine.
• Spray Polyurethane Foams - My friend wasn't
  so impressed with some of these because, after some research, she discovered
  that many of them release PBDEs (polybrominated diethyl ethers), which -
  studies show - can cause some mental health problems. One variety, icynene,
  does not contain PBDEs, but its installation turned out to be rather expensive.
  If you're willing to foot the bill, however, icynene works well and reduces
  energy bills by up to 35 percent, manufacturers say.

Ultimately, my friend went with
the "Blue Jean Insulation." I think she somehow liked to imagine recycled Levis
lining the attic in her grand Victorian home. Though winter hasn't fully set in
yet, she says she notices the difference and already feels like the air in her
home is more pure. She's probably right.