I have gone with sheep’s wool which I’m happy with but still can’t find advice on how to attach it to large empty wall spaces. Any tips? Glue? : / And more importantly, everyone says to stuff it in all the crannies, but I am nervous about stuffing it around electric wires. Is this completely safe? I just wouldn’t want to have a flammable thing right next to wires if an electrical fire is a possibility?
Thanks in advance!
Greetings!
I’m not sure about the flammability of wool, but best practice is to keep all of your wiring easily accessible, and have everything appropriately fused. Fuses should go as close to power source as possible.
I believe vehicle insulation is vastly over rated and misunderstood. Vehicles are a totally different dynamic from a house. We need constant ventilation, which totally defeats insulation. Since our vehicles are small, if we open a door, whoosh, all of our heating or cooling efforts go right out the door and we have to start over. Far different from a house with a much larger volume of air inside, and with constant heating or cooling running.
Thermodynamics and thermal bridging plays a much larger role for us. Any metal exposed on the interior and connected to the exterior forms a thermal bridge that causes a rapid temperature exchange between the inside and the outside. A thermal break will stop that interaction. A thermal break is different than either insulation or a vapor barrier, and I encourage everyone to do their homework on the subject.
I have tried multiple insulation schemes, and I believe that thermal breaks are the most effective against either heat or cold, and combined with appropriate heating and cooling methods, we can stay comfortable no matter what Mother Nature throws our way.
Cheers!
"Opportunities are everywhere, but only action makes it happen." ~ Van_Dweller
We used wool in our van too as it doesn’t require gloves or a mask and does not itch. I don’t know what you installing it in but we put ours into a promaster that has a million predrilled holes for abs board and other items you might attach to the walls. We simply just ran string through the holes and basically created a little web of wire to hold it in up and around. The stuff we got from havelock was in batts so in a few spots we actually just sew it up. If that makes sense. I would advise against glue as it kind of defeats the purpose of using wool and it also may just peel away from the glue.
We actually stay pretty warm for the most part but we don’t really stay in freezing areas so a mr buddy heater doesn’t take long to warm us up. Also you wires should be in a loom and then in some kind of shroud imo. Regardless, if it isn’t properly fused there is a chance for a fire. I’m not sure how much the insulation on the walls and roof help but I can tell you it makes a world of difference below our feet.
Have you found that the wool has been more cost effective than thinsulate? I keep reading arguments for both materials…some say wool is cheaper and doesn’t absorb moisture, while others says thinsulate is more durable over time (but more expensive).
I used wool for the reasons you listed. i also would rather buy a “natural” product than a manufactured one, when I have the choice.
I held a lighter up to a piece of wool and couldn’t get it to catch fire. That made me feel safer about my wires.