Dispelling the Myths of Mold and Fire Risk in Cellulose Insulation

Fire Safety

Besides saving you money, Cellulose insulation also provides extremely effective fire retardant capabilities.

Tests conducted by independent laboratories shows that Cellulose insulation provides an effective 1 hour fire rating. This will slow the spread of a fire allowing you more time to escape any danger. This is because Cellulose is specially treated with fire retardants in the manufacturing process to meet or exceed all fire safety requirements.

The following table shows two key measures of how three types of insulation react in a fire:  speed of Fire Spread and Smoke Developed.   The lower the numbers, the better.

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 is not the flames which cause serious personal injury but rather smoke inhalation.  Smoke also increases confusion during a crisis and obscures important fire exits.

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

Mold

A frequent argument against using Cellulose insulation is the myth that it is more prone to mold than other insulation materials. This is simply not true. Backed by rigorous testing, Cellulose insulation meets all of the standards established by the ASTM for fungi resistance.