How to Green Your Home Insulation

Feb. 11, 2009 — -- Want to crunch your energy bill? Heating and cooling costs account for most of your energy bills, so proper insulation can help you save a lot of money, and eco-friendly insulation can help you save the Earth at the same time.

Here are some green insulation options:

Formaldehyde-free fiberglass insulation. Not only is it about the same price as conventional fiberglass insulation, it's healthier because there are no formaldehyde fumes that could cause sinus or lung problems. And since it's naturally white, no dyes are used.

Bio-based soy foam insulation is an alternative to the traditional "blow-in" foam insulation. Bio-based insulation contains 20 percent less chemicals and resins and is made from soy, a renewable resource. It has a high "R" value -- a measure of how effective the insulation is -- which means that smaller, less expensive heating and cooling equipment is needed to keep your home comfortable. And it's competitively priced.

Cellulose Celpak is another "blow-in" alternative. It's made of recycled newspaper (don't worry, the paper is fire resistant). It's particularly easy to use for patching -- just take down a wall panel, hook up the lower and fill in the gap or hole.

Bonded Logic Ultra Touch uses recycled denim and cotton scraps. It's a terrific green alternative -- 85 percent recycled fibers, biodegradable and specially treated to resist mold and fungi. It's the most expensive option but a great use of recycled material that you can buy in large and small pieces to insulate your entire house or just a hole. Plus, it's easy to handle for do-it-yourselfers -- it doesn't itch.

You can find environmentally friendly home and building supplies at www.greendepot.com .