
What are the pros and cons of Sheep’s wool insulation?
Sheep’s wool insulation is made into rolls and slabs very similar to those made from fibreglass and mineral wool insulation. Rolls of insulation are generally used above flat ceilings and slabs are more like a board. A slab can be used to perform more tasks when a roll wouldn’t really work, like insulating between rafters.
In terms of quality of the insulation (thermal conductivity) and risk of dampness (vapour resistivity) it is very much the same as fibreglass or mineral wool. Like mineral wool it also has good sound absorption qualities and is highly fire resistant. Some sheep’s wool products are 75% sheep’s wool and not pure sheep’s wool.
There are definate ethical advantages to sheep’s wool insulaion
Is there any point to it if the quality is the same? It is more environmentally friendly to take wool from a sheep than to make the same kind of product in a factory. Sheep’s wool has ethical advantages in terms of the amount of the pollution it produces. Insulation companies try as hard as they to clean up their act, but the most they’ve managed to do so far is avoid destroying the ozone layer. There isn’t a clean way to manufacture insulating foam of any kind. Sheep produce methane but that is nothing compared to the stuff that pours out of a chemical works.
Sheep’s wool isn’t toxic. Even specially made self install insulation products can splinter when cut to size and release all sorts of lung damaging particles. Sheep’s wool doesn’t, and that is one of its main advantages to the person installing the insulation. This product is good for self installers and perhaps if you are a professional installer you might find it better to use a product that is less hazardous to cut and doesn’t necessitate wearing gloves and a face mask. I expect that this simplicity of installation is also reflected in the price.
http://uk.sheepwoolinsulation.com/why_wool/homeowner.asp
http://www.thermafleece.com/product/thermafleece-cosywool
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