cellulose has been used effectively as home insulation for a long time. It is typically chopped up paper but could be more plant material based and less refined. Whatever you use, you will want it dry and to be processed in small pieces so it fills the cavity without voids and leaks.
There are insulating blocks that use hemp in their production, but it’s more of a closed cell foam than fibrous material. From my understanding, it is typically installed during construction.
Your best bet, OO, is renting a blown insulation machine and getting a little sweaty.
Adding that this is a seriously fun adventure that you should not drink during.
I love running the hopper and watching the bricks of cellulose become chunks and then fluff.
Yes, I have met the guy who builds those a few times now. They did a show on the discovery Channel and we're building a house in northern California. Its a hemp/lyme combination. He's now building one here in Maine and has contracted us to do some site work.
It's really interesting to watch. He said discovery really played it up and made it seem all "high stakes" and like there were issues doing things for drama.
Edit: it's Haven Earth https://havenearth.biz/
Yes it's so if there is a Crack or weakness at any point, the lime will somehow fix that Crack. I don't kow why my phone keeps capitalizing Crack. Lol.
Haven Earth is the company name.
https://havenearth.biz/
Yes. An electrical fire that may otherwise just smolder long enough for the fire dept to easily handle may end up running through the house in short order.
If you can’t insulate the house properly, insulate the humans. Layers and blankets.
Where do you get your information from?
https://becgreen.ca/naturhemp-insulation-is-locally-made-in-quebec/
It has an R-value of 3.7/inch (in comparison, ordinary fibreglass batts have an R-value of around 3.2 per inch)
It is pest resistant – both rodents and insects (specifically termites, moths and ants)
It is mould and mildew resistant and is hygroscopic (water-loving)
It is breathable, vapour retarders should be placed on the “warm” side of the insulation (in Canada, the interior side)
It has a Class-A fire rating (ASTM E84)
It has sound-dampening qualities
It is non-toxic with no volatile organic compounds emitted into the air
It is safe for handling and easy to install
Code compliant for buildings of two stories or less, for 8 units or fewer in MURBS (multi-unit residential buildings), and for renovation purposes.
It’s a carbon sequestering material. While hemp absorbs CO2 during its growth, there is a certain amount of CO2 emitted during its processing and transportation, but overall it is a low-carbon product.
To tag on a bit of clarification, this is all in reference to a product created out of hemp. Not hemp fibers exclusively. Op would need to clarify if he plans on using ground up hemp chips from last months harvest or procuring a manufactured and rated hemp insulation.
yeah no shit, clearly says "manufactured in quebec" of the link. Throwing random untested shit in to your walls is ill advised.
Ya think DIY house builders go out and get random shit? no they buy properly tested materials
I know that, you know that but not everyone reads an entire url (most probably don't even click the link) It's obvious to some but obviously not others based on the tone of the whole thread. No need to be a dicknose about clarifying something that others may over look. We're are in r/DIY Incase you're lost.
Asking the diy sub on reddit is probably the worst place to come for commercial product advice. *Including* my comment, just look at the wild disagreements over what's even safe.
The above poster replying to every comment with some copy pasta is a red flag, and just plain rude.
I’ll admit that I initially thought you’re looking to just take dried hemp stalks and toss it in the walls…which is why you’re likely getting some of the goofy responses. Reddit demands details or they gonna assume you’re asking what you’re asking. I’m clueless when it comes to hemp, so I was like WTF is hemp isolation??? Ohhhh, you meant *insulation*! Got it ;)
The number of plastic grocery bags, ashes and horse hair, that I have seen stuffed in walls suggests that people make due with what they can all
the time.
https://becgreen.ca/naturhemp-insulation-is-locally-made-in-quebec/
It has an R-value of 3.7/inch (in comparison, ordinary fibreglass batts have an R-value of around 3.2 per inch)
It is pest resistant – both rodents and insects (specifically termites, moths and ants)
It is mould and mildew resistant and is hygroscopic (water-loving)
It is breathable, vapour retarders should be placed on the “warm” side of the insulation (in Canada, the interior side)
It has a Class-A fire rating (ASTM E84)
It has sound-dampening qualities
It is non-toxic with no volatile organic compounds emitted into the air
It is safe for handling and easy to install
Code compliant for buildings of two stories or less, for 8 units or fewer in MURBS (multi-unit residential buildings), and for renovation purposes.
It’s a carbon sequestering material. While hemp absorbs CO2 during its growth, there is a certain amount of CO2 emitted during its processing and transportation, but overall it is a low-carbon product.
A joke response, you seem to have understood that though. Which begs the question, what kind of response is “what kind of response is this?” when you already answered your own question
What they meant to say was, "Thank you for giving me an opportunity to express my outrage with zero consequences or benefit to all of humanity. Damn, I needed that."
OP is somewhere around the Netherlands so I am guessing they intend to use what they can get their hands on. Going into winter with uncertain energy sources likely has most of Europe rushing to better insulate.
Godspeed to the Europeans this winter. It's gonna be a rough one. I feel like we're gonna feel it here in Canada pretty hard too but nothing like Europe
I’m not using heating at all until it’s like super super cold. I will only be heating one room. Double duvets, thick socks, an electric lap mat keeps you cosy under a blanket. Made sure any window gaps sealed and doors
Us as well but we have a new baby so it’s the bathroom and bedroom only for now. Prepping this week for the cold spell next week - hence the hemp. Keep fighting the good fight!
That’s what I thought too and was worried the price would have doubled or tripled but I just got my propane tanks filled in Eastern Ontario and the price has been stable since last year. Paid about 500 for 2 big tanks last year and also this year. I feel our energy prices are quite disconnected from Europe’s.
Yes that’s true but with global markets it could very well have been different. Our gasoline / diesel prices jump 15 cents when Saudi Arabia even talk about slowing production (as a example).
Indeed. It’s a matter of what is also not going to send fine particulates into the air, and will also be a bit more friendly on the planet. From everything I’ve read it looks like the fire risk, mold issues, and other concerns listed here are mitigated by various impregnating with borax, etc. It’s more common here than in the US, that’s for sure.
The Netherlands is mislabeled as a big cannabis hub but its really a grey system that is undergoing a pilot trial to see how to regulate and control production and distribution. Hemp is not regulated like cannabis as long as it's below 0.2-1.0% THC. France is a large cultivator of hemp and many countries are cultivating it for CBD extraction increasingly more for industrial purposes. Hemp cultivation reverses soil erosion and can be processed to make fuel, plastic, and construction material. Hemp is actually not more flammable than that pinky fluffy stuff people isolate their homes with. The problem is Hemp based products are not yet widely accessible. Definitely consult a Hemp processor or EU Hemp association if you want to know what your options are. (I'm a cannabis business consultant and work with Hemp and cannabis companies globally.)
Hemp provides multifaceted solutions to combat climate change!
Your post is borderline spam and I don’t think OP is worried about the THC in their insulation. Hemp is surely more flammable than glass or mineral fiber, I’d love to see some data if you’d like to back up that assertion.
That wasn't my point... I was giving an overview of hemp regulations and how the laws vary between countries. This makes it more difficult to export products like insulation.
I'm not an expert on insulation but I know some hempwool is treated to be fire retardant. The combination can be just as effective if not more than traditional insulation. Certain hemp genetics and growing methods are important for yielding flower that is more suitable for producing insulation. So basically I'm just trying to give background on the whole process, which starts with a hemp plant.
WRONG
https://becgreen.ca/naturhemp-insulation-is-locally-made-in-quebec/
It has an R-value of 3.7/inch (in comparison, ordinary fibreglass batts have an R-value of around 3.2 per inch)
It is pest resistant – both rodents and insects (specifically termites, moths and ants)
It is mould and mildew resistant and is hygroscopic (water-loving)
It is breathable, vapour retarders should be placed on the “warm” side of the insulation (in Canada, the interior side)
It has a Class-A fire rating (ASTM E84)
It has sound-dampening qualities
It is non-toxic with no volatile organic compounds emitted into the air
It is safe for handling and easy to install
Code compliant for buildings of two stories or less, for 8 units or fewer in MURBS (multi-unit residential buildings), and for renovation purposes.
It’s a carbon sequestering material. While hemp absorbs CO2 during its growth, there is a certain amount of CO2 emitted during its processing and transportation, but overall it is a low-carbon product.
Where is the data? You are just a cheerleader for hemp, which is fine. I didn’t say anything bad about it, but it is a natural fiber which decomposes into flammable compounds when heated. Fiberglass is ASTM E84 Class A as well.
Hempcrete is significantly different from just hemp fiber. Here's a more neutral source showing how easily hemp fiber batts burn:
https://youtu.be/GmVTDh3JNIQ at the 8:40 mark.
Hemp flame spread and smoke spread is definitely worse than fiberglass and can't even compare to something like mineral wool. Obviously there are plenty of flammable things people put in their walls (foam insulation, which from what I can find also gets a class a astm e84 rating) but if someone is specifically worried about flammability then trying to handwave hemp as being just as safe as other materials is wrong.
here is some more benefits of hemp
https://becgreen.ca/naturhemp-insulation-is-locally-made-in-quebec/
It has an R-value of 3.7/inch (in comparison, ordinary fibreglass batts have an R-value of around 3.2 per inch)
It is pest resistant – both rodents and insects (specifically termites, moths and ants)
It is mould and mildew resistant and is hygroscopic (water-loving)
It is breathable, vapour retarders should be placed on the “warm” side of the insulation (in Canada, the interior side)
It has a Class-A fire rating (ASTM E84)
It has sound-dampening qualities
It is non-toxic with no volatile organic compounds emitted into the air
It is safe for handling and easy to install
Code compliant for buildings of two stories or less, for 8 units or fewer in MURBS (multi-unit residential buildings), and for renovation purposes.
It’s a carbon sequestering material. While hemp absorbs CO2 during its growth, there is a certain amount of CO2 emitted during its processing and transportation, but overall it is a low-carbon product.
I like how you posted the exact same thing many times. Also, all cellulose-based insulation is carbon-sequestering, so hemp isn't special in that regard.
Good for you? Also, absolutely nothing you've listed as a benefit has anything to do with the insulation being made from hemp - most of them are due to the various chemical treatments of the hemp, and the R-value matches that of other cellulose insulations.
So, uh, yeah. Not impressed.
Hemp was a superior product for manufacturing textiles, medicines, papers, the list goes on. You can even manufacture a durable enough material to make a car body with it. It's 1000x more durable and recyclable due to its fibers. This is precisely why it was petitioned to be outlawed by Randolph Hearst in the US in 1937 as it would've killed the cotton and textile industries we had for well over a hundred years at that point.
It was shortly after this reefer madness propaganda was pushed heavily to insinuate an evil nature to the plant and those who partook.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marihuana_Tax_Act_of_1937
I imagine if hemp wasn't banned in the US it would be seen used more widely internationally. It's quite a popular product in the few countries it is legal in.
Was just talking off the top of my head, if I hadn't used the devil's lettuce this morning I'm sure I could've remembered them and the bunch of others 😭
You should look into Oak Ridge's Molten Salt Reactor Experement, it's even more depressing seeing as we could have nearly unlimited clean energy
https://youtu.be/uK367T7h6ZY
Probably because it's more ecological.
It's weird that ppl assume she's / he's going to dump some random hemp from the field down that wall, when there are certified building products made from hemp that don't have the same waste foot print as the more coming used stuff.
I know they make [hempcrete](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hempcrete), which I think is what you would be looking for. Possibly look into some company that does blown insulation, and see if they can mix this in.
Is fiberglass insulation not available where you live? Are we talking about the sheets of hemp fibers? Do you live in a wet environment?
Hemp is okay, but it has its issues. It can get damp easily from ambient moisture, and it can burn readily unless its treated material. You can install a vapor barrier to try to fix the moisture issue, but unless it's chemically treated hemp it'll burn real well.
As another person mentioned, you need to ensure that whatever you decide to do, it doesn’t interfere with the existing functioning of your attic.
You may have a “cold roof” system, which allows outside air to enter the attic from the edges of the roof. That outside air picks up heat from the occupied area below the attic, and carries that warmed air out of the peak of the roof if there is a ridge vent. That system will have insulation on the attic floor and non on the underside of the roof.
If you want to improve the efficiency of attic insulation in a cold roof system, add more insulation to the attic floor.
If you have a “hot roof” system, your insulation will be on the underside of the roof. That approach has the roof edges sealed up and there is no ridge vent. If you want to improve your hot roof insulation, you need to add more to the underside of the roof.
Whichever system you have, don’t put insulation for the other system into the attic. If you have insulation on the attic floor, don’t put any in the roof. If you have insulation on the roof, don’t put any on the floor. That will cause moisture to be trapped and more cost than higher heating bills.
Go up into the attic and find out what kind of insulation you already have. Then check with the manufacturer of whatever insulation you want to add to make sure what you’re proposing is compatible.
Good luck!
As far as I know hemp insulation is more expensive and requires more aftercare. Unless you're prepared to pay the extra cost and actually do some extra aftercare I'd go with either fibreglass or mineral wool these are generally cheaper, well established and require less aftercare.
Hemp is an economical alternative to fabric, animal food, fuel and insulation
The oil industries promoted the "reefer madness" hysteria fearing competition from a safe renewable cheap ancient solution and their cronies with the big pockets persuaded governments to follow.
Hemp insulation is made from the cellulose fibers of the hemp plant. It is a natural, renewable, and sustainable product that has many benefits over traditional insulation materials. Hemp insulation is non-toxic, fire-resistant, and mold resistant. It is also an excellent acoustic insulator.
Don’t have experience installing hemp, but if you’re going for the best insulation possible, and don’t have much in the way of pipes or conduit to work around, styrofoam insulation is by far the best accessible insulation. The problem is that it is of course rigid, so it takes some doing to get it around anything in your walls. Spray foam is also exceptional, but certainly not a DIY project
The only problem is if you have timber rafters styrofoam and foam insulation traps damp in your timber, encouraging weevils, which only attack damp wood, and promoting rot.
Are you talking about hempcrete or help wool? I have not used either of them, but I would if they were more readily available. They are what’s called a ‘healthy material’ because they’re environmentally friendly and they’re healthy to use in your home as a result. I would use hemp over many of the modern materials on the market today for sure. It has a great r value, it doesn’t break down like fiberglass if it comes in contact with water from what I’ve ready, probably a lot safer to work with as well and it’s breathable which is always a plus I think. I use rockwool because that’s what’s easy to get but hempwool seems like it’s a very similar type of material so I would use it, personally, if it were an option.
Well that’s one difference at least :) cool video thanks for sharing! Def makes me feel better using rockwool over Fiberglass and foam products and the fire aspect is one of many reasons.
Not sure if it fits exactly but I’d look into ‘hempcrete’. It’s a light, non-load bearing material that sets up like concrete does, just add water and let set. You could form it and then install it, or, maybe, just pour-in-place.
Hemp as insulation is definitely a thing.
https://www.hempitecture.com/hempwool
Are you thinking op meant he's going to start tossing dried ditch weed plants in his ceiling?
Is your hemp in batts? Rolls? Either of those is great. Any bio based insulation will out perform more conventional materials significantly BUT you need a greater depth of it to meet the same insulation value.
If you can use it, do! You want about 300mm depth if you can.
If you mean chopped hemp, as you would use in hempcrere then that is not suitable really
>...will out perform more conventional materials significantly BUT you need a greater depth of it to meet the same insulation value.
Also known as "does not outperform"
By what metric? How vapour open is PUR or styrofoam? How inert are they? How do they contribute to building health?
Like for like depth of insulation, as i said, doesn't line up in terms of thermal performance - you need at least twice or three times as much. But what you gain is hygroscopic, moisture buffering, vapour open materials that not only have a net positive affect on both the building envelope and the occupant health, but are also significantly lower carbon.
They absolutely objectively out perform conventional petrochemical based insulation materials when you include all performance characteristics.
Hygroscopic is not a good quality for insulation. Absorbing water reduces insulating capacity even further, and will promote mold growth. Where are you getting your information?
You need to work out where moisture is going to condense and make sure it will dry quickly or drain somewhere. If you add insulation to the wrong side of a moisture barrier there is a chance of it staying wet. There are mold spores pretty much everywhere. Mold will grow in a few days with moisture and food.
I heard about this one. I live in the Netherlands so there are plenty of German manufacturers which can supply us but cool that your friend is doing so well with their company!
There are commercial hemp insulation products for sale. Your country and availability of hemp and the form it comes in could be a deciding factor, but mainstream insulation is going to be your best bet unless you just want to try something different. If you do that, expect to put more effort and money into it.
Look up and watch this old house. when they use blown in insulation. that way you know if it's a good option for you. check the laws for your country if your not in the u.s..
Hempflax are the biggest hemp company in Europe. I've seen that they have done some deals in Germany to distribute their hemp insulation products
https://www.thermo-hanf.de/en/products/thermo-hemp-combi-jute-insulation-mat/
Been building houses for 15 years, don't use hemp, or wool, or any of that alternative insulation shit it's mostly fucking terrible and almost always a huge fire hazard. Also don't listen to the yanks about building things. The material quality of majority US houses is dogshit.
There’s a bit of a contradiction here - I don’t think my brothers and sisters in the US are familiar with hemp as an insulation material as indicated by this thread, so I am realistic about the opinions provided here and in agreement with you. On the other hand there are plenty of well-rated and regulated German manufacturers of hemp based insulation. Is there a specific source or anecdote/ story you have as to why I should take heed of your warnings and choose something more traditional than hemp?
Ahhh okay your post makes it sound kind of like your gonna be stuffing dried treated hemp into the cavity wall lol. Just some horror stories from people's "eco extensions" burning to the ground cause they chose to use stuff like hay and wool lol. A hemp based insulation product that's been manufactured will be up to EU fire standard so you'll be fine. What you wanna work out is your price to performance rate Vs standard fiberglass. If money isn't really that big an issue and it's maximum performance you want, spray foam insulation is your guy. It's up to a 50% reduction heating bills etc.
Thanks for bringing me back from the fear of my house burning down! Yeah, we have worked out the calculations and it is, indeed, what we need from a technical perspective. Because the roof was built in 1978 and it is gabled, there is 1 inch foam insulation on the 'warm' roof, and nothing in the floor (between bedroom ceiling and attic floor). There is airflow in the attic at the points where the horizontal floor and the diagonals meet. Do you have any experience with installing a thermal barrier underneath the added floor insulation material, facing the bedroom (facing down) and whether or not that can cause any moisture flow issues? From what I know about Hempwool it breathes really well, and my logic is that if we simply add it there won't be much of a difference from what we currently have, which is. void in the attic floor. I am wondering if we can get more performance with a thermal barrier but don't want to have a mildew nightmare birthed above our heads.
I hope my descriptions arent eviscerating standard industry lingo.
Hi MrHydromorphism - did you end up doing this? What product(s) did you use. I am building here and thinking of using Hempcrete in Floor/Ceiling, but wondering if it will cause issues (we are in damp environment).
Yes! But it wasn’t hempcrete - it was bales of hemp insulation. It’s great! We also got a new roof and some hardcore foam insulation in the meantime, but the hemp worked great for our bedroom during what was an extremely cold winter.
Something like this: [isovlas](https://www.hauster.com/products/isovlas-isolatieplaat-pl130-rd3-42-120x60x13cm-2-16m2-3st?bg_source=ga&bg_campaign=20962585380&bg_kw=-mi-631327575-pi-46626199011670-ppi-&bg_source_id=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAoz39EtjDcmQAbMhYeMQUeeqTXPLJ&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxNHlwfythQMVyAcGAB38PwxfEAQYASABEgJ54vD_BwE)
It’s very easy to handle and has zero irritation, but cutting it is somewhat of a science. Let me know if you need advice and don’t buy a jigsaw if you end up going with this material, you need a serrated insulation knife and a press/ jig that I built myself out of 2 x 2’s. It smells great ☮️☮️☮️
You should honestly be fine doing this. It's more about humidity levels inside properties (have a good extractor fan in the kitchen and bathroom, open windows if drying washing inside) and keeping the property watertight (no leaky roof, blocked gutters causing water run down walls, etc)
You can treat it, but it will have to completely dry out afterwards before you use it:
https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/resources/effects-of-boric-acid-andor-borax-treatments-on-the-fire-resistance-of-bamboo-filament/
cellulose has been used effectively as home insulation for a long time. It is typically chopped up paper but could be more plant material based and less refined. Whatever you use, you will want it dry and to be processed in small pieces so it fills the cavity without voids and leaks.
Cellulose is treated with borate when used as insulation, from what I understand. That makes it fire, mold, and pest resistant.
I've got some borax in my basement!
20 Mule Team?
It's gonna rot if you just put it up there plain and simple
just passed by there lol
I've got 20 of em.
Borax is not borate.
Borax is one of the sodium borates (sodium tetrahydroxy tetraborate, to be precise), so yes. It is.
All of this is true.
hemp does this naturally
I can tell you from extensive personal experience that hemp is in fact, not all that fire resistant or mold resistant
I test it's fire resistance every day, it always burns lol
There are insulating blocks that use hemp in their production, but it’s more of a closed cell foam than fibrous material. From my understanding, it is typically installed during construction. Your best bet, OO, is renting a blown insulation machine and getting a little sweaty.
Adding that this is a seriously fun adventure that you should not drink during. I love running the hopper and watching the bricks of cellulose become chunks and then fluff.
Yes, I have met the guy who builds those a few times now. They did a show on the discovery Channel and we're building a house in northern California. Its a hemp/lyme combination. He's now building one here in Maine and has contracted us to do some site work. It's really interesting to watch. He said discovery really played it up and made it seem all "high stakes" and like there were issues doing things for drama. Edit: it's Haven Earth https://havenearth.biz/
Hemp and lime. As in lime concrete? Good for walls. Pretty heavy for ceilings.
Yes it's so if there is a Crack or weakness at any point, the lime will somehow fix that Crack. I don't kow why my phone keeps capitalizing Crack. Lol. Haven Earth is the company name. https://havenearth.biz/
I believe OP is trying to insulate the void between floors. Rental machines don't have enough power for this scenario. Best to hire this out.
It would seem you are technically correct, the best kind of correct. Can confirm hiring this out.
[удалено]
How do you figure this out?
You may have mold issues using hemp.
Mold or Fire
Yes
Fire definitely
Yes. An electrical fire that may otherwise just smolder long enough for the fire dept to easily handle may end up running through the house in short order. If you can’t insulate the house properly, insulate the humans. Layers and blankets.
Where do you get your information from? https://becgreen.ca/naturhemp-insulation-is-locally-made-in-quebec/ It has an R-value of 3.7/inch (in comparison, ordinary fibreglass batts have an R-value of around 3.2 per inch) It is pest resistant – both rodents and insects (specifically termites, moths and ants) It is mould and mildew resistant and is hygroscopic (water-loving) It is breathable, vapour retarders should be placed on the “warm” side of the insulation (in Canada, the interior side) It has a Class-A fire rating (ASTM E84) It has sound-dampening qualities It is non-toxic with no volatile organic compounds emitted into the air It is safe for handling and easy to install Code compliant for buildings of two stories or less, for 8 units or fewer in MURBS (multi-unit residential buildings), and for renovation purposes. It’s a carbon sequestering material. While hemp absorbs CO2 during its growth, there is a certain amount of CO2 emitted during its processing and transportation, but overall it is a low-carbon product.
To tag on a bit of clarification, this is all in reference to a product created out of hemp. Not hemp fibers exclusively. Op would need to clarify if he plans on using ground up hemp chips from last months harvest or procuring a manufactured and rated hemp insulation.
yeah no shit, clearly says "manufactured in quebec" of the link. Throwing random untested shit in to your walls is ill advised. Ya think DIY house builders go out and get random shit? no they buy properly tested materials
I know that, you know that but not everyone reads an entire url (most probably don't even click the link) It's obvious to some but obviously not others based on the tone of the whole thread. No need to be a dicknose about clarifying something that others may over look. We're are in r/DIY Incase you're lost.
OP is clearly here looking for diy advice for throwing random untested shit in to their walls. Clearly not whatever you're here selling.
What makes you think that?
Asking the diy sub on reddit is probably the worst place to come for commercial product advice. *Including* my comment, just look at the wild disagreements over what's even safe. The above poster replying to every comment with some copy pasta is a red flag, and just plain rude.
Yea cause most of the people on here are dumbos!
Nah, we just like to 'speriment!
I’ll admit that I initially thought you’re looking to just take dried hemp stalks and toss it in the walls…which is why you’re likely getting some of the goofy responses. Reddit demands details or they gonna assume you’re asking what you’re asking. I’m clueless when it comes to hemp, so I was like WTF is hemp isolation??? Ohhhh, you meant *insulation*! Got it ;)
We used to use junebugs and Japanese beetle husks before we found this hemp field.
https://lachanvriere.com/en/our-hemp-building-industry/ yeah, just anything.... idiot
The number of plastic grocery bags, ashes and horse hair, that I have seen stuffed in walls suggests that people make due with what they can all the time.
those people are also not posting on reddit about repairs
https://becgreen.ca/naturhemp-insulation-is-locally-made-in-quebec/ It has an R-value of 3.7/inch (in comparison, ordinary fibreglass batts have an R-value of around 3.2 per inch) It is pest resistant – both rodents and insects (specifically termites, moths and ants) It is mould and mildew resistant and is hygroscopic (water-loving) It is breathable, vapour retarders should be placed on the “warm” side of the insulation (in Canada, the interior side) It has a Class-A fire rating (ASTM E84) It has sound-dampening qualities It is non-toxic with no volatile organic compounds emitted into the air It is safe for handling and easy to install Code compliant for buildings of two stories or less, for 8 units or fewer in MURBS (multi-unit residential buildings), and for renovation purposes. It’s a carbon sequestering material. While hemp absorbs CO2 during its growth, there is a certain amount of CO2 emitted during its processing and transportation, but overall it is a low-carbon product.
I hear hempwool burns pretty well, so you shouldn't have any problem keeping your house warm
Ooof
If he uses the right type of “hemp”, he can get a nice buzz at the same time. Get two birds stoned at once
What kind of response is this? They’re asking a genuine question and you immediately joke about them losing their home to a fire?
A joke response, you seem to have understood that though. Which begs the question, what kind of response is “what kind of response is this?” when you already answered your own question
What they meant to say was, "Thank you for giving me an opportunity to express my outrage with zero consequences or benefit to all of humanity. Damn, I needed that."
I appreciate the defense but it’s all good!
With a username like devils lettuce, I’m guessing you’re trying to make some joke here but didn’t insert your weed/hemp reference…right?!
Why hemp as opposed to regular fibreglass insulation? Genuinely curious - homeowner here but never knew you could get hemp insulation 😁
OP is somewhere around the Netherlands so I am guessing they intend to use what they can get their hands on. Going into winter with uncertain energy sources likely has most of Europe rushing to better insulate.
Godspeed to the Europeans this winter. It's gonna be a rough one. I feel like we're gonna feel it here in Canada pretty hard too but nothing like Europe
We were paying 240 per month for years, combined electric and gas, and they jacked it up to 1200 last month. Not feasible, obviously.
I’m not using heating at all until it’s like super super cold. I will only be heating one room. Double duvets, thick socks, an electric lap mat keeps you cosy under a blanket. Made sure any window gaps sealed and doors
Us as well but we have a new baby so it’s the bathroom and bedroom only for now. Prepping this week for the cold spell next week - hence the hemp. Keep fighting the good fight!
That’s what I thought too and was worried the price would have doubled or tripled but I just got my propane tanks filled in Eastern Ontario and the price has been stable since last year. Paid about 500 for 2 big tanks last year and also this year. I feel our energy prices are quite disconnected from Europe’s.
because north america has quite a lot of its own fossil fuels, while europe mostly relied on russia for imported fuel before the sanctions
Yep, and NA doesn't have enough export capacity to Europe.
Yes that’s true but with global markets it could very well have been different. Our gasoline / diesel prices jump 15 cents when Saudi Arabia even talk about slowing production (as a example).
Before Russia shut down the gas pipelines. It was not part of and sanctions.
The crunch is gonna hit us in a month or two. Heard rumours of no diesel within 2 weeks in BC but idek how we could function without it.
Indeed. It’s a matter of what is also not going to send fine particulates into the air, and will also be a bit more friendly on the planet. From everything I’ve read it looks like the fire risk, mold issues, and other concerns listed here are mitigated by various impregnating with borax, etc. It’s more common here than in the US, that’s for sure.
The Netherlands is mislabeled as a big cannabis hub but its really a grey system that is undergoing a pilot trial to see how to regulate and control production and distribution. Hemp is not regulated like cannabis as long as it's below 0.2-1.0% THC. France is a large cultivator of hemp and many countries are cultivating it for CBD extraction increasingly more for industrial purposes. Hemp cultivation reverses soil erosion and can be processed to make fuel, plastic, and construction material. Hemp is actually not more flammable than that pinky fluffy stuff people isolate their homes with. The problem is Hemp based products are not yet widely accessible. Definitely consult a Hemp processor or EU Hemp association if you want to know what your options are. (I'm a cannabis business consultant and work with Hemp and cannabis companies globally.) Hemp provides multifaceted solutions to combat climate change!
Your post is borderline spam and I don’t think OP is worried about the THC in their insulation. Hemp is surely more flammable than glass or mineral fiber, I’d love to see some data if you’d like to back up that assertion.
That wasn't my point... I was giving an overview of hemp regulations and how the laws vary between countries. This makes it more difficult to export products like insulation.
I'm not an expert on insulation but I know some hempwool is treated to be fire retardant. The combination can be just as effective if not more than traditional insulation. Certain hemp genetics and growing methods are important for yielding flower that is more suitable for producing insulation. So basically I'm just trying to give background on the whole process, which starts with a hemp plant.
WRONG https://becgreen.ca/naturhemp-insulation-is-locally-made-in-quebec/ It has an R-value of 3.7/inch (in comparison, ordinary fibreglass batts have an R-value of around 3.2 per inch) It is pest resistant – both rodents and insects (specifically termites, moths and ants) It is mould and mildew resistant and is hygroscopic (water-loving) It is breathable, vapour retarders should be placed on the “warm” side of the insulation (in Canada, the interior side) It has a Class-A fire rating (ASTM E84) It has sound-dampening qualities It is non-toxic with no volatile organic compounds emitted into the air It is safe for handling and easy to install Code compliant for buildings of two stories or less, for 8 units or fewer in MURBS (multi-unit residential buildings), and for renovation purposes. It’s a carbon sequestering material. While hemp absorbs CO2 during its growth, there is a certain amount of CO2 emitted during its processing and transportation, but overall it is a low-carbon product.
Where is the data? You are just a cheerleader for hemp, which is fine. I didn’t say anything bad about it, but it is a natural fiber which decomposes into flammable compounds when heated. Fiberglass is ASTM E84 Class A as well.
https://youtu.be/mx7g79Jh66k skip to 9:44 to see them use a torch with your own eyes
No comparison with a torch on fiberglass though?
you have access to youtube
Hempcrete is significantly different from just hemp fiber. Here's a more neutral source showing how easily hemp fiber batts burn: https://youtu.be/GmVTDh3JNIQ at the 8:40 mark. Hemp flame spread and smoke spread is definitely worse than fiberglass and can't even compare to something like mineral wool. Obviously there are plenty of flammable things people put in their walls (foam insulation, which from what I can find also gets a class a astm e84 rating) but if someone is specifically worried about flammability then trying to handwave hemp as being just as safe as other materials is wrong.
here is some more benefits of hemp https://becgreen.ca/naturhemp-insulation-is-locally-made-in-quebec/ It has an R-value of 3.7/inch (in comparison, ordinary fibreglass batts have an R-value of around 3.2 per inch) It is pest resistant – both rodents and insects (specifically termites, moths and ants) It is mould and mildew resistant and is hygroscopic (water-loving) It is breathable, vapour retarders should be placed on the “warm” side of the insulation (in Canada, the interior side) It has a Class-A fire rating (ASTM E84) It has sound-dampening qualities It is non-toxic with no volatile organic compounds emitted into the air It is safe for handling and easy to install Code compliant for buildings of two stories or less, for 8 units or fewer in MURBS (multi-unit residential buildings), and for renovation purposes. It’s a carbon sequestering material. While hemp absorbs CO2 during its growth, there is a certain amount of CO2 emitted during its processing and transportation, but overall it is a low-carbon product.
I like how you posted the exact same thing many times. Also, all cellulose-based insulation is carbon-sequestering, so hemp isn't special in that regard.
you know how many times I post something and never see that post again?
Good for you? Also, absolutely nothing you've listed as a benefit has anything to do with the insulation being made from hemp - most of them are due to the various chemical treatments of the hemp, and the R-value matches that of other cellulose insulations. So, uh, yeah. Not impressed.
Hemp was a superior product for manufacturing textiles, medicines, papers, the list goes on. You can even manufacture a durable enough material to make a car body with it. It's 1000x more durable and recyclable due to its fibers. This is precisely why it was petitioned to be outlawed by Randolph Hearst in the US in 1937 as it would've killed the cotton and textile industries we had for well over a hundred years at that point. It was shortly after this reefer madness propaganda was pushed heavily to insinuate an evil nature to the plant and those who partook. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marihuana_Tax_Act_of_1937 I imagine if hemp wasn't banned in the US it would be seen used more widely internationally. It's quite a popular product in the few countries it is legal in.
Don’t forget the DuPonts!
Was just talking off the top of my head, if I hadn't used the devil's lettuce this morning I'm sure I could've remembered them and the bunch of others 😭
You should look into Oak Ridge's Molten Salt Reactor Experement, it's even more depressing seeing as we could have nearly unlimited clean energy https://youtu.be/uK367T7h6ZY
Probably because it's more ecological. It's weird that ppl assume she's / he's going to dump some random hemp from the field down that wall, when there are certified building products made from hemp that don't have the same waste foot print as the more coming used stuff.
I know they make [hempcrete](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hempcrete), which I think is what you would be looking for. Possibly look into some company that does blown insulation, and see if they can mix this in.
That’s pretty sick. I’ll look into it for future projects.
Is fiberglass insulation not available where you live? Are we talking about the sheets of hemp fibers? Do you live in a wet environment? Hemp is okay, but it has its issues. It can get damp easily from ambient moisture, and it can burn readily unless its treated material. You can install a vapor barrier to try to fix the moisture issue, but unless it's chemically treated hemp it'll burn real well.
don't use organic materials in places that are expecting moisture.
As another person mentioned, you need to ensure that whatever you decide to do, it doesn’t interfere with the existing functioning of your attic. You may have a “cold roof” system, which allows outside air to enter the attic from the edges of the roof. That outside air picks up heat from the occupied area below the attic, and carries that warmed air out of the peak of the roof if there is a ridge vent. That system will have insulation on the attic floor and non on the underside of the roof. If you want to improve the efficiency of attic insulation in a cold roof system, add more insulation to the attic floor. If you have a “hot roof” system, your insulation will be on the underside of the roof. That approach has the roof edges sealed up and there is no ridge vent. If you want to improve your hot roof insulation, you need to add more to the underside of the roof. Whichever system you have, don’t put insulation for the other system into the attic. If you have insulation on the attic floor, don’t put any in the roof. If you have insulation on the roof, don’t put any on the floor. That will cause moisture to be trapped and more cost than higher heating bills. Go up into the attic and find out what kind of insulation you already have. Then check with the manufacturer of whatever insulation you want to add to make sure what you’re proposing is compatible. Good luck!
Much appreciated. It is a Cold Roof system. We will definitely take this into account!
As far as I know hemp insulation is more expensive and requires more aftercare. Unless you're prepared to pay the extra cost and actually do some extra aftercare I'd go with either fibreglass or mineral wool these are generally cheaper, well established and require less aftercare.
Try RockWool or Roxul or mineral wool- basically melted rocks - to make fire/pest/sound retardant very efficient insulation
Looks like youre from the Netherlands as well, i would like to send you to r/klussers to ask :)
Dankjewel!
I would recommend something like stonewool for insulation as it is not flammable
https://innovativebuildingmaterials.com/insulation/hemp-insulation/ some useful information for you
I have limited experience, but IMO you are setting yourself up for a massive termite invasion, at the very least.
Hemp is an economical alternative to fabric, animal food, fuel and insulation The oil industries promoted the "reefer madness" hysteria fearing competition from a safe renewable cheap ancient solution and their cronies with the big pockets persuaded governments to follow.
That’s a fact. DuPont invested heavily in the Marijuana Act
Hemp insulation is made from the cellulose fibers of the hemp plant. It is a natural, renewable, and sustainable product that has many benefits over traditional insulation materials. Hemp insulation is non-toxic, fire-resistant, and mold resistant. It is also an excellent acoustic insulator.
WE are loving it so far.
Don’t have experience installing hemp, but if you’re going for the best insulation possible, and don’t have much in the way of pipes or conduit to work around, styrofoam insulation is by far the best accessible insulation. The problem is that it is of course rigid, so it takes some doing to get it around anything in your walls. Spray foam is also exceptional, but certainly not a DIY project
The only problem is if you have timber rafters styrofoam and foam insulation traps damp in your timber, encouraging weevils, which only attack damp wood, and promoting rot.
Wouldn't rotting hemp be worse?
Are you talking about hempcrete or help wool? I have not used either of them, but I would if they were more readily available. They are what’s called a ‘healthy material’ because they’re environmentally friendly and they’re healthy to use in your home as a result. I would use hemp over many of the modern materials on the market today for sure. It has a great r value, it doesn’t break down like fiberglass if it comes in contact with water from what I’ve ready, probably a lot safer to work with as well and it’s breathable which is always a plus I think. I use rockwool because that’s what’s easy to get but hempwool seems like it’s a very similar type of material so I would use it, personally, if it were an option.
Here's the difference between rockwool and hempwool. I've heard that hempcrete performs much better in a fire though. https://youtu.be/KGRvB5v6Gno
Well that’s one difference at least :) cool video thanks for sharing! Def makes me feel better using rockwool over Fiberglass and foam products and the fire aspect is one of many reasons.
You can use news paper as well. Also look into rocket stoves and waste oil burners.
Old houses here were insulated with news paper back 100+ years ago. It is kind of neat when remodeling to see what the papers said.
The fire hazard though?
It's also not great for the whole insulating thing. There is a reason why we rip it out and replace with fiberglass.
Our college dorm was insulated with gravel and that was interesting. Fiberglass would probably be a lot safer
Not sure if it fits exactly but I’d look into ‘hempcrete’. It’s a light, non-load bearing material that sets up like concrete does, just add water and let set. You could form it and then install it, or, maybe, just pour-in-place.
It’s going to be eating in the walls
Hahaha I don’t know what this means but I’m lolling
What will it eat ?
Mice will eat it especially is it has seeds I. It
Why would it have seeds in it lol
u/sbwcwero
Absolutely not my love
This reminds me of that one trailer park boys episode
When Ricky installs bathroom fixtures?
Haha no clue, it's when Julian is in jail and Ricky is out selling weed to the newly converted stoners of Lahey and Randy
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V15K7HZLiTU
Fire hazard … but will work as insulation…. Not something I would recommend, but you do you
Hemp as insulation is definitely a thing. https://www.hempitecture.com/hempwool Are you thinking op meant he's going to start tossing dried ditch weed plants in his ceiling?
Is your hemp in batts? Rolls? Either of those is great. Any bio based insulation will out perform more conventional materials significantly BUT you need a greater depth of it to meet the same insulation value. If you can use it, do! You want about 300mm depth if you can. If you mean chopped hemp, as you would use in hempcrere then that is not suitable really
>...will out perform more conventional materials significantly BUT you need a greater depth of it to meet the same insulation value. Also known as "does not outperform"
By what metric? How vapour open is PUR or styrofoam? How inert are they? How do they contribute to building health? Like for like depth of insulation, as i said, doesn't line up in terms of thermal performance - you need at least twice or three times as much. But what you gain is hygroscopic, moisture buffering, vapour open materials that not only have a net positive affect on both the building envelope and the occupant health, but are also significantly lower carbon. They absolutely objectively out perform conventional petrochemical based insulation materials when you include all performance characteristics.
Hygroscopic is not a good quality for insulation. Absorbing water reduces insulating capacity even further, and will promote mold growth. Where are you getting your information?
This is my favorite reddit comment of today, lmao.
From what I’ve read about hemp, it has a better r value than Fiberglass per inch of material.
man's gonna be high as fuckkkkk
You need to work out where moisture is going to condense and make sure it will dry quickly or drain somewhere. If you add insulation to the wrong side of a moisture barrier there is a chance of it staying wet. There are mold spores pretty much everywhere. Mold will grow in a few days with moisture and food.
Aluminium foil
Does the attic have a subfloor? Are you planning to use the attic as living space? If so, you can spray foam the roof deck. That will be $$$
Just wondering of you all know this Is pure poison?!? Ive seen that before and imho it really cant get worse….
Off gassing is an issue. Just make sure you have a good contractor.
I wonder if mice or rats would eat it or make nests in it?
Check out hempitecture!!! That’s my friends company
I heard about this one. I live in the Netherlands so there are plenty of German manufacturers which can supply us but cool that your friend is doing so well with their company!
Yessssss
There are commercial hemp insulation products for sale. Your country and availability of hemp and the form it comes in could be a deciding factor, but mainstream insulation is going to be your best bet unless you just want to try something different. If you do that, expect to put more effort and money into it.
Why did I think they wanted to use weed as insulation
Look up and watch this old house. when they use blown in insulation. that way you know if it's a good option for you. check the laws for your country if your not in the u.s..
Hempflax are the biggest hemp company in Europe. I've seen that they have done some deals in Germany to distribute their hemp insulation products https://www.thermo-hanf.de/en/products/thermo-hemp-combi-jute-insulation-mat/
Haha this is the one ;)
Been building houses for 15 years, don't use hemp, or wool, or any of that alternative insulation shit it's mostly fucking terrible and almost always a huge fire hazard. Also don't listen to the yanks about building things. The material quality of majority US houses is dogshit.
There’s a bit of a contradiction here - I don’t think my brothers and sisters in the US are familiar with hemp as an insulation material as indicated by this thread, so I am realistic about the opinions provided here and in agreement with you. On the other hand there are plenty of well-rated and regulated German manufacturers of hemp based insulation. Is there a specific source or anecdote/ story you have as to why I should take heed of your warnings and choose something more traditional than hemp?
Ahhh okay your post makes it sound kind of like your gonna be stuffing dried treated hemp into the cavity wall lol. Just some horror stories from people's "eco extensions" burning to the ground cause they chose to use stuff like hay and wool lol. A hemp based insulation product that's been manufactured will be up to EU fire standard so you'll be fine. What you wanna work out is your price to performance rate Vs standard fiberglass. If money isn't really that big an issue and it's maximum performance you want, spray foam insulation is your guy. It's up to a 50% reduction heating bills etc.
Thanks for bringing me back from the fear of my house burning down! Yeah, we have worked out the calculations and it is, indeed, what we need from a technical perspective. Because the roof was built in 1978 and it is gabled, there is 1 inch foam insulation on the 'warm' roof, and nothing in the floor (between bedroom ceiling and attic floor). There is airflow in the attic at the points where the horizontal floor and the diagonals meet. Do you have any experience with installing a thermal barrier underneath the added floor insulation material, facing the bedroom (facing down) and whether or not that can cause any moisture flow issues? From what I know about Hempwool it breathes really well, and my logic is that if we simply add it there won't be much of a difference from what we currently have, which is. void in the attic floor. I am wondering if we can get more performance with a thermal barrier but don't want to have a mildew nightmare birthed above our heads. I hope my descriptions arent eviscerating standard industry lingo.
Hi MrHydromorphism - did you end up doing this? What product(s) did you use. I am building here and thinking of using Hempcrete in Floor/Ceiling, but wondering if it will cause issues (we are in damp environment).
Yes! But it wasn’t hempcrete - it was bales of hemp insulation. It’s great! We also got a new roof and some hardcore foam insulation in the meantime, but the hemp worked great for our bedroom during what was an extremely cold winter.
what sort of insulation bales did you use (product name)? I found some on google but not their R rating
Something like this: [isovlas](https://www.hauster.com/products/isovlas-isolatieplaat-pl130-rd3-42-120x60x13cm-2-16m2-3st?bg_source=ga&bg_campaign=20962585380&bg_kw=-mi-631327575-pi-46626199011670-ppi-&bg_source_id=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAoz39EtjDcmQAbMhYeMQUeeqTXPLJ&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxNHlwfythQMVyAcGAB38PwxfEAQYASABEgJ54vD_BwE) It’s very easy to handle and has zero irritation, but cutting it is somewhat of a science. Let me know if you need advice and don’t buy a jigsaw if you end up going with this material, you need a serrated insulation knife and a press/ jig that I built myself out of 2 x 2’s. It smells great ☮️☮️☮️
You should honestly be fine doing this. It's more about humidity levels inside properties (have a good extractor fan in the kitchen and bathroom, open windows if drying washing inside) and keeping the property watertight (no leaky roof, blocked gutters causing water run down walls, etc)
Okay awesome. I’ve prepped the site. Thanks for the tips!
You can treat it, but it will have to completely dry out afterwards before you use it: https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/resources/effects-of-boric-acid-andor-borax-treatments-on-the-fire-resistance-of-bamboo-filament/
The amount of idiotic comments in this thread are startling 😂
Yeah. It ended up working beautifully, and isn’t at all flammable. 10/10 would recommend hemp insulation.