Blow-in cellulose insulation is manufactured from recycled newspaper and treated with borate to leave it fireproof and insect-proof. It’s not watertight, but this’s usually not a problem unless the roof flows, a pipe bursts behind a wall or a levee is breached during flood season. Once cellulose insulation has been thoroughly soaked it becomes a problem in urgent need of a solution.
Cellulose Insulation and Moisture
Cellulose insulation is frequently installed damp, and its insulating properties have been undamaged by routine seasonal humidity. When cellulose insulation becomes inundated with water, nevertheless, it’s likely to sag and settle, leaving sections of the ceiling or wall cavity unevenly filled. Once that happens, the cellulose won’t function as an effective insulating substance.
Cellulose Insulation and Damage
Thanks to its borate therapy, mold won’t form on cellulose insulation. But mould will form on timber studs and drywall in contact with moist cellulose. That is why it’s urgent to eliminate water-soaked cellulose and replace it with new insulation.