Dispelling the Myths of Fire Risk and Mold in Cellulose Insulation

There are a number of myths surrounding cellulose insulation.

Fire Safety

Many competitors argue that because cellulose insulation is made from paper, it’s naturally more flammable than other forms of insulation. They neglect to say that cellulose insulation is treated with fire retardants, giving cellulose an effective 1-hour fire rating.

Cellulose also meets all Federal regulations and ASTM standards for fire safety, in accordance with UL 723 and ASTM C-739-05b characteristics.

Fire Spread and Smoke Developed are two key metrics regarding how insulation will perform in a fire.

Fire Spread refers to the speed at which flames spread along the surface of the insulating material. Smoke Developed refers to the amount of smoke that is produced while the product burns. In most house fires, it’s not the flames that cause injury or death, but rather smoke inhalation. Smoke also creates confusion and can obscure fire exits.

In one study, the ratings show that cellulose insulation outperforms the competition on these two key metrics. On smoke developed, les than 400 is a passing score. In order to pass, Icynene® needs an additional component to meet the requirements.

Insulation Type	Flame Spread	Smoke Developed
Cellulose insulation	15-20	0-5
Fiberglass	0-5	<50
Open Cell Foam	25	<450

Mold

The presence of mold in the home is frequently cited as a concern by homeowners.

Cellulose insulation has been rigorously tested to meet or exceed all of the standards established by ASTM for mold and fungi resistance. In addition, some manufacturers add supplemental chemicals to resist mold.