The history of insulation

Cellulose insulation from iCell considers the environment in every step

The history of insulation – then and now

Moss, peat, and sawdust were used as insulation in the early 1900s. The advantage of natural materials is that they breathe. The disadvantage is poor insulation performance. During the 1950s, glass wool and rock wool, so-called mineral wool, were introduced. This had a major impact. Mineral wool had good insulation properties and was easy to use. The market was won.

However, a negative factor was noted with mineral wool: the material was not hygroscopic. In other words, it lacked the ability to absorb and release moisture.

Plastic sheeting and vapor barriers were introduced to keep moisture away from the mineral wool, but the consequence was that moisture became trapped in the walls. In many cases, this was the cause of the increasing problems with mold in houses in the 70s and 80s.

Tried and tested natural materials began to be used again. Cellulose loose-fill is an example of an insulation material that has developed the most over the years. It is natural, easy to handle, and user-friendly from a working environment perspective. In the USA and Canada, there are examples of cellulose loose-fill being used since the 1920s. There are documented cases where the insulation from that time still works perfectly today. During the 1980s, cellulose loose-fill was introduced for the first time in Sweden. Today, cellulose insulation accounts for approximately 10% of the total market and has an annual growth of approximately 10-15%.