Fire Testing Insulation Materials

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In this 50th episode of the "On The Job" web series, Larry Janesky does something a little different. Rather than walking us through a recent project, he takes us to Dr. Energy Saver's National Energy Conservation Center - a 40,000 sq. ft. training facility at the company's headquarters in Seymour CT - to demonstrate how different types of insulation materials will behave in case of a house fire.

Fire rating of insulation materials is something often overlooked not only in energy-efficient upgrades, but also in new construction. There are some code-mandated guidelines for using different types of insulation in different areas of the house, but at Dr. Energy Saver, we believe that the fire safety of homes and buildings can be greatly improved with the right choice of materials.

This is not a scientific test. The purpose of this video is to demonstrate the significant differences in the way different insulation materials behave when exposed to fire.

Using a propane torch, Larry put all the most common types of insulation to the test, including fiberglass (faced and unfaced), open-cell foam, closed-cell foam, open-cell foam with FSK paper, polyisocyanurate foam, fire resistant open-cell foam, expanded polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, fire block foam, denim insulation, AirKrete injection foam, cellulose and Rockwool insulation.

According to this demonstration, the best performing materials by far were AirKrete injection foam, cellulose and Rockwool, but Larry explains that this should not constitute grounds for avoiding the use any of the other materials, because each different material has its specific application. When it comes to green building and remodeling, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Smart energy-efficient retrofitting is about evaluating each home's features, energy consumption patterns and finding the best materials and techniques to achieve the most energy savings while making homes more comfortable, healthier and safer.

Dr. Energy Saver dealers nationwide have improved the homes and lives of many homeowners across the United States and we'd love to help you too! Call us or visit our website to locate a dealer near you!

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Contents of this Video:
00:00 Introduction
00:49 Material One: Fiberglass Batts
01:17 Material Two: Blown Fiberglass Insulation
01:47 Material Three: Cellulose Insulation
02:48 Material Four: Sprayfoam/ Closed Cell Foam Insulation
03:31 Material Five: EPS (Expanded Polystyrene Foam)
03:58 Material Six: Open Cell Sprayfoam / Half Pound Foam
04:58 Material Seven: Foamax / Polyisocyanurate Foam
06:25 Material Eight: Open-Cell Foam with FSK Paper
07:50 Difference Between Thermal Barrier and Ignition Barrier
08:27 Material Nine: Fire-Retardant Open-Cell Foam
09:32 Material Ten: EPS Insulation
09:56 Material Eleven: XPS (Extruded Polystyrene Foam)
10:48 Material Twelve: AirKrete Injection Foam
11:07 Material Thirteen: Aminoplast Foam/ Formaldehyde Foam
11:39 Material Fourteen: Close-Cell Sprayfoam/ Polystyrene Foam
12:41 Material Fifteen: Denim Batt Insulation
12:59 Material Sixteen: Fireblock Foam
13:23 Material Seventeen: Rockwool
14:00 Material Eighteen: Rockwool Canlight Cover
14:20 Which Insulation Performed Best in the Fire Test?