From havelock: Havelock Wool comes in at an impressive R Value PER INCH of 3.6 for Batts and 4.3 for Loose Fill. Just for those wondering. That is better than fiberglass.
Wow, simultaneously inventing! I’ve been saving waterproof feed bags and shepherd shed-these dogs drop sooo much winter insulation fluff in late spring. I’m going to stuff and seal the bags, glue magnets on them, and then use them as giant, reusable, insulating roof and siding tiles for my poultry houses.
I'm personally not fond of rock wool as a person who keeps fish, it can be very detrimental to the well being of fish and absolutely shreds their gills as its commonly used to wrap the roots of plant.
Hemp is great! I think we mentioned that in the video. Might have gotten cut from footage. Hemp, wool, cotton, earth, cob, straw, lots of natural insulations
@@OffGridGuides hemp WAS mentioned in this video. As a person who renovated a home 28 years ago, I can attest that fiberglass insulation is SO BAD. I could feel glass in my hands and arms for months (I wore gloves and a N-95 mask) after I put the insulation up in our reno! Who knows how much ended up in my LUNGS!
Sheep are good for milk too, so when you add to the meat and wool, they are reallly really valuable to keep. Especially since it's easy to feed them and they also give you free landscaping and fertilizer. You can even hire them out to your neighbors to graze their property (works well with chickens!)!
Maybe I missed it, but I don't think you ever mentioned blow insulation. Most homes I've ever seen in the Midwest region use it. It's mostly just cellulose and by far the cheapest.
I really like what you guys are doing Im trying to grow all my feed as forage for my animals, So I dont rely on food stores was wondering if you guys will be looking into growing more of your animals food on site such as cover cropping leguminous trees and what not they could definitely feed a small batch of rabbits, and maybe even sheep for milk and other products.
Have you thought about using cork bark insulation? I watch a channel called Project Kamp and they are experimenting with off grid systems for community living in Portugal, they used cork bark from their own land to make insulation for their office.
Lol, listening to y'all talk about your spouses and babies makes me feel really old (I'll be 40 in a bit over a month), but at the same time really hopeful for the future compared to what other people your age are doing on UA-cam!
i’m not vegan, but i don’t know how to feel about these; yall did a great job explaining that it is a question of scalability, and that the US is having less and less sheep… but it would be impossible to isolate every home with wool without some unnecessary exploitation.. if i lived in a place with a lot of herds that i knew were being treated fairly i would be more okay with that than buying shipped wool… to be fair NZ has nice animal rights laws, but if it was local it would be a different story. now to isolate that house it would take a year for a medium size herd to produce that much wool, meaning we would need a medium size herd for each tiny house built each year…
All good points! We feel good about the wool from NZ. This isn’t a solution for everyone. Much of what we do simply applies to a small number of people willing to live differently.
That is so cool! But what about fire Hazard? Aren't mainstream insulating materials normally resistant? Wool seems like very very flamable. Love your videos btw! I really find very inspiring what you do.
@Acorn Land Labs Hello guys i love your videos :-) I have a question, i noticed that in USA peeps who insulate the walls and roof but not the floor. Are there any specific reason not to insulate the floors? The cold really can go though the thin wooden layer. I think for the confort would mean a lot to insulate it too.
Is wood not a thermal bridge? You put the insulation in between. In Europe we most commonly have bricks walls and put insulation on the outside. My house has 20cm styrofoam insulation on the outside. Technical requirements for housing is getting more and more strict about energy efficiency.
Recently discovered jeans are soaked in formaldehyde, which is cancer causing. Would it still be good to use as insulation? Even wearing them seems like the "death by a thousand cuts" yall mentioned.
Half of the clothing they are wearing probably has dyes, chemicals, or fibers that could be also considered dangerous. The idea that wool insulation could save thousands in medical expenses seemed forced, especially as they drive around a gasoline-fueled truck. The project is cool, but these guys are being a bit too imaginative in their explanations for my taste.
I've been watching this series with my fiance and she brought up a good point. What are y'all using for internet? Do you have a Hotspot with unlimited data or are you going somewhere to upload your videos?
Every offgrid project has to use items made with on-grid origins. It’s a reality. The key is to build systems that are low energy, low impact, more self Sufficient and easily maintainable. We’re building this project in metro Atlanta. For remote internet Starlink and Unlimitedville are good options!
It is flame resistant and self-extinguishing. Havelock does not introduce any synthetic mixes, glues, or bonding agents to the product, but does add a small amount of non-toxic boric acid (less than 1%) to make the wool insect repellent and further reduce flammability
The wool can help regulate humidity to a point. We're testing that here in GA. If we see issues we'll remove the plywood wall panels and install a barrier.
I don't know if your comment is in reference to the wool insulation. However, sheeps wool is naturally flame resistant, it will char but the flames won't spread. And in the event of a house fire, the wool won't release harmful toxins unlike some types of insulation. Plus, growing up on a sheep station in central NSW, we have never seen a sheep catch fire or spontaneously combust, which I find quite reassuring 😉🐑
It would boil down to three factors. A) How long does it take to shear? B) How long to clean the wool manually? C) Are you ok using loose wool to insulate vs the 16" batts we're using? The insulation batts require special machinery to make, this is where Havelock excels. We love the batts since it speeds up the process big time for walls and ceilings. If you are game to shear, clean and use loose wool there's nothing keeping you from using home grown!
google defines it as: A hazmat suit (hazardous materials suit) is a piece of personal protective equipment that consists of an impermeable whole-body garment worn as protection against hazardous materials. That is exactly what and why you wear one for insulation. So yeah it is. Hazmat suits aren't just for like medicine/science/radiation stuff.
It might be like asbestos? Natural "fibers" but they have to be spun from the source into the fibers. Whereas wool is a hair, a naturally shaped fiber ;)
Selling wool in Alberta Canada has become not profitable at all. So many sheep ranchers who grow for meat are burying their fleece after they shear because it costs more to pack it etc than it’s worth. WHY are there not more producers of this form of insulation. I can’t stand using raw fleece because of the smell (lanolin makes me aaachk.). This seems like such a missed opportunity. This is what our ‘carbon tax’ in Canada should be paying for, setting up the production of wool insulation to make it affordable.
We'll take our chances and avoid any extra synthetic chemicals to keep us and the kids healthy.... Seen way too many people here in America get cancer mid-life (people that eat healthy too). Absolutely disagree with any dismissive "Chemophobia" stance... you do you though, if you're into extra chemicals. It's a smart move in our toxic world. "Chemophobia" XD You sound like a bot from Dow Chemical.
While I love the exploring alternative options there’s a reason even sheep farmers use artificial insulation…… Gonna need y’all Christopher Columbus’er to calm down maybe y’all kids need to start asking 1 simple question….. If it’s so good why did people stop using it especially the ones that produce the raw ingredient. But let’s start with Moths well Havelock treats with Boric Acid but boric acid breaks down at high temps so no really a good choice to use as insulation especially on a dinky shed. Airborne Borates have a half life of a few days. But marketing sounds good if all you need to hear is “green” I guess. So if Moths don’t eat it when the Boric acid decomposes it gives off water and moisture inside walls is never good. Congrats on the UA-cam shed that looks good but will strangely be missing from farm by 2025
@@michaelcarey1040That's why a Tiny House is kind of handy. It's way easier to check on everything once a week or so and make sure nothing is trying to chew in.
From havelock: Havelock Wool comes in at an impressive R Value PER INCH of 3.6 for Batts and 4.3 for Loose Fill. Just for those wondering. That is better than fiberglass.
Wow, simultaneously inventing! I’ve been saving waterproof feed bags and shepherd shed-these dogs drop sooo much winter insulation fluff in late spring. I’m going to stuff and seal the bags, glue magnets on them, and then use them as giant, reusable, insulating roof and siding tiles for my poultry houses.
First
Wait, no! This shouldn't count! 😅
@@wtchrol7864 😂😂
love it. I hope one day I can support these conscious companies.
Rockwool is commonly used to sprout seeds for planting. It'll return to the soil pretty well.
I'm personally not fond of rock wool as a person who keeps fish, it can be very detrimental to the well being of fish and absolutely shreds their gills as its commonly used to wrap the roots of plant.
you guys are awesome!!!!! this is a great video series.
Definitelly not the only natural insulator. In europe we use hemp insulation too. It is actually quite decent
Hemp is great! I think we mentioned that in the video. Might have gotten cut from footage. Hemp, wool, cotton, earth, cob, straw, lots of natural insulations
@@OffGridGuides hemp WAS mentioned in this video. As a person who renovated a home 28 years ago, I can attest that fiberglass insulation is SO BAD. I could feel glass in my hands and arms for months (I wore gloves and a N-95 mask) after I put the insulation up in our reno! Who knows how much ended up in my LUNGS!
Sheep are good for milk too, so when you add to the meat and wool, they are reallly really valuable to keep. Especially since it's easy to feed them and they also give you free landscaping and fertilizer. You can even hire them out to your neighbors to graze their property (works well with chickens!)!
4:06 AMEN! As someone who has MS
No-Shave November, Joe?
The stubbly look hits different! 👍👍
Yes! 😂 Growing out my 13 beard hairs for the month.
Maybe I missed it, but I don't think you ever mentioned blow insulation. Most homes I've ever seen in the Midwest region use it. It's mostly just cellulose and by far the cheapest.
Sounds like a good option!
Is this material durable? Do you need to change it every now and then?
I really like what you guys are doing Im trying to grow all my feed as forage for my animals, So I dont rely on food stores was wondering if you guys will be looking into growing more of your animals food on site such as cover cropping leguminous trees and what not they could definitely feed a small batch of rabbits, and maybe even sheep for milk and other products.
How long does it last before it isn’t effective anymore due to breakdown?
Wool can last for months so long as it's kept dry. My main concern with it is moths getting in through a crack and the larva eating all the wool
Have you thought about using cork bark insulation? I watch a channel called Project Kamp and they are experimenting with off grid systems for community living in Portugal, they used cork bark from their own land to make insulation for their office.
Lol, listening to y'all talk about your spouses and babies makes me feel really old (I'll be 40 in a bit over a month), but at the same time really hopeful for the future compared to what other people your age are doing on UA-cam!
I really enjoy your videos. Great content.
Really cool stuff. I have concerns about deterioration over time, however
i’m not vegan, but i don’t know how to feel about these; yall did a great job explaining that it is a question of scalability, and that the US is having less and less sheep… but it would be impossible to isolate every home with wool without some unnecessary exploitation.. if i lived in a place with a lot of herds that i knew were being treated fairly i would be more okay with that than buying shipped wool… to be fair NZ has nice animal rights laws, but if it was local it would be a different story. now to isolate that house it would take a year for a medium size herd to produce that much wool, meaning we would need a medium size herd for each tiny house built each year…
All good points! We feel good about the wool from NZ. This isn’t a solution for everyone. Much of what we do simply applies to a small number of people willing to live differently.
You guys! This work and information is going to bless SO MANY who have the heart to see and hear all this.
That is so cool! But what about fire Hazard? Aren't mainstream insulating materials normally resistant? Wool seems like very very flamable. Love your videos btw! I really find very inspiring what you do.
Havelock wool is flame resistant! Class A rated for both fire hazard and flame spread.
Wool blankets are part of the standard fire emergency kit in chemistry labs, because it is naturally fire resistant.
Did i miss any mention of R value? Keep the videos coming!
Actually this. If the r value is bad it’s not worth it.
A quick Google says sheep’s wool insulation is R value 3.5-3.8 per inch of thickness which is 0.2 better than fibreglass
3.6 for batts, 4.3 for loose fill
Wool also has an amazing ability to moderate swings in humidity
Just an FYI on your pinned comment, R value is always a per inch measurement
What are other options for insulation? I’m trying to use as minimal animal products as possible.
Hemp, recycled denim, fiberglass, cellulose.
@Acorn Land Labs
Hello guys i love your videos :-)
I have a question, i noticed that in USA peeps who insulate the walls and roof but not the floor. Are there any specific reason not to insulate the floors? The cold really can go though the thin wooden layer. I think for the confort would mean a lot to insulate it too.
Is wood not a thermal bridge? You put the insulation in between.
In Europe we most commonly have bricks walls and put insulation on the outside. My house has 20cm styrofoam insulation on the outside.
Technical requirements for housing is getting more and more strict about energy efficiency.
I don't know about thermal bridges, but the installation they're doing looks pretty standard based on what I'm used to seeing.
Recently discovered jeans are soaked in formaldehyde, which is cancer causing. Would it still be good to use as insulation? Even wearing them seems like the "death by a thousand cuts" yall mentioned.
Yikes!! Which Jean brands? All of them?
Half of the clothing they are wearing probably has dyes, chemicals, or fibers that could be also considered dangerous. The idea that wool insulation could save thousands in medical expenses seemed forced, especially as they drive around a gasoline-fueled truck. The project is cool, but these guys are being a bit too imaginative in their explanations for my taste.
I've been watching this series with my fiance and she brought up a good point.
What are y'all using for internet? Do you have a Hotspot with unlimited data or are you going somewhere to upload your videos?
Coffee shops, family home visits, etc!
Every offgrid project has to use items made with on-grid origins. It’s a reality. The key is to build systems that are low energy, low impact, more self Sufficient and easily maintainable. We’re building this project in metro Atlanta. For remote internet Starlink and Unlimitedville are good options!
Do you know where you can buy this insulation in NZ?
Isn't the wool insulation flammable?
It is flame resistant and self-extinguishing. Havelock does not introduce any synthetic mixes, glues, or bonding agents to the product, but does add a small amount of non-toxic boric acid (less than 1%) to make the wool insect repellent and further reduce flammability
Why no moisture barrier before the insulation?
The wool can help regulate humidity to a point. We're testing that here in GA. If we see issues we'll remove the plywood wall panels and install a barrier.
Yes watch out for that because they can set up mold without moisture barrier.
We can only hope that place will never catch fire 🔥💀
This is why I like rammed earth but even then cheaper than an ordinary house which if it catches fire welp there goes your entire life savings.
Its like getting a cheap car and it getting damaged its no problem, You can get multiple but an expensive car getting damaged once is a headache.
I don't know if your comment is in reference to the wool insulation. However, sheeps wool is naturally flame resistant, it will char but the flames won't spread. And in the event of a house fire, the wool won't release harmful toxins unlike some types of insulation. Plus, growing up on a sheep station in central NSW, we have never seen a sheep catch fire or spontaneously combust, which I find quite reassuring 😉🐑
It’s no more flammable than any modern home
How long would it take to make that insulation yourself if you had a few sheep?
Years you would need like 100 sheep and like 3 seasons
It would boil down to three factors. A) How long does it take to shear? B) How long to clean the wool manually? C) Are you ok using loose wool to insulate vs the 16" batts we're using? The insulation batts require special machinery to make, this is where Havelock excels. We love the batts since it speeds up the process big time for walls and ceilings. If you are game to shear, clean and use loose wool there's nothing keeping you from using home grown!
@@Krep45 Another great point. How much wool comes off a single sheep per season?
Kiwi here: yes, we have more sheep than people.
No, we don't have access to our own wool insulation.
I wonder why? It's such a mystery 🙄
@@acornlandlabs depends on the sheep breed but anywhere around 10-30 lbs
That was NOT a HAZMAT suit. More like a thin bandana.
Blown in insulation is sticky and hard to clean off clothes, hair, etc..
google defines it as: A hazmat suit (hazardous materials suit) is a piece of personal protective equipment that consists of an impermeable whole-body garment worn as protection against hazardous materials.
That is exactly what and why you wear one for insulation. So yeah it is. Hazmat suits aren't just for like medicine/science/radiation stuff.
Clearly you have never worn those coveralls or applied blown in insulation.@@joeandjeremy8325
Looks like a hazmat suit. We’ll stick with that. If you need a respirator to install it, we don’t want it near us or the kiddos
@@OffGridGuides I don't wanna see your face when you realize how car paint is applied or how most homes are painted
@@snakevenom4954We understand that’s toxic too. And we won’t be anywhere near it. 😂
Rockwool is not natural? The name suggests it comes from rock. ;) Serious question, I didn't look into it. :)
It might be like asbestos? Natural "fibers" but they have to be spun from the source into the fibers. Whereas wool is a hair, a naturally shaped fiber ;)
They quoted me under $3k to insulate my entire house. That is cheap.
Selling wool in Alberta Canada has become not profitable at all. So many sheep ranchers who grow for meat are burying their fleece after they shear because it costs more to pack it etc than it’s worth. WHY are there not more producers of this form of insulation. I can’t stand using raw fleece because of the smell (lanolin makes me aaachk.). This seems like such a missed opportunity. This is what our ‘carbon tax’ in Canada should be paying for, setting up the production of wool insulation to make it affordable.
Chemophobia ad plenum
We'll take our chances and avoid any extra synthetic chemicals to keep us and the kids healthy.... Seen way too many people here in America get cancer mid-life (people that eat healthy too). Absolutely disagree with any dismissive "Chemophobia" stance... you do you though, if you're into extra chemicals. It's a smart move in our toxic world. "Chemophobia" XD You sound like a bot from Dow Chemical.
While I love the exploring alternative options there’s a reason even sheep farmers use artificial insulation…… Gonna need y’all Christopher Columbus’er to calm down maybe y’all kids need to start asking 1 simple question….. If it’s so good why did people stop using it especially the ones that produce the raw ingredient. But let’s start with Moths well Havelock treats with Boric Acid but boric acid breaks down at high temps so no really a good choice to use as insulation especially on a dinky shed. Airborne Borates have a half life of a few days. But marketing sounds good if all you need to hear is “green” I guess. So if Moths don’t eat it when the Boric acid decomposes it gives off water and moisture inside walls is never good. Congrats on the UA-cam shed that looks good but will strangely be missing from farm by 2025
They didn't STOP using it, they never used it to begin with. It was more valuable as a clothing fiber until very recently.
It largely invites mice though
So build in a way mice can't get into the walls?
Wouldn't any insulation, if a rodent could get to it? Tore down a wall in my last house and found a rat's nest in the pink insulation.
@priestesslucy3299 true but rats can chew thru wood and make their way in
@@michaelcarey1040That's why a Tiny House is kind of handy.
It's way easier to check on everything once a week or so and make sure nothing is trying to chew in.
mice can also chew through walls...