All About Earthwool Insulation And The Technology Behind It

Earthwool insulation is a very interesting type of insulation because unlike the others – which have multiple types created by different brands – there is only one brand that makes Earthwool. Earthwool is solely made by Knauf Insulation, who created Earthwool using ECOSE technology.

ECOSE technology was launched in 2009 and since then has been using renewable bio-based materials to create products that aren’t dependant on petrol-based chemicals, making them much eco-friendlier. There are no added acrylics, artificial colours, bleaches, dyes, formaldehyde or phenols.

 

What is Earthwool?

Earthwool is actually glasswool. In a very similar way in which glasswool is made. That is, millions of tiny glass fibres are mixed with a resin binding agent and then formed into a blanket. The exception here is that earthwool is made exclusively with recycled glass bottles and then bonded with the bio-based ECOSE technology, leaving out any of the added chemicals that typically go into making glasswool.

The result is a softer, odourless and naturally brown insulation material which is proven to be a more environmentally aware option than it’s chemically born brother. Earthwool insulation also holds lower embodied energy which impacts the environment less.

 

What are the benefits?

Earthwool insulation holds all the useful benefits that traditional glasswool does:

  • Fire resistance
  • Good sound absorption
  • Excellent thermal properties
  • Flexible installation methods
  • Can come in batts or rolls

But earthwool also has some improvements:

  • It’s much softer, almost completely itch free
  • The lack of chemicals means it has no lingering odour
  • Improved, overall durability
  • Pollutant manufacturing emissions are significantly reduced due to the lack of phenol and formaldehyde chemicals
  • According to the VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) Indoor Air Quality emissions regulations, it is certified as “outstanding material” by Eurofins Gold
  • Natural brown colour

The fact that there is virtually no itch – unlike other insulation materials – and is also odourless are two big factors that have made this insulation material a popular one in recent years. The no itch factor also means it is easier to install yourself instead of hiring a professional to do it for you.

Earthwool insulation also implements a very effective and advanced means of compression when it comes to packaging. This means you get up to 55% more insulation per pack and per load. The poly packaging protects effectively against dust and most outside forces. When opened up the insulation will naturally resize itself to its natural size, ready to be used.

 

The revolutionary ECOSE technology

ECOSE technology uses a proprietary process to convert bio-based materials into an inert polymer. This technology creates an extremely strong binder – stronger than the standard resin binder containing formaldehyde and phenols used to make glasswool – that bonds mineral wool insulation strands together. This eco-friendly binder can also be used with other materials as well such as plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), medium-density fibreboard (MDF) and particleboard. Some of the benefits of the ECOSE technology for earthwool insulation include:

  • It is based on rapidly renewable resources
  • The lower embodied energy in the binder helps to reduce environmental impact
  • Reduced manufacturing emissions
  • Improved indoor air quality
  • No artificial colours or dye are used

 

R-value

Knauf insulation makes both ceiling and roof-specific earthwool products with varying R-values, covering most of the R-value spectrum. Their wall range – green packaging – consists of R1.5, R2.0, R2.5 and R2.7 whereas their ceiling range is made up of R2.5, R3.0, R3.5, R4.0, R5.0 and R6.0.

Obviously, the higher the R-value, the more effective it is at insulating. It is important for you to figure out what sort of R-Value your house requires, this can be determined by a professional insulation expert. The different R-value types of earthwool typically come in packs of 430mm and 580mm to fit most joist centres. You can find a full list of our earthwool products here.

 

Choose the right insulation

Insulation is one of the factors that you shouldn’t overlook when building/altering your house. Keeping it warm in the colder climates and cool in the warmer climates is what you want. There are many different types of insulation to choose from and it is important that you choose the right one for your home. Insulation Essentials have years of experience and a wide variety of insulation products including Knauf’s wall and ceiling earthwool insulation products at wholesale prices.

If you need any further assistance or have any questions regarding earthwool insulation and what R-value is right for your home, then please don’t hesitate to give us a call on (03) 8339 7111 or send us a message through our website here.