There are a variety of different types of acoustic insulation products available on the market to fill a variety of uses. These products are also made from a wide variety of materials. The type of material you choose will depend on several different factors. One thing that many people don’t realize when looking for or buying these products is they have the choice of new or recycled materials and products.
Formaldehyde-Free and Recycled Is the Way to Go
Formaldehyde is a chemical that is used in the embalming process as it has preservative properties. However, it’s not very healthy for humans, especially children. Many acoustic insulation products are made with formaldehyde. Chances are, however, when you’re looking for acoustic insulation products, you’re not doing so because you’re looking to embalm someone, and you probably don’t want something in the space being acoustically insulated to leech the harmful chemicals in formaldehyde into the environment. This means you want a product that is not manufactured with formaldehyde.
Chances are you’re also at least a little worried about the environment. When recycled materials are used in the manufacturing process, a large amount of stress is taken off the environment. Less energy is normally used in manufacturing products using recycled materials. Additionally, for every ton of materials recycled into new products, that is one ton of waste material that isn’t put into landfills.
The Basics of Acoustic Insulation
Acoustic insulation is the process isolating a room or building from the encroachment or impingement of sound. A recording studio is a prime example of a space that is acoustically insulated. Years ago, an acoustically insulated space was normally created by affixing something like corkboard on the outside of the walls, but cork is a fragile and it deteriorates over time, both physically as well as its acoustic insulation properties.
Newer construction methods are now making use of acoustic insulation batting inside the walls, similar to the fiberglass insulation used in buildings to maintain a comfortable temperature. This type of acoustic insulation is known as sound control batting (batts) and they are normally manufactured as a high density batting that resembles raw wool or cotton. This sound control batting is installed in walls pretty much exactly the way that rolled fiberglass insulation is and they are available in all joist and stud spacing widths.
Be nice to yourself and/or your clients and use formaldehyde-free acoustic insulation. Be nice to your environment and specify insulation that is made using recycled materials.