Hemp wool vs Sheep wool insulation | Everything you need to know

[@trickyrjb1]

This girl leaves no stone unturned! Seriously, some of the best, most informative and exhaustive reviews on youtube! Great job as always!

[@BelindaCarr]

Thank you!

[@michaellogan7265]

@@BelindaCarr and your funny too

[@Controlly1]

@@BelindaCarr I would like to see the comparison in overall carbon footprint. The plant only absorbs while sheep produce, can you please add this to your analyse?

[@tomauto15]

@@michaellogan7265 1-6 sheep uprising!! OMG

[@fumusfumus]

A big caution with wool. It’s incredibly easily infested by moths and impossible to remedy without full removal, which can be incredibly destructive to the building. Even with Borax powder addition in the manufacturing process. Makes it a no-no in the U.K.

[@elwinvanwees8516]

Living in NZ, it's true we're not at all concerned about Covid, sheep uprisings on the other hand ...

[@ManpreetBhasin]

Lol i am scared of Butt heads in NZ now.

[@RichardLeslieWhereat]

Because you don't have to deal with Scomo, or Gladis

[@altruismfirst6489]

In England they are mixing Spider DNA with Sheep DNA for next level wool quality to keep Sheep competitive vs Sheeple consumer choice who prefer a downgrade in their DNA and immune systems for herd immunity. Sheeple feel comfort when the same bleats are heard by other herded bleaters in social media and love the Krispy Kream donuts, Maccas and other DNA destroying foods as a benefit for downgrading their dna as told to avoid hunger games.

[@MrSnibo]

Funny movie you should watch - Black Sheep (2006) Thank me later 😆

[@dougaltolan3017]

@@altruismfirst6489 bloody ell, what nutter thought of that? It's bad enough dealing with a spider in the bath, but a sheep? No thanks!

[@rimantasmalevanovas2758]

I love how she tells jokes in that serious pragmatic tone. I am almost concerned about possible sheep uprising.

[@Nature_Quixote]

that was a good one

[@priestesslucy]

My sheep used to try to uprise every time I sheered them lol

[@donatzerodayslife]

Attack of the killer sheep

[@paulhiebert1887]

New Zealand has sheep uprising, better send crack WKRP newsman Les Newsman to capture the moment!!! LOL "you wouldn't believe it Johnny, it was worse than the turkey uprising back in Cincinnati "!!!

[@narveenaryaputri9759]

Wonderful comment! I got a chuckle imagining that one!

[@KekuTheLaughing]

How did I get here and why did I watch the whole video? Signs of a good creator and engaging content!

[@FoodwaysDistribution]

So to get the best wool insulation we need to feed sheep plenty of hemp plants.

[@FranciscoFariasHeatProductions]

noooo i dont agrreee, animbal abusse

[@concentriccircles1899]

I don't want humans to kill animals or torture animals. We need animal rights one day but the likelihood in the next 2 hundred years is very slim. I'll keep on being vegan even if nobody else is. remember be kind and don't get yourself in prison. I don't agree in protesting on the streets, I think we need social change. I'm okay with renewable resources but I'm not okay with locking up sheep.

[@magnetshowdotheywork]

@@concentriccircles1899 Shearing sheep doesn’t torture or kill them.

[@kevinhoward7194]

@@concentriccircles1899 I dont think you know what animals want

[@concentriccircles1899]

@@kevinhoward7194 have you ever heard of flystrike??? You're technically right but you also don't know what animals want and that's why you can't make choices for the animals.

[@moba2k]

You are quickly becoming my go to for building tech topics. I’m tired of the loud obnoxious types that we’ve come to expect on KZbin. Keep making content, plz and thank you.

[@NeonNijahn]

"they better be treated well to prevent an uprising" hahahaha

[@andreycham4797]

This is what happened a week ago when sheeps took over the congress in the US

[@ricoludovici2825]

They have a similar problem in Iowa. "More pigs than people" is the unofficial state motto. But pigs offer NO insulating value whatsoever.

[@andreycham4797]

@@ricoludovici2825 stop calling people fighting for their rights pigs

[@ricoludovici2825]

@@andreycham4797 Porci resurgent.

[@grondhero]

The Australian Emu war should serve as a healthy warning. ;)

[@TechGorilla1987]

@12:12 - When you were talking about the shedding, I saw legitimate frustrated emotion there. It was kind of funny. Hemp has a rich and vibrant history throughout the ages. It was once used as currency, the Constitution was written on hemp paper, and in 1916, the federal governments own study showed that an acre of hemp can produce 4 times the paper that an acre of trees can not to mention the shorter grow time of hemp vs trees.

[@lindamaemullins5151]

Yep 👍

[@virgilgleason459]

I agree, it was enjoyable to see here expression.

[@itechnwrite]

Certainly makes a person wonder who benefited from shutting hemp industry down decades ago.

[@ANTSEMUT1]

It's one of the oldest domesticated plants to boot, with good evidence to suggest it's cultivation has been practiced for almost 10,000 years.

[@GigaBoost]

Thank Hearst for fucking hemp over

[@jameshutchins3396]

I love any product that can be grown and is versatile. The fact these are ancient products is even better.

[@adamhoyt7281]

This is the fourth video I’ve watched from Belinda, and the only humor has been in the little inserted Memes and movie clips. So when you, in a very deadpan way, made the joke about the sheep uprising, I sprayed my coffee all over the dashboard.

[@gwarlow]

Whenever I find myself feeling too smart for my own good, I watch one of your videos. ;-) Cheers.

[@BelindaCarr]

Lol. Thanks, Gordon!

[@LavenderLori406]

I insulated my product sales studio with Hempitecture's hempwool. I could not be more pleased with the product. Excellent service, product, and integrity. I love the company, love the product!

[@dononbass]

We had our ceiling space topped up with blown wool over the existing Pink Batts. It made a huge difference and interestingly the contractors used recycled wool carpets that had been deconstructed back to the wool fibres. And it was around half the price of Pink Batts. This was in New Zealand so I don't know whether it is available everywhere but it certainly seems like a good way to recycle wool.

[@samuelbroad11]

same

[@narveenaryaputri9759]

Great idea. I don't know if they are available in America, but worth inquiring

[@giselanorman1636]

Hi there, I live in Auckland. Can you tell me who you used for installation or what company supplies this? I have to re roof and need to replace the old batts used. Any help appreciated. Cheers

[@uniktbrukernavn]

Not sure how I came across your channel and also not sure why I care about hemp vs wool insulation, but here I am :) Love your clear, logical presentation.

[@neilaleksandrov2655]

WOW... just WOW so thorough and no extra talking about the other reviewers do which just wastes the viewers time and attention span (I suspect they do it for longer viewing times). None of that here.... You spend every word to bring information and light to the people. Such integrity and depth of research! Thank You so much, you give me hope for humanity and God Bless You!

[@BelindaCarr]

Lol thanks Neil!

[@jinchoung]

I have absolutely no reason to know the stuff you're talking about in your videos but I'm watching them anyway because of how interesting they are. well done. loved the container home debunk and I really hope you take your own advice and ignore the idiots. the internet is a cesspool. we know this. so ignore the noise and continue with your great work.

[@garyjarvis4058]

A truly comprehensive and easy to understand review of these two products. This video is spot on and Belinda is well versed in the topics she reviews. You simply can not get this kind of concise information in any textbook. Two Thumbs Up!! Oh, and the rebellious sheep approved the content of this presentation.

[@BelindaCarr]

Haha! Thanks, Gary.

[@ChristianElijahDickens]

This what you call turning your dreams into reality. Leaving her work place while still providing priceless information is incredible

[@_GntlStone_]

Hemp wool looks like it would cut relatively easily with a reciprocating electric bread knife. Very excited to see hemp videos, as it's such a diverse and useful material. And extremely sustainable.

[@clivewilliams3661]

I think that the fire issue is one that we are acutely aware of in UK. The fire propagation within voids is of major concern and without any self extinguishing properties hemp insulation would certainly mean for me it would be discounted. It is all to easy for fire to propagate into even supposedly fire protected cores and ignite the contents due to poorly sealed or damaged shells that then expands to cause catastrophic failures.

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

@@clivewilliams3661 Which is one reason why she should’ve included rock wool in her comparison, And it’s available both in batts and boards

[@clivewilliams3661]

@@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath The whole premise of this video was to compare the 'green' insulations. Rockwool is not a green insulation because it takes a huge amount of energy to create it from molten rock. Rockwool is used for fire protection simply because it takes so much heat to degrade it as you would expect from a product formed from rock. In terms of providing any fire properties to either hemp or wool all they can use is a retardant additive that generally will not make the material fire proof. A client of mine ran a material testing laboratory and we were discussing fire properties. The problem it seems that the legislators and manufacturers are fixated on the effect of a small fire source so that retardants appear to work. However, in a building fire the heat produced is extensive and intense and will overcome mere retardants so that the only non-fire propagation materials need to be totally and naturally non-combustible.

[@FLPhotoCatcher]

@@clivewilliams3661 The wool looks to be totally non-combustible. That's why I would choose it over the hemp insulation. That, and the hemp insulation is not all natural, with the synthetic fibers added.

[@clivewilliams3661]

@@FLPhotoCatcher Where you have voids filled with insulation the performance of that insulation should be appreciated. Whilst natural wool may not support combustion, i a fire it will burn and disintegrate leaving a void for the passage of the fire. Such voids are of great concern because they can create a chimney effect (as happened at Grenfell tower) that can intensify the fire. Also, in some cases the fire can be hidden and then come out in an unexpected location trapping people, as happened in a care home fire some years ago. The best insulation that is extremely resistant to fire is rockwool that has a melting point much higher than normal fires so can be used as a fire barrier. It is the go to material for cavity barriers and fire blankets in building structures.

[@zingbopdelux]

EXCELLENT! Thanks Belinda ... I had a van with standard mineral insulation in it's walls. It was obvious that the air quality inside the van was rather harsh. My next van project, I used Havelock wool. Now, when I am locked inside, on a freezing winter's night, The van has a certain "sweet" natural smell to the air ... gone are the sore eyes, throat, and sinuses! What makes this insulation so ideal for vans is that a 2 inch depth over the walls, ceiling and floor, are all that is required to properly insulate the interior from the coldest of outside temps, like -20 or more. (I live in Canada, where as every American knows, it's igloos all year round up here! ... but the real advantage is not needing vapour barriers ... the wool naturally adjusts to ambient moisture levels, even in dry/cold, or humid/cold conditions. Cost is irrelevant, when it comes to quality ... also, any fine fibrous material will irritate one's throat, lungs, or eyes, just as dust does ... the question is, does this material pose a health risk, if inhaled ... the answer is ... Always wear a mask when handling any material that is capable of minute, microscopic off-shedding. BTW, yours is the best KZbin channel , by far ... right up their with Paul Davids, my guitar lesson guru, and that's saying something! (he has 2 million+ subscribers) ... so just keep at it, you have the formula!

[@John-tq4bf]

Another great video Belinda. I love how you do the pros and cons and hold back nothing, truly a non biased product reviewer. Keep up the good work.

[@burnnc10454]

We installed the Havelock for sound in our 1940’s four square home renovation. It was great to work with.

[@twmd]

I had a look at one hemp wool manufacturer who states it contains 30% recycled polyester and 10% polyester binder. Polyester is flamable and I wonder if that's what causes the acrid burning in your sample.

[@caesarskiba9008]

Stay far far away from oil derivatives. Off gasing is real. Use natural products where possible

[@andorsun2666]

wow .. great presentation... all signal ..no noise ...i feel informed ...

[@csn583]

Oof, yeah that fire test is a huge deal-breaker. Love hemp but that's a hell-no for this application.

[@leamanwall8626]

Hi I have sheep wool for my ceiling insulation it’s great but there’s a certain type of moth that eats the wool insulation so I have to keep putting moth balls in the ceiling to stop them .

[@paulsawczyc5019]

It's always the things they don't tell you that are most important.

[@lindamaemullins5151]

Have you ever tried red cedar chips or blocks?

[@m0rthaus]

Eat the moths. Assert dominance

[@AlRoderick]

Introduce some bats to your attic to eat the moths. I foresee no consequences for this action.

[@alexandragatto]

As someone who worked in and studied agriculture I can say with absolute certainty hemp is EXPONENTIALLY less resource-intensive than sheep's wool. Hemp is an extremely low-resource crop and grows extremely quickly as Belinda pointed out, whereas sheep can only be shorn once or twice a year and need to be fed and watered every day. There are also the ethics to consider. As someone who worked on a sheep farm in Australia I can tell you that the way the sheep are treated and sheared would be extremely objectionable to the average consumer. The NZ "welfare laws" and standards cited apply only to the banning of one painful and inhumane procedure, flensing (cutting off leg skin with a hot knife), but does not protect against tail docking (amputating the tail with no anesthesia), ear tagging, or shearing which is often so brutal the sheep are left dazed, bloodied, and visibly traumatized (trembling/shaking, unable to stand, etc). Shearers are paid by the head and so work as quickly as possible to maximize revenue. Sometimes the shearer will nick a major artery, leaving the sheep in danger of bleeding out, so they will roughly stitch them up with a needle and thread, again of course without anesthesia or sanitation. The wounds inflicted by fast shearing can also lead to fatal infections, and lambs especially are in danger of being suffocated and squeezed to death in the herd due to overcrowding and overzealous mustering (herding). Again, these are not unique or "worst case" scenarios, they are all things I experienced personally on a completely average Merino farm. Hemp is just plants growing in a field. The winner is clear to me.

[@CowboybubPercussion]

What do you think of permeating the hemp insulation material with sodium bicarbonate for adding fire resistance to the fibers, and would it be cost effective?

[@bradberry6872]

You are full of it. I’ve shorn for 10 years and have never seen what you describe here . Stop lying for a living

[@GEMINDIGO]

Yes thanks - I agree with everything said here.I am from Aotearoa/NZ.Animal welfare standards on conventional (industrial/chemical) farms in NZ are really bad! In addition to what Alexandra says above,the animals are often left exposed to the elements without adequate shelter from wind,rain, and hot sun.Standards on organic farms are a lot lot better but still fall short of a truly symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship between humans and animals. On the other hand,hemp has many,many uses and can be grown easily on sub-optimal land without pesticides,herbicides and chemical fertilisers.

[@michaellukaniuk5074]

Keep these comparison Videos coming. It's a great learning tool for me.

[@BelindaCarr]

Thanks, Michael!

[@LucasRichardStephens]

Interesting, thanks very much Belinda. I have used both these products in timber houses for the groove between the logs line-scribed together (Medfar - mosegrop, meddrag, måssåfar we call it), and several times found old clothes of wool use for this, in timber-houses over a hundred years old. I now subscribe to the more and more normal practice here, of returning to the older convention of using moss for this job, as well as around windows and doors. For the simple reason that it has antiseptic qualities as well as insulation value. Picking moss is much more expensive though. It could be wise to use moss for the lowest logs, that are most prone to water damage and use these products higher up in the wall.

[@theredbobcat]

@LucasRichardStephens, are you talking about live moss? I've not heard of this! Any good sources you recommend that discuss this?

[@LucasRichardStephens]

@@theredbobcat kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKjPap6EZ552qqs put the subtittles on for the English translation. There are other of my films where I use moss but I don't know which exactly. It is generally considered the best thing to have between the logs of line-scribed log houses here in Norway. But there are many opinions about which moss one should or shouldn't use.

[@michaeld3587]

Dear Belinda. You are amazing and very smart lady. You have talent to explain topics in simple and yet very thorough way. Big fan of yours.

[@D4lF4l]

Found this whole subject very intriguing considering the Grenfel inquiry is still ongoing and the insulation plays a big part in that. Great video

[@davespriter]

i love watching these things that i have no reason to know with my roommate. its the mixture of how mundane and informative they are. i like your channel

[@haakon2741]

Hey Belinda, I am new to your channel but am really glad I found you. Your videos are well researched, well crafted, honest, informative, clear, and educational. This is what I want! Please don’t change.

[@BelindaCarr]

Thank you!

[@kiri101]

What a fantastically well researched and produced video, you are clearly well educated! As a construction worker I get tired of using so many synthetic materials so learning about the viability of natural materials was interesting. I would love to see you perform acoustic tests with these materials if possible, particularly the hemp.

[@gr7788]

Great review Belinda. I was a builder for many years in New Zealand. I would use a wool polyester blend batt, which I'm thinking reduced thermal drift. Fairly expensive, amazing noise reduction qualities and great insulation. Disadvantages, like you say is the dust, and much more time consuming to fit more difficult to cut etc. I'm a hug fan of wool products, it's properties and the lanolin oils are very versatile. Keep up the good work.

[@Vested_Investor]

Yes, yes, yes to your idea of exterior insulation panels from hemp!

[@williamklaverkamp5091]

I wonder if they could be crossed/ mixed together to get that stability and bounce back into the wool. Seems like a good blend to me.

[@jasminmaghrabi6885]

You have no idea how very valuable this information is. I just watched the rockwall and fiber glass video but I'm sold sold sold on wool or hemp.

[@jesinu]

Once again, bringing me informative and interesting videos that I didn't know I needed. Thanks!

[@diannemaegonzales3326]

you know, ma'am. you are better than my college instructor. YOU EXPLAINED IT WELL, and I binge watch all of your videos. I am very sorry to discover you this late. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE!! KEEP IT UP!!

[@ronniefromdk]

How about bug infestation? Moths supposedly love to eat holes in wool clothing. How will that work in insulation?

[@xxwookey]

I think they add a bit of borax. Certainly the manufacturers say it passed ISO3998 (which amounts to losing less than 7.5% of the weight of a 200mg sample exposed to moth larvae for two weeks, and fairly small levels of visible damage).

[@pondera2450]

Yes, I'm wondering about wool moths, dermestid beetles, and mites.

[@paulsawczyc5019]

@@pondera2450 I'm worried about pot-heads.

[@oldvlognewtricks]

@@paulsawczyc5019 This was addressed in the first minute of the video. Try harder.

[@willofdodge1]

@@xxwookey How/where did you learn that? That is interesting info

[@whyyoulidl]

Thx again; I concur with all the positive comments below!

[@RafaDe]

I have a campervan insulated with sheep wool. It's ok. Quiet. But I have found that some companies advertise it as humidity regulator. That is not true in van during a winter. There is far too much vapored water to store it in wool. You will get it wet. Must have perm retardant. I love the smell of it...

[@junebay5265]

That’s interesting! What is perm retardant and how do you use it to keep wool dry in a van?

[@QSing999]

@@junebay5265 A perm is a curly or wavy hairstyle from the 1980s.... it is also a water vapour unit of measurement ;)

[@builderbuilder616]

You're amazing. No one else is as thorough as you, and you explain your topics with very clear and concise. Great job 👍 All the way from New Zealand and our sheep

[@rossmcleod7983]

Excellent review and timely! Think I’ll opt for the hempcrete roof insulation after noting the dismal fire test. Many thanks. I’ve used raw wool once before and found it became rodent heaven, lost it’s loft and the lanolin stained the ceiling. Twas a poor choice.

[@RealeaD]

Was it due to no boric acid was added to it? Do you know why it lost its loft?

[@KaceyGreen]

I didn't even realize hemp or sheep wool were made into building insulation 😳, thank you

[@KaceyGreen]

An uprising 🤣

[@KaceyGreen]

That fire test 👀

[@coryshook7648]

My concern would be mice trying to live in it but secondly I’m fascinated that both products resist mold and mildew, I would not have thought that.

[@matthewbenton1630]

6:57 On soundproofing, I used thermafleece (wool with some polyester) behind soundproofing plasterboard to line alcoves in my house. I found it worked really well, better especially in the lower frequencies than acoustic mineral wool of the same thickness.

[@havelockwool975]

Belinda, Great video! And thanks so much for including us. We are proud to be part of improving the health of our built environment. This video will go a long way towards getting the word out about healthy, high-performance insulation. Best, The Havelock Flock"

[@jonviall5566]

I only lasted a minute before hitting the "like" button. I LOVE THIS LADY!!!!!!!!!!

[@hempitecture]

An excellent video to grow awareness of two great, sustainable insulations. You do the building community a wonderful service with this content 😊

[@FrederickDunn]

Another absolutely thorough and valuable presentation. We have bee hives that are used to insulate honey bee hives and I've had many questions regarding its properties as an insulator. Thank you again.

[@chucksymons5082]

Wow, that was interesting. I like to see more of the uses of hemp.

[@CF-3300]

I heard that whole reason it was illegal in America for so many decades is because in the 30’s someone wants to protect their interests in the timber industry. My understanding is that big business saw the potential competition as a threat because of how amazing and versatile it is.

[@galas455]

I'm impressed with your humor regarding the population of sheep and their rights.

[@MiniLuv-1984]

Great detail, thanks Belinda. That point about stuffing the insulation, mistakenly thinking that improves insulation was a great point. Shame about the fire properties of hemp insulation.

[@donaldendsley6199]

Stuffing the insulation raises the R-Value per inch (to a point), but lowers the R-value of the total mass of insulation (given the same mass). Most "wool" types of insulation can be compressed quite a but before it's R-value per inch starts dropping.

[@MiniLuv-1984]

@@donaldendsley6199 Good to know - thanks Donald.

[@mbisson5816]

I've raised sheep and have worked with sheep wool for over a decade. I have never been sick from it. Both look like great insulators, but to be honest I'd rather wear the sheep wool than use it for home insulation.

[@brucemurray2520]

When referencing the energy used to create the wool batts it sounded like you only considered the costs of manufacture, not the cost to raise the sheep.

[@jamesjames7192]

I can only echo the comments about how clear and well stated this video is. I question many people i see on the web. I respect this information

[@burpingcricket]

I probably just missed it when you talked about this, but is there not an allergy problem with wool? I mostly can’t touch it without getting rashes but I know people who get trouble breathing and their nose and eyes starts running just by being in the same room as a wool sweater. I get that it would be closed of when used as isolation but can still imagine lots of problems related to that.

[@JSCHM]

Asbestos was also used as isolation and there were no problems when it was closed of. Allergies should only come into play during construction or when the will is open because of e.g. repairs...

[@dhkoster]

Allergies can be present for both of these products - people working for extended periods with hemp can often sensitize to it, especially at the field level where its fine pollen is prevalent.

[@NotYourNhaama]

As someone allergic to sheep, once you clean the wool, the allergic reactions stop. I can wear wool fine. I assume someone actully allergic to wool itself, as long as they are not arround when its being installed and covered, and the place is approprietly cleaned, they should be fine.

[@arlenetoth608]

As someone who works with wool, allergies to wool are extremely rare as it is made of keratin, the same as your hair. People can have wool sensitivities and that is because of the twist in yarn where little fibers stick out and can irritate the skin. Merino wool is the softest that can be worn against the skin due to fine microns, but it is also expensive. You would need a much higher micron for wool insulation and would most likely come from sheep wool with a high micron count that is usually spun to make outerwear or rugs and that could be scratchy. I never wore wool because of the itch factor until I discovered merino wool which is used to make base layers and can regulate your temperature and is not itchy. Some people are allergic to lanolin which can be present in some wool products, but even that is rare as all commercially prepared fibers are very clean and grease free.

[@calvinarena259]

Good morning I’m insulator Good job on info Really helpful on van insulation I already purchased havelock wool Thank you very much Your pal cal

[@styleden22]

I am curious about how the wool is protected against insects, particularly moths and carpet beetles.

[@Survive2022]

I arrived on your channel while searching for different insulation choices. I am very impressed with the depth of information you provide, while entertaining at the same time. I have been remodeling and repairing homes and home like structures for over 25 yrs. I have found a couple handy, hacks. I've found that while cutting insulation, with a box knife or razor knife is effective. It is also time consuming and a bit of a hassle. I came across an old electric carving knife one day, and had an idea. I put my idea to work. The electric carving knife worked fabulously. Now I've only utilized this with the standard, glass insulation, not rock wool, wool or hemp. It's worth a good looking into. And the knives can be sourced even through your local Goodwill store, for a fraction of the price. Again, I am very impressed by your channel and what I have seen, this far. And want to encourage you to stay the course. Side note: I think your handling of the letter received from NAIMA, was handled with class and true information. Not just lab reports!

[@DomagojMago]

Love your videos! I have a music production studio and when I was building it I investigated types of fiber insulation for acoustic absorption. Finally i decided to go with sheep wool because in my area I can get it for free. The wool was washed, dried and then installed. I had almost 5 cubic meters of it inside and it worked great, at first. Unfortunately, moths started coming in, eating the wool and multiplying. After some time there was literally thousands of them! Eventually I had to get rid of the wool due to the sour smell from the moths and the fact that they ate almost half of the 5m3 that was inside. I wonder how did Havelock solve the isuuse, especially since it is supposed to be 100% naturall.

[@The79Bomb]

Haverlock and most other Wool insulation is apparently treated with Thorlan IW to prevent moth infestations.

[@RealeaD]

Just started researching wool insulation. Materials are stating boric acid/boron salt are added to wool in order to prevent from pests and animals. Didn't you add anything to the raw wool?

[@johngreally9599]

Superb communication. Some folk don't waste a penny of their education or a cell of their brain. Thank you.

[@sniperstalker1538]

Hi ! just discovered your channel and i love how you are bringing data and compare stuff ! what about rodent/pests/insects resistance please ? It would be a great part to add to your reviews maybe ?

[@fcrick]

I order some Havelock a few weeks ago on a whim and this made me feel a lot better about my purchase, as you brought up several things not addressed in other videos. I guess if you want it to absorb harmful things, you need to give some to the kids to play with and they'll make sure it's spread throughout the whole house in no time.

[@r1nzlr27]

A thing about farming hemp at scale is it requires specialist machinery as the stuff is so tough! I know a farmer who gave up on farming hemp very quickly as none of the machinery he had for normal UK arable farming would not do the job...

[@martinovallejo]

Most pet owners wouldn't even notice the extra hairs around the house from sheep wool. Interesting video Belinda, I like that you bring an effort on objectivity when considering pros and cons of the materials you review, and also that you consider their possible use cases.

[@FreekHoekstra]

There is absolutely no way that the embodied energy requirement of sheep wool is lower than that of hemp this is because it is an animal product versus a plant product. This means that per square meter to make 1 kg of wool we need to feed the sheep a significant amount of plant matter, probably somewhere in the order of 10 to 20 kg (citation needed obviously). However with the hemp product we can use those 10-20kg directly instead, therefore yielding a much higher amount of insulation material per square meter of soil used. I must say though that I am quite saddened by the flammability of the hemp product it looks like it could’ve been a fantastic competitor to mineral wool, but given the lingering burning that happened it seems like it would be nigh impossible to extinguish a fire if one were to ever reach the insulation layer which is a serious concern, not to mention the vertical rise of fire through the walls. An otherwise small fire might wreck the whole house. Thats nit very eco friendly either. Still I do really hope that it is solvable because otherwise it looks like a phenomenal product

[@motorbyclist]

Yeah that surprised me also, even more given the energy requirements for wool scouring. That said, the hemp was a blend with synthetic fibre, and there may be differences in growing pasture vs crops in terms of energy inputs.

[@FreekHoekstra]

@@motorbyclist hemp is known for being one of the most efficient crops, (ratio of sunlight to biomatter created, and equivalently co2 absorbed) together with corn, so its very likely more efficient then a pasture too ^^

[@Brandtphenom]

Great video! To all the commenters and viewers, contact your local leaders and entrepreneurs so we can establish the infrastructure for this material. Drive down the cost, put those living on the streets to work and in these hemp shelters

[@topperdude2007]

Thank you the video! I found this - as well as your Mineral Wool vs Fiberglass insulation - video quite helpful. KZbin likely recommended these as I am always looking for new insulating material for our properties - especially if they provide the additional benefit of sound isolation from the outside or neighboring properties with shared properties. Unfortunately, the problem is that many of the newer / 'greener' / potentially less harmful (to occupants and environment) products here on youtube (such as hemp wool, sheep wool and even denim insulation) are quite hard to find (or prohibitively expensive). Regardless, keep up the great work - love watching your informative videos! 👍😊

[@yolandaray6862]

I have no idea why this was in my suggestions but I am pleasantly surprised. Well done and thank you for the information.

[@isackhernandez3691]

I like insulations that don't off gas or lose R Value.

[@superfunnybob5422]

I like insulations that don't burn at the slightest hint of fire

[@seanworkman431]

Yet another excellent presentation and hemp is an amazingly versatile plant that grows quickly and makes better paper than most trees. I was not aware of sheep wool insulation.

[@acdnintheusa]

Thoroughly enjoying your content. This was another great one. Thank you for creating and sharing it.

[@geobus3307]

Very thorough. Thank you!

[@ironimp1]

Thanks Belinda another great introduction to insulation. I think you covered most of the pros and cons on this subject, but may I add a con for sheep's wool. In the UK we had problems with wooly moth infestation munching their way through the insulation and then clothes and carpets! To be fair this was due to the leaching of the insecticide treatment. A new wool treatment was introduced about 10 years ago and it seems to be working, however specifiers continue to be concerned about the risks. For this reason we always spec hempwool.

[@havelockwool975]

Hello! Havelock Wool here. We do add a slight amount of boric acid which deters all insects including moths. And we note that across our +10,000 projects we have had zero reports back of moth issues. Thanks!

[@Southwindlake]

By far the best video I have seen regarding these products. Marketing confuses everyone.

[@ecospider5]

Great information. I was thinking the hemp wool would be good in my crawlspace until you did the burn test. That was very depressing. I guess I will stick with the rock wool plan.

[@careylarsen2227]

Why not try sheep wool. HaveLock makes it for insulation

[@ecospider5]

I could not find enough information about protection against moth infestation. Especially with my 50 year timeframe of living in this house. Will the chemicals they use last that long. It was top on my list though.

[@Eger7law011]

As a builder your analysis of the cost of, R-value of, fire retardant capability of, slump over time properties of, human biological interaction with these products are extremely important factors for the future of a healthy product integration for their use in the future built environment. I very much value your comments, but I also encourage you to site sources of varied third party studies to support your claims. On the holistic level you are looking at a range of factors particularly the inherent cost to produce and disposal of these insulation types which as our minds grasp these aspects that conventional practices I for one strive to leverage forward. Very grateful.

[@Pjet1L]

How complicated would it be to increase the quality of hemp wool’s fire resistance, while maintaining its non toxicity?

[@V4D2]

just bumped into your channel, with the mineral wool comparison and this one. Pretty pretty clear , visual and useful. congrats ;) keep on making them, cheers from Portugal

[@grondhero]

2:41 "Sheep outnumber humans six to one in New Zealand. They'd better be treated well to prevent an uprising." I laughed out loud at this; your facial expression and the deadpan delivery were so great! My gut feeling is that I like wool better than hemp, but the stability issue is the biggest downer. Also, I noticed a bandage on your finger in the video, did you cut yourself while doing tests for us?

[@BelindaCarr]

Nah, burned myself baking cinnamon rolls. They were worth it :)

[@serskine1180]

@@BelindaCarr 🤣👍

[@jaqcp]

@@BelindaCarr Beautiful, smart, AND can cook? Perfect in every way!

[@gov2260]

As you read through the comments section please note the lack of corrective comments. Everything is very supportive this woman actually knows what she's talking about I wish she could do videos about economics.

[@OlDirtySam]

To the topic of recycling hemp wool: didn't you say in the beginning its hemp and polyester? Combo materials are notorious for beeng hard to recycle. Is this an overlook on your side or have i missed/missunderstood something?

[@jmi5969]

Hemp decomposes just like any dead grass. I'm afraid that by the time the owner decides to remodel/recycle, the organic part of the mix will be largely gone.

[@OlDirtySam]

@@jmi5969 my doubts are manly for the polyester part. I compare this to the hype for bamboo stuff. Most of the time it is treatet or mixed with some kind of plastic and even harder to recycle then pure plastic products

[@williamfox9523]

Belinda, you are absolutely a GEM!! How very nice, clear, and informative.

[@emmanuelm361]

Hope you didn't suffer too much from those insulating materials. It would be nice to get your opinion on how to do, or install, proper insulation. What is required for the insulation to work best and what is the ultimate insulation construction? Keep it going Belinda 😉 ✌️

[@marthapolkey1907]

Thank you for a fine comparison. I recently obtained samples of both products for a Fibershed display in Virginia. I did not know that the polyester binder was incorporated into the hemp wool. That certainly makes it a less "green" alternative. I also wonder if that is the part of the product that continued to smoulder in the fire test. I also wonder what compounds were released into the air when each product was burned. Second: It's my understanding that boron is incorporated into the wool insulation, to prevent insects (moth larvae) from investing it.

[@cecileb.2207]

Excellent information! Thank you so much!

[@robertocorradi7571]

Belinda ...... The best most informative review I have seen . Thank you

[@tatehewitt4220]

I wonder if a mix of these two materials might get us to the best of both worlds

[@travisburch4342]

Good idea. I wonder how much the polyester in the hemp is responsible for some of its stability.

[@colinbateman8233]

I do enjoy your commentary your direct to the point and noninvasive I appreciate the you look at pro and cons of products not who made it well done thank you for continuing to share

[@Dave5843-d9m]

The hemp wool has a few percent polyester fibre. Maybe that is what burns when you show it the blow torch.

[@jongardner2314]

It's a grass, so will burn/smoulder. Which didn't surprise me.

[@susanbarbier]

Man, lady, this was the most informative video I’ve ever watched.

[@vukperic6587]

I love you're videos. I would love to see you do a video on Reed insulation. It is possibly the most naturall insulation I've seen used and I would love to see it compared to standard rock wool and stirofoam insulation.

[@clivewilliams3661]

A very thorough analysis. One aspect of sheep wool that should be noted is that currently because of the explosion of synthetic fibres for clothing, the market for natural fibres like sheep wool has collapsed such that the price of fleece is often less than the handling cost so that it is either scrapped or given away free. Alternative uses of sheep wool like insulation should be encouraged as the environmental credentials are certainly worth having. I note that this video is a US production and uses 'R' values and fire ratings that are quite alien to most of Europe. In Europe and Scandinavia we use 'k' values that give the product dimensions as well i.e W/m.K for the heat transference that can then be combined with the thickness ('b' in metres) to give a resistance ('r) and then the total performance of a building element (the 'U' value in W/m^2 Kelvin) is the recipriical of the summation of all the b/k amounts. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine the overall performance of the combined building elements. Having just a US derived 'R' number without units only appears to allow comparison between individual elements and not an assessment of the effectiveness in a system of construction.

[@rjeefamily926]

My one thought with wool insulation is wool moths and carpet beetles. I imagine in a few years your attic would be entirely full of festering insects and degrading wool.

[@thegooch27]

I know that cellulose insulation is treated with boron to keep the bugs away. It's probably the same for wool.

[@cbryce9243]

Neither one of these sound like a great idea. Thanks for this video. I've been looking for the last year for a nonflammable, safe and quality product to insulate my van. Everything I have decided on is out of stock. I will watch the newer videos and see if there is new information. Thank you!

[@robertmartin5167]

Out of the two of them I would go with hemp wool

[@ecospider5]

Small batches of homemade fire retardant is easy to do. I wonder how hard it would be to treat them ourselves.

[@almostrvperfect6203]

Very interesting and entertaining. Campervan insulation is all-over-the-place. Campervans move (shake) down the road. I have often had the idea of filling a new 1 gallon paint can with an insullation product. Shaking the paint can with a paint shaker for a fixed time, 1 minute and measure the compression. The more it compresses the less the performance in a campervan. Tx