I'm pretty sure I've never seen this stuff before. It's installed in rafters as batts, held in place by cardboard sheets below. Papery consistency, now crumbling. The house is ~1923, but no idea when this was installed.

Anyone know what it might be? Thanks for any help here.

Views: 867

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Hi Brian,

Thanks for sharing the brochures.   The middle link shows a lot of detail.  I found their heat loss savings calulations really interesting but way off if they are considering a house with no insulation to maybe an R-11.   I would love to know how they did the math.  For maybe a small two story home the pre insulation Btu numbers are pretty accurate for a home in the mid west with 6000 HHD's/

That IS an interesting link Brian!  I've seen a straw version of that material: 

Hey Rem, 2,000,000,000 BTU annual load?  What "small house" are you thinking?  

Most houses I've seen have 500-1800 total therm usage (insulated or not) until you get to great big houses.  If you factor in all the efficiencies of combustion and distribution before you even get to enclosure load, you cut the fuel BTU carrying the load by what, 25-75%?  

IDK, I think the layer of insulation vs none can have surprising results.  Those saving seem like good faith numbers, particularly when there is no accountability for saving being delivered.  They certainly could have projected a lot higher.  Think about 1990's window claims of cutting energy bills in half!  

We need tracking of results, that'll bring accountability to this field.  Promises of savings without tracking, how is that supposed to work?  How are you supposed to know if your promises come true?  

Imagine, Home Performance could actually be a rare industry that consumers could count on GETTING what they're PROMISED if results were tracked.  (The Solar industry has this figured out, we need to.) 

i agree with the others that's it's old rock or mineral wool bats

RSS

Home Energy Pros

Home Energy Pros was founded by the developers of Home Energy Saver Pro (sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) and brought to you in partnership with Home Energy magazine.

Latest Activity

Dennis Heidner replied to Patrick Michaelyan's discussion Hot Upper Stories
"Could you have them make a simple two line graph of the outside temperature, noting sun/clouds,…"
7 hours ago
Bob Blanchette replied to Jose Macho's discussion Why Are Energy-Saving Home Inprovements Down??
"You make some valid points, especially with the base rate charges. Increasing the base rate instead…"
13 hours ago
Bob Blanchette replied to Jose Macho's discussion Why Are Energy-Saving Home Inprovements Down??
"Amen, make energy show it's true cost instead of subsidizing it. We have some of the lowest…"
13 hours ago
Dennis Heidner replied to Jose Macho's discussion Why Are Energy-Saving Home Inprovements Down??
"The press report really doesn't give enough information to clearly answer why  they are…"
22 hours ago
Edward Foskey commented on Edward Foskey's blog post Preparing to Update the Heat Pump
"Gustavo, Thanks for the input. I agree with you in that I will be waiting till my system's…"
yesterday
Gustavo Melo commented on Edward Foskey's blog post Preparing to Update the Heat Pump
"Any system that is out of warranty is really a coin toss as to whether it is financially better to…"
yesterday
Dennis Heidner replied to J.C. Martel's discussion Disasters & sustainable energy
"Such as Greensburg…"
yesterday
Tom Delconte commented on Edward Foskey's blog post Preparing to Update the Heat Pump
"Thanks, Ed, I get it now. I would just put in what my hvac guy tells me to put in: a $17,000…"
yesterday
Jim Gunshinan commented on Jim Gunshinan's blog post The Universe Is Made of Stories
"Hi Tom, I'm sorry you didn't think my blog post was helpful or appropriate. I'll…"
yesterday
Tom Delconte commented on Jim Gunshinan's blog post The Universe Is Made of Stories
"Whatever happened to separation of church, state, and scientific home building science? What would…"
yesterday
Craig Savage's video was featured

What is Building America

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Building America program is a source of innovation in residential building energy performance, durability, quality, aff...
yesterday
Jim Gunshinan's blog post was featured

The Universe Is Made of Stories

The late poet and political activist Muriel Rukeyser famously said, The Universe is made of…See More
yesterday

© 2013   Created by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service