For Homeowners

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR BUILDER OR CONTRACTOR

If a builder uses conventional insulation without considering the benefits of higher performing insulations, home buyers should ask why. Many builders use a lower cost insulation even though a superior insulation such as Nu-Wool would save home buyers energy dollars during the ownership of their home.  Here are some common questions--and answers--about Nu-Wool WALLSEAL insulation.

How is Nu-Wool WALLSEAL® different from other insulation materials?

Nu-Wool WALLSEAL is sprayed in place, eliminating the voids and air pockets common with other insulation materials. Density, or weight per cubic foot, which is important in reducing air infiltration and increasing "Effective R-value", is more consistent with the Nu-Wool WALLSEAL system. The contractor and the customer can actually see the insulation in place and know that all of the areas in a wall are insulated.

How does Nu-Wool WALLSEAL compare in performance to other insulation products?
Using Nu-Wool Engineered Cellulose Insulation is more than a smart choice for its comfort benefits, Nu-Wool is environmentally friendly even in the manufacturing process. Fiberglass insulation is made by melting sand and recovered glass in gas-fired furnaces. It takes at least 8,500 BTU’s of energy to produce a pound of fiberglass insulation. Cellulose insulation is produced by processing post-consumer recovered paper through electrically driven mills. Estimates for the embodied energy of a pound of cellulose vary from 150 to 750 BTU’s. Converting this to BTU’s-per-R, it takes at least 40 times more energy to make fiberglass insulation than to produce cellulose insulation.

Nu-Wool WALLSEAL is a premium insulation system. Homeowners, builders, and architects choosing this system are concerned about energy costs, sound control, and overall comfort. The installers of the WALLSEAL system are factory trained and certified professionals, and are equipped with specialized machines designed for this application. The increased efficiency of the Nu-Wool WALLSEAL system, along with Nu-Wool Insulation in the attic, saves homeowners as much as 40% on heating and cooling costs.

How does WALLSEAL compare in cost to other insulation products?
Nu-Wool WALLSEAL is a premium insulation system. Homeowners using this system are concerned about their comfort level as well as energy costs. The installers of the WALLSEAL system are factory trained and equipped with specialized machines unique to this application. The additional up front cost of the WALLSEAL system is quickly offset by the energy savings generated by this insulation, as much as 40% on heating & cooling bills.

Nu-Wool Engineered Cellulose Insulation is Best for Your Home
Independent studies by universities and research labs have shown that on the basis of installed thermal protection performance, a cellulose insulated building will obtain better performance under real-world conditions than a conventionally insulated building of otherwise similar construction. Savings are on the order of as much as 40% according to field studies.

Since less energy is used to manufacture cellulose insulation, and the resulting buildings perform closer to calculated expectations (meeting or exceeding predicted values), their fuel savings translate into lower atmospheric emissions such as CO2 implicated in global warming, and other air-pollutants from electrical power and on-site combustion sources known to produce acid-rain and smog.

How much insulation will be used?
More insulation not only keeps the heat or cold out, it also leads to more even temperatures between and across rooms. For insulation to work properly, it must be installed carefully with no gaps, crimping or compression. This is especially important in areas where the insulation has to fit around obstacles such as pipes and electrical wiring and outlets. Nu-Wool WALLSEAL fills in gaps, creating a seamless seal. Nu-Wool supports the recommendation of the Department of Energy with a minimum of R-13 in the walls and R-49 in the attic.

What about bedrooms above the garage?
Bedrooms over the garage are often unnecessarily colder in the winter and warmer in the summer than the rest of the house. Properly insulating under the floor and around the duct work with Nu-Wool Engineered Cellulose Insulation can help prevent uncomfortable differences in these "bonus" rooms.

Can ice dams on the roof be prevented?
The preferred method of preventing ice dams in non-cathedral roofs is to properly ventilate and insulate. Energy efficient roofs minimize problems with ice dams because they keep the entire roof cold. There is little difference in temperature between the part of the roof inside the perimeter of the outside walls and the part covering the eves or overhangs. Thus, melting and refreezing is minimized. Insulating to prevent heat leaks and sealing against air leaks between the inside of the building and the attic are the best ways to achieve a cold roof. Its primary purpose, though, is to prevent moisture from condensing in the attic on the underside of the roof decking and dripping down into the insulation. Any warm air that leaks from the inside of the building into the attic carries moisture with it. Sealing the air leaks is usually more effective than increasing the ventilation.

What measures will be taken to prevent noisy pipes?
Water pipes in walls, floors and ceilings can be noisy at times. Nu-Wool Engineered Cellulose Insulation installed around water pipes not only reduces noise generated by the pipes, but also reduces condensation on cold water pipes as well as heat loss from hot water pipes. Care should be taken when insulating exterior walls and attics with water pipes to insure that no insulation is placed between the water pipes and the drywall or other interior surface of the wall or ceiling. If this precaution is not followed, the pipes will be isolated from the heat in the living area and could freeze and burst.

What can be done to make the house more soundproof from room to room?
Noise problems are a common complaint from home owners, apartment dwellers and condominium owners. A vast majority of builders do not realize that common building practices do little to stop the transmission of noise within a structure. Anyone who has traveled and stayed in a fine resort or hotel knows that soundproofing a room is possible. The trouble is, to do it somewhat economically, it needs to be done as the structure is being built. Because of its density, Nu-Wool Engineered Cellulose Insulation is a superior soundproofing insulation.

Rooms are noticeably quieter with Nu-Wool. Nu-Wool Cellulose Insulation deadens the transfer of sound from one room to another. Hotels, motels, apartments, hospitals, schools, churches, and multi-unit complexes use Nu-Wool WALLSEAL in their walls and Nu-Wool Insulation in their floors and attics for sound control. Even sound studios use Nu-Wool WALLSEAL for its superior acoustic properties.

Nu-Wool Insulation is acoustically superior. Nu-Wool WALLSEAL is used to reduce the noise from outside a home, as well as noise from room to room, keeping music practice and other noises from interfering with activities in other rooms of the house. Nu-Wool WALLSEAL is tested at Riverbank Acoustical Laboratories for Sound Transmission Classifications (STC). In full-scale wall testing, WALLSEAL greatly reduces the movement of airborne sound from one room to an adjacent room. This added benefit of WALLSEAL is especially important for apartments, condominiums, offices and hotels. Buildings insulated with WALLSEAL have a noticeable "quietness". The sharp sounds that easily transmit through conventionally insulated structures are subdued by the increased mass of the WALLSEAL system.

Use Nu-Wool WALLSEAL to quiet the sound in laundry rooms, mechanical rooms, family rooms and walls containing noisy water pipes. Many popular hotels and leading apartment developers utilize Nu-Wool WALLSEAL in the walls and Nu-Wool Insulation in the floors and attics for superior sound control. Nu-Wool deadens the sound transfer between rooms, keeping hotel guests and apartment renters happy.

Will the insulation affect the sizing of the furnace and air conditioning units?
By using efficient insulation, heating and cooling equipment can be properly sized. "Right-sizing" HVAC equipment will likely save money during construction as well as every month on utility bills.

How will the insulation help prevent mold growth?
To stop mold growth, your builder must be well educated and be able to demonstrate a knowledge of how to use modern building materials in such a way that water does not condense within wall cavities and attic spaces. Homes must be built to standards that exceed what the building codes require. The building codes are a wonderful set of guidelines but many code officials will agree that is a set of minimum standards. If he does not agree with this point, it is time to re-open the bidding process on your new home.