Benefits of Sheep's Wool Insulation
Installing insulation is a fantastic way to minimise heat loss, enhance energy efficiency, save money and create a more comfortable and consistent temperature for your home. Sheeps wool insulation is popular as one of the most natural and sustainable variations of insulation available. It is quite literally as the name implies, made from sheep’s wool.
We know that sheep’s wool is fantastic for making a scarf or warm jumper, but what makes this natural material so good for insulating our homes? In this article, we will answer this question, delving further into the benefits and advantages of this highly effective insulator.
Benefits of Sheep's Wool Insulation
Thermal Conductivity
Wool fibres form millions of small air pockets which trap air and provide an effective thermal barrier. This crimped structure is the reason why sheep can survive the elements throughout both the coldest and hottest weather conditions.
Sheep wool insulation boasts a thermal conductivity rating of between 0.035 and 0.04 W/mK. In comparison to mineral wool with a thermal conductivity of 0.044 W/mK, sheep’s wool provides better insulative properties. This means just like sheep; you can keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Sustainable
As wool insulation is completely natural, it offers fantastic sustainability. The production of sheep’s wool insulation is based purely on the availability of sheep, which is a material source we are unlikely to run out of any time soon. It also utilises a far smaller percentage of energy to make than many other insulation alternatives, so has a lesser environmental impact during production.
Regulates Humidity
The core of sheep’s wool is hygroscopic which means that it can absorb water vapour with no problem. In fact, it can absorb up to 33% of its weight in moisture without effecting the quality of its insulating properties. Condensation tends to build up in loft spaces, so sheep’s wool insulation is perfect for use in a humid environment such as this without subjecting to moisture damaging.
Doesn’t Burn
Sheep’s wool is one of the only natural fibres that doesn’t burn thanks to its high nitrogen content. This natural material will simply self-extinguish instead of catching flame so is far safer for use in the home. You would have to heat sheep’s wool to over 560°C before it will start to burn.
Purifies the Air
Sheep’s wool is a natural protein, consisting of a variety of amino acids, 60% of which have a reactive side chain. These reactive side chains help to absorb harmful and strong-smelling substances such as Sulphur Oxide, Nitrogen Dioxide and Formaldehydes, then neutralise them through ‘Chemisorption’. This process purifies the air in the surrounding area and creates a cleaner, healthier and more comfortable home environment.
Acoustic Insulator
As well as thermal insulation, sheep’s wool is also fantastic as an acoustic insulator. It is a popular choice for busy environments such as offices as it reduces noise pollution, helping to create a more productive and workable space. In comparison to more common wool insulators, sheep’s wool minimises sound absorption far more effectively.
Safe to Touch (Isn’t Itchy!)
Perfect for DIYers, sheep’s wool insulation is completely safe (and not at all itchy!) to work with. It can be easily installed by the average homeowner without the need for specialist protective gear. Some variations of wool insulation can cause irritation and reactions when handled with bear skin. They can cause painful damage to eyes and even lungs when inhaled without a mask. Thankfully, there are no such health issues to worry about with sheep’s wool, meaning you won’t have to worry about injuring yourself to insulate your home.
To Conclude
From sustainability and thermal conductivity to safety and health benefits, sheep’s wool insulation has proven to be a strong contender against more commonly known insulating materials. Because of the material source, we can continue to utilise sheep’s wool throughout our homes for many years to come, creating far less damage to the environment whilst doing so.
If this article has inspired you to give natural insulation materials a go, be sure to take a look at the high-quality range on our website. Or, if you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our helpful customer service team who will be more than happy to help. Simply give them a call on 01295 565565, email [email protected], or leave a message in the handy live chat.
