Balsam Wool Insulation was made from the following:
- Wood Fiber
- Liquid Fire Retardant impregnated into fiber (borax-based)
- Asphaltic binder to maintain loft
- Kraft paper backing
What is Balsam wool insulation?
"Balsam Wool" is a wood fiber product or "cellulose" insulation that was widely used in homes and in a variety of other applications in the U.S. from at least the 1930's. Synonyms for balsam wool insulation include wood fiber insulation, wood insulation, wood-wool insulation, and blackweld or blackwell insulation.
Is Balsam wool insect resistant?
Balsam wool, depending on the wood species used to produce it, may be naturally insect resistant (Balsam) as are cedar, cypress, and some other wood products. It might have been treated with a fire retardant, I don't yet know (am researching the question).
How can you tell the difference between asbestos and balsam wool?
Matt most forensic labs can identify different types of insulation; but there is little or no physical resemblance between balsam wool and asbestos, nor was asbestos used as a brown fiber enclosed in batts, nor does asbestos resemble long woody fibers. Take a look at the insulation; Balsm wool is usually pretty easy to identify by eye.
What is balsam fir wood?
Simply put, Balsam fir wood (derived from Balsam Fir trees) is a lightweight and light color wood that is soft and low in decay resistance. Although it’s great construction lumber and is used in the making of plywood, it is chiefly utilized in the manufacture of pulp due to its excellent pulping properties
What is Balsam wool made of?
Balsam wool insulating blanket used wood fibers from tree bark, wood pulp, or other lumber byproducts. As such it is a wood or cellulose product and not an asbestos-containing material.
When was balsam wool insulation used?
1930's"Balsam Wool" is a wood fiber product or "cellulose" insulation that was widely used in homes and in a variety of other applications in the U.S. from at least the 1930's.
Is Kimsul insulation asbestos?
Kimsul, looks like layered creped paper and is impregnated with asphalt. It is not known to contain asbestos. It was manufactured from the early-mid 1930s through the early 1950s.
What is in Rockwool insulation?
ROCKWOOL insulation is a rock-based mineral fiber insulation comprised of Basalt rock and Recycled Slag. Basalt is a volcanic rock (abundant in the earth), and slag is a by-product of the steel and copper industry. The minerals are melted and spun into fibers.
What type of insulation was used in old homes?
The 1950s through 1970s. Once a fire retardant was added, cellulose became a popular insulation material option. Foam insulation hit the scene in the 1970s and became another option for homeowners looking to make their homes more comfortable.
What type of attic insulation was used in 1950?
With the upsurge in home ownership during the baby boom, vermiculite insulation was a popular material in the 1950's, and continued with the energy crisis into the late 1970's.
Do houses built in the 1950s have asbestos?
Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos as insulation. Asbestos may be present in textured paint and patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints. Their use was banned in 1977. Artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces may contain asbestos.
Does old loft insulation contain asbestos?
Old insulation coverings used on plumbing and heating and ventilation plant can contain high percentages of asbestos. This type of insulation can deteriorate with age and, as a result, potentially release large quantities of asbestos fibres.
What percentage of asbestos is found in thermal insulation?
55-100 percentAsbestos lagging - Asbestos content 55-100 percent Asbestos lagging has been used for thermal insulation of pipes and boilers. It was widely used in public buildings and system-built flats during the 1960s to early 1970s in areas such as boiler houses and heating plants.
What are the disadvantages of Rockwool?
The only disadvantages of Rockwool are that it is not biodegradable and can be slightly more expensive than similar insulating materials like fiberglass and cellulose.
Does Rockwool have asbestos?
Rock Wool Manufacturing Company Facts Rock Wool still makes products for residential, industrial and commercial buildings as well as marine applications, none of which contains asbestos.
What type of insulation do mice not like?
Cellulose insulation is a deterrent for mice and other types of pests. Pests prefer solid materials where they can burrow and nest. The dry composition of the insulation makes it difficult for most pests and mice to survive.
What type of insulation was used in 1960?
While fiberglass and cellulose rose to popularity some years apart from each other, they were the mainstay of insulation during the 1960s and onward (thanks to the fall of asbestos).
What is vermiculite insulation?
Vermiculite in insulation is a pebble-like, blown-in product and usually light-brown or gold in color. Sizes of vermiculite products range from very fine particles to large (coarse) pieces nearly an inch long. If you have vermiculite insulation in your attic, you should assume that the material may contain asbestos.
What is balsam wool?
Kevin the article BALSAM WOOL BATT INSULATION opens with#N#"Balsam Wool" is a wood fiber product or "cellulose" insulation that was widely used in homes and in a variety of other applications in the U.S. from at least the 1930's.
When was balsam wool insulation installed?
What type of tape will stick to the insulation or is there another material that can be used. Otherwise the insulation which was installed around 1978 is in good shape.
What type of paper is used for fiberglass batts?
The paper used with fiberglass insulation is often just that, paper. The two common varities of facing for fiberglass batts are aluminum-foil faced paper or kraft paper that is more brown or tan in color. Often the fiberglass is bonded to the paper facing by asphalt or an equivalent adhesive.
What color are batts?
The batts have a plain light brown, thin paper front and solid black, thicker paper back. There are no markings/brands/labels of any kind. The side seam is black. The insulation is heavier than fiberglass and clumped and just falls right out, since the paper is now brittle. It is a tan color and short fibers.
Is balsam wool asbestos?
Balsam wool is a wood product, not asbestos. I think your balsam wool insulation, enclosed in a foil facing or reflective liner / barrier, is a Weyerhauser product. The product imprint includes "Reflective Liner Blanket Insulation and Double-Thick".
Is balsam wool insulation good?
Robin#N#What is the concern here? Balsam Wool insulation is a perfectly acceptable insulating material as long as it's in place and intact. Any insulation that is ripped, fallen, torn, dirty, or "missing" is of course something worth correcting.
Is balsam wool insulation easy to recognize?
Thanks for the added comment, Balsam. It's helpful to our readers. I agree that Balsam wool insulation is rather easy to recognize, as shown in the photos in the article BALSAM WOOL BATT INSULATION
What is balsam chemistry?
Chemistry. Balsam is a solution of plant-specific resins in plant-specific solvents ( essential oils ). Such resins can include resin acids, esters, or alcohols. The exudate is a mobile to highly viscous liquid and often contains crystallized resin particles.
What is balsam sap?
Balsam is the resinous exudate ( or sap) which forms on certain kinds of trees and shrubs. Balsam (from Latin balsamum "gum of the balsam tree", ultimately from Semitic, Aramaic busma, Arabic balsam and Hebrew basam, "spice", "perfume") owes its name to the biblical Balm of Gilead . Balsamum tolutanum, Myroxylon balsamum.
Where is balsamum tolutanum grown?
Balsamum tolutanum, Myroxylon balsamum. Myroxylon, the source of Balsam of Peru and Balsam of Tolu, is a genus of tree grown in Central America and South America. Pictured Myroxylon peruiferum.
Where did the balsam of Matariyya originate?
The Balsam of Matariyya was said to be derived from an Egyptian plant and is sometimes also referred to as the balm of Gilead or the balm of Mecca.
About Balsam Fir Trees
They are small to medium-sized evergreen trees which typically grow to 46-66 feet.
What is Balsam Fir Wood Used For?
Because Balsam Fir is soft and does not have a strong resistance to decay, it is not usable in all construction areas.
adding to old insulation ('balsam wool')
We have a poorly insulated space behind the knee walls of the second floor in our cape cod home. Current insulation is foil-faced 1" Balsam-wool between the studs, stapled. Any idea what the R-vazlue of this stuff is?
Comments (5)
I think I have seen this type of insulation as a loose fill, is it a brown or tan color? Either way 1" is way insufficient. 1" inch will only give you a total R-Value of 2.2 or 3.4 if it's loose fill, or 3.25 if it's blankets or batts.
Overview
Balsam is the resinous exudate (or sap) which forms on certain kinds of trees and shrubs. Balsam (from Latin balsamum "gum of the balsam tree", ultimately from Semitic, Aramaic busma, Arabic balsam and Hebrew basam, "spice", "perfume") owes its name to the biblical Balm of Gilead.
Chemistry
Balsam is a solution of plant-specific resins in plant-specific solvents (essential oils). Such resins can include resin acids, esters, or alcohols. The exudate is a mobile to highly viscous liquid and often contains crystallized resin particles. Over time and as a result of other influences the exudate loses its liquidizing components or gets chemically converted into a solid material (i.e. by autoxidation).
The Balsam of Matariyya
The Balsam of Matariyya was a substance famous as a panacea among physicians in the Middle East and Europe during the Antique and Medieval periods. The substance has long been used as a medicine, with early references to the substance recorded as far back as 285 BC. The Balsam of Matariyya was said to be derived from an Egyptian plant and is sometimes also referred to as the balm of Gilead or the balm of Mecca.
List of balsams
• Acaroid resin (Xanthorrhoea spp.)
• Acouchi balsam (Protium spp.)
• Ammoniacum
• Asafoetida (Laser)
Safety
Some balsams, such as Balsam of Peru, may be associated with allergies. In particular, Euphorbia latex ("wolf's milk") is strongly irritant and is cytotoxic.
See also
• Basamum