Rockwool Insulation: What It Is
Rockwool insulation products are an excellent type of insulation material and
have been in use for over 70 years around the world. The manufacture and use of
rockwool insulation have been extensively monitored and researched during that
long period of time, making them safe to use in any condition. Rockwool
insulation has never been known to cause serious health problems, either by
exposure during use or manufacturing.
History
Early versions of rockwool were first produced in the mid 1800s. Since then,
rockwool insulation has had a long and successful history of use in various
insulation applications, with glass wool being used as an insulation product
during the last 70 years. While animal testing results and epidemiology studies
before the 1970s did not reveal any health problems, there were concerns about
this possible danger from research into other building materials. This led to
questions being raised about the potential health risks of synthetic mineral
fiber products, among them glass wool and rockwool insulation.
Usage
Rockwool is the most widely used insulation material worldwide, particularly in
Australia and New Zealand. In 2000, new bio-soluble fiber formulations were
introduced locally, and Australian building unions have collaborated on
developing agreed work methods for the use of rockwool in applications on
building sites.
Compared to other insulation products available on the market, none of them have
been subjected to extensive research like rockwool in order to establish their
safe properties. Although some temporary itching might result in the handling of
rockwool, the dust it releases during installation is not classified as
hazardous, and it is highly recommended to just use sensible work practices in
order to minimize this.
Properties
In certain applications, rockwool is incombustible and can be used as a fire
barrier as protection from dangerous flames. But while some rockwool products
might pass a more stringent AS1530.1 non-combustibility test, some products
fail, particularly petrochemical or paper based products.
Rockwool also does not absorb moisture from the atmosphere, and has a neutral
pH, with no danger of corrosion or harmful chemicals leaching from the material.
In addition to being declared safe based on extensive medical research, rockwool
is lightweight, easy to install and won't settle over time. It is also the most
cost effective form of insulation, with proven long term performance. |
