Cellulose insulation made primarily from over-issue newsprint, along with other high-quality over-issue paper sources, and carefully selected post-consumer newsprint, typically from paper drives. As just one example, if a New England newspaper printed 1,000,000 copies yesterday, but only sold 750,000, a cellulose insulation supplier buys the remaining 250,000 in bulk and turns them into insulation.

There’s a little more to it than that. The newspaper is first reduced to very small pieces in a machine called a hammermill, pieces just big enough to make out one letter from the original newspaper. In the next step, these tiny pieces are ‘fiberized’, that is, we go through another process that breaks them down to the component fibers of the original tree from which the newsprint was made. At this point, there’s no resemblance to the original newspaper. Then a borate, a naturally occurring mineral, is added for fire, mold and pest control. Lastly, there is a tiny amount of mineral oil added, for dust control. The product is then bagged in 25 lb. bags.

No, in fact just the opposite. The borate (a naturally occurring mineral) added to the cellulose fiber ensures that cellulose insulation won’t support combustion. Cellulose will perform better and provide better protection in the event of a fire than any other type of insulation.

No. You’re not going to have that problem with cellulose insulation, because there have been two significant changes since the ‘old days’ of cellulose insulation. First, the way the product is manufactured. Today’s product is fiberized, which allows for increased coverage and lower settled densities. Second, the machines and techniques to install the product have been greatly upgraded. It may sound like a simple job, but it requires a technically sophisticated, truck or trailer mounted machine to properly install. It also takes specialty training to learn how to correctly install cellulose insulation. So with today’s equipment and techniques, cellulose insulation is ‘dense packed’ in the walls of your building at twice its settled density. In simple terms, that means that the wall or ceiling cavity is filled and is actually under slight pressure from the material. It can’t settle because there is no space left for it to settle into.

There are many differences. Cellulose insulation offers some distinct advantages over fiberglass and sprayed foam. Cellulose insulation offers: The greatest insulating value. The best resistance to air movement through the wall or ceiling. No gaps or voids. The best resistance to noise transmission In the event of a fire, cellulose insulation works to help prevent spread. The best protection from moisture, mold and pests like carpenter ants. The highest recycled content. The ‘greenest’ choice you can make in insulation for most applications.

Installed in both attics and walls of homes, cellulose insulation has a high R-Value, offers superior thermal and air-infiltration properties, resists mold growth and even dramatically reduces noise transmission through floors and walls. Cellulose Insulation is one of the most acoustically superior materials available in residential construction, so homeowners can enjoy life in a quieter home. Homeowners also feel a satisfaction with their choice to live in a cellulose insulated home because they are helping the environment. More paper ends up in landfills than other types of material, and because cellulose Insulation is made from recycled newspaper, homeowners choosing cellulose insulation are actually preserving land and trees for future generations. Cellulose insulation is energy saving, as it eliminates the voids and air pockets common with other insulation materials. And, cellulose insulation is mold resistant, fire retardant, and cost-effective. It just couldn’t get any better for your home.