Hey everyone, today we’re with Gabriel and Mary Murguia from Wool Life insulation.
Wool Life insulation is a new zealand based company that has developed a blown-in wool
insulation that is superior to other brands. They claim to have an R5.825 as opposed to an R3.8.
This is a simple, cheap, DIY-friendly method of installing blown-in insulation
both in houses and vans. We start off by measuring the area to cover,
then cut a polyester mesh to the right size. Since polyester isn’t the most eco-friendly material,
they’re looking for more sustainable, but equally durable options.
Next, install the mesh in a triangle, top middle edge,
bottom left edge, and then the bottom right edge. This ensures a tight fit over your stud bay.
You can either use a mechanical staple gun which costs $20
Or a pneumatic gun and compressor which can cost over $200 but will save you a ton of time
The staples must be 2 inches apart and flush with the studs
Now for the genius, DIY rig that consists of a $100 blower and mulcher
Duct tape a cheap 2” vacuum hose for $20 or a use this 3.5” hose which costs $100
Cut a 3” slit in the polyester mesh to sit the hose into
Next, turn on the mulcher, feed the sheep wool into the vacuum
and let it fill up the wall cavity. Wool Life recommends this method for DIYers since it
leads to an ideal density and fill. Recommended to wear Face mask or respirator during this process
At this point, you can either spray the sheep wool upwards or cut another slit higher up.
Even pick up loose pieces n the ground with the mulcher for an easy clean up.
Same with a van - glue the mesh to the van and fill
Make sure there’s no wool in front of the studs
Alright, so that was a very convenient and easy method of installing sheep wool. Now let’s
discuss its pros and cons. The manufacturer, Wool life, has engineered their product so
that it is superior to its competitors. I spoke to the owner, Stephen Fookes,
about “glass point transition” , the key fundamental that affects wool processing.
Their sheep wool is processed in Georgia, in the textile belt. Since its fibers are stronger,
they don’t compress, settle or slump. They can be bent 20,000 times before breaking. They can handle
the vibration in moving vans and other vehicles. Even though it's compressed during shipping, it
returns to its normal form and shape. The fibers actually expand for 2 weeks after installation,
which helps fill any small gaps. Since van cavities are uneven, this product is
better than using board insulation like xps. Wool life only sells loose fill, not batts.
While batts are more convenient to install, they do not perform as well since they can slump over
time and separate from the studs in your wall. All these features give Wool Life’s product
an R value of 5.825 per inch, much higher than the 3.8 value of other sheep wool products.
Keratin in sheep wool fibers absorbs chemicals like formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur
dioxide, and breaks it down molecularly, thus naturally purifying air. This process is called
chemisorption. It’s not toxic and it doesn’t cause any skin irritation. Some synthetic
insulation fibers can be as thin as 6 microns but wool insulation is 25-40 microns thick,
so it’s not absorbed through inhalation. Sheep wool can create war, dry and healthy environments.
They are ideal for vans because they can help break down and purify some of the exhaust air.
Sheep wool is naturally fire resistant because of the moisture content in each fiber. It is
self-extinguishing and won’t support flames below temperatures of 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit
because it has a high nitrogen content of 16%. Also, because wool is a keratin, it resists
mold growth. Sheep wool is hygroscopic, the inner core
absorbs moisture when relative humidity is over 65%. When the humidity levels drop, it releases
the trapped moisture. It can absorb 30% of its own weight in moisture before becoming wet.
It’s an environmentally friendly material. It has low embodied energy, it’s biodegradable,
it has a long lifespan, it’s safe to recycle and reuse and it can be used as biomass fuel
at the end of its life. Sheep wool requires 15% of the energy used to manufacture glass wool.
It does have 2 drawbacks though. It’s more expensive than lower-quality
synthetic insulation. It’s $1.5-$2 per sq ft for batts and $1.75-$2.8 for blow-in.
Wool.Life was able to fill 2 stud bays for $150. However, if you buy it in bulk, there
are significant cost savings. They also provide next day shipping from their facility in Georgia.
Another issue is that it expands quite a bit. After 4 weeks of leaving the wall open,
I wasn’t able to put the sheet of drywall back on. It wouldn’t fit. I was selling my house,
and I couldn’t just leave it exposed, so I had to take it down. On the one hand,
that was proof that the wool does expand and fill small cavities, but on the other,
you have to be careful not to overfill it. So, in conclusion, it’s a great product. Simple
installation, durable, not too expensive, and it’s good for both indoor air and the
environment at large. I would love to see a larger, global movement that uses wool or hemp
fibers for carpets, curtains and wall coverings. Exposed fabrics that directly affect air quality.
A big thank you to Wool Life for the demonstration, their customer service
team is really great to work with. I’ll link their website and my Patreon page in the description.
If you can support me, I’d really appreciate it. A big thank you to everyone already supporting me.
Don’t forget to hit the like button and subscribe to my channel. Thanks for watching. See ya.