GREENVILLE Blog

What is Sheep Wool Insulation?

When it comes to choosing the best insulation for the unique needs of your property, you have a wide range of choices to look over. Having an industry expert can help you to narrow down the options while learning more about the different advantages each provides to your building. It's important to find a team that will explain further than your commonly installed materials - each home and business has unique needs that may require something more capable than your typical fiberglass installation.

For example, have you heard of sheep wool insulation? It may be a more common application than you think! While it’s one of the more environmentally friendly choices, it also has a number of benefits that can help to improve your comfort, safety, and savings.

How is Sheep Wool Insulation Made?

Put simply, wool insulation is made from wool that is sheared from sheep. This is typically material that is considered too rough or coarse to make into quality clothing or fabric. These animals are shorn once or twice a year to keep their coats healthy, so the sheep aren’t farmed for their wool but instead trimmed for safety purposes. The material is then put through a bonding process to create batts or blown-in material.

Unlike other materials like fiberglass, sheep’s wool insulation isn’t itchy or irritating to the skin when touched. This not only reduces discomfort if you come into contact with the material, but it also reduces the risk for those with allergies or respiratory illnesses. In many cases, the material may be additionally treated with chemicals like boric acid, which can help create even more advantages like killing insects.

Is Wool Insulation Sustainable?

Sheep wool insulation is a great product for environmentally-friendly property owners that are looking to improve their energy efficiency. As a renewable resource, this product helps to reduce your carbon footprint while creating a more sustainable environment.

On top of being an environmentally-friendly product, it's also durable. This makes it a long-lasting alternative to your more traditional options in most cases. Not only is the material resistant to breakage and tearing, but it's also resistant to many elements that can deteriorate materials that aren't properly prepared or additionally treated.

What Are the Benefits of Wool Insulation?

High R-Value

The R-value, or resistance value, of your insulation is the numerical measurement of the material’s thermal insulation performance. This basically means it helps to determine how effectively a material can reduce heat transfer. Typically, a higher R-value means the insulation is more efficient at slowing the rate at which heat enters and exits a structure.

Sheep’s wool is a thick material and offers on average between R-3.5 to R-3.8 per inch. For batt insulation, this is typically a greater average than fiberglass or cellulose counterparts. As a dense material, it has the potential to last longer than alternatives, therefore extending the R-value’s effectiveness and energy efficiency.

Moisture Reduction

Sheep wool fibers have a natural moisture regulation, which helps to reduce humidity and moisture in your home. This benefit is called a “hygroscopic” effect, which means it binds moisture when there’s high humidity and releases moisture when the air is dry. Retaining this water, however, doesn’t impact its insulating properties or create dampness within the material.

Moisture and high humidity in your home create an environment that increases the risk of mold growth, pest infestation, and structural damage. It's important to help protect your home by installing a material that won't create a larger problem if influenced by moisture, especially if you're in an area that has periods of high humidity.

Fire Resistant

Many of sheep wool’s natural properties contribute to the material being fire resistant. First, the water retention capabilities help to reduce the insulation’s flammability. While the surface can char, it shrivels from the heat rather than combusting. This is largely due to the keratin fiber that suffocates itself to reduce the spread of the fire, similar to how hair chars and shrivels.

When wool is additionally treated with a chemical like boric acid, this also helps to improve the fire retardant capabilities. It's important to note that although many insulation materials have natural components or chemical additives that can reduce the spread of a fire, they won't necessarily stop a severe house fire.

Mold Deterrent

The keratin in sheep wool insulation also contributes to the material’s natural ability to resist mold growth. As a material that can absorb, hold, and release moisture, you may be under the impression that this could make it a danger for mold and bacteria growth. However, the moisture is absorbed into the material - the “outer shell” is actually hydrophobic, or water-repellant. This means the mold can’t grow on the surface and doesn’t have the ability to develop inside the material.

Reducing the humidity surrounding the area also helps to reduce the potential for mold to grow in your space, as mentioned above. This is why sheep's wool is a great product to install in residential buildings as well as commercial or industrial sites. On top of being able to regulate the temperature throughout a building, it can also contribute significantly to the climate control capabilities of your property.

Learn More About Your Insulation Options with Greenville Experts

Koala Insulation of Greenville is always looking for the best industry products and practices to introduce to our community. We strive to bring fast, effective, and affordable service to our neighbors. With our free evaluations, you and your household or team can make informed decisions based on the current condition of your property’s insulation and air sealing. Contact Koala Insulation of Greenville today to schedule your free evaluation and learn more about how sheep wool insulation can impact your environment.