Glass wool or mineral wool - which is best for insulation?

When you&#;re insulating a building, it is important to ensure you have the best materials for the job. Fibreglass and mineral wool are two of the more popular types of insulation for this kind of project, and both will provide you with individual benefits depending on your requirements.

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We&#;ve packed this handy guide with useful information for you so that you&#;re fully informed of some of the important factors to consider when deciding if fibreglass or mineral wool is the go-to for you.

Without further ado, let&#;s dive right in.

Table of contents:

Glass wool insulation

Glass wool insulation, also known as fibreglass, is made from glass fibres. Glass is heated to very high temperatures until it melts, and is then spun quickly to create fibres. These fibres are then bound together to be used as insulation.

The glass fibres create pockets of air which act as barriers to prevent heat loss because air is a poor conductor of heat. Glass wool can be found in batts and rolls, loose-fill insulation and also within insulation boards.

Mineral wool insulation

Mineral wool, also known as ROCKWOOL or stone wool, is made from a selection of raw materials, such as stone and glass. These raw materials are treated in a similar way to glass, in that they are melted at high temperatures until they melt, and then they are spun to form fibres, similar to wool. This wool is then packaged up into batts, rolls or slabs.

R-value

When comparing ROCKWOOL and fibreglass batt wall insulation, they have a roughly similar R-value of around 0.57 per inch of thickness. Because they have the same thermal conductivity &#; for instance, 0.044 W/mK for both Knauf Loft Roll Earthwool Insulation and ROCKWOOL Twin Roll Insulation &#; they will provide equal performance in this department.

Sustainability

If you&#;re looking at the most sustainable option, glass wool is generally made up of up to 86% recycled materials, whereas mineral wool in comparison consists of up to 70% recycled materials. As environmental impact and sustainability are becoming more of a focus, this is becoming more of an important factor when choosing the right insulation material.

Sound insulation

In terms of sound insulation, mineral wool is often the preferred choice for noisy areas. This is because it is much denser than glass wool, so much less sound travels through the insulation.

Ease of installation

If you&#;re considering installing the insulation yourself, mineral wool is considered much easier to handle. Although heavier than glass wool, mineral wool is much easier to cut, move and fit into place. Glass wool on the other hand is limper, which makes it hard to fit into the spaces required.

Moisture resistance

If you&#;re looking for a moisture-resistant form of insulation, mineral wool is the clear winner. Mineral wool is resistant to water, so it doesn&#;t get damp and provides good growing conditions for fungi, mould, mildew or other bacterial growth.

Glass wool, on the other hand, can get damp, as well as promote the growth of fungi, mildew and rot, causing its insulating properties to be severely reduced.

Fire resistance

Although both mineral wool and glass wool are non-combustible, mineral wool has far better fire-resistant qualities, so much so that it can be used as a fire stop. So, this is something to consider if where you&#;re installing insulation is going to be at risk of fire, and to what extent.

Cost

If you&#;re conscious of a limited budget, then glass wool may be the choice of insulation for you. It can cost around 10% less than mineral wool and still is effective at insulating your home to reduce heat loss and energy bills.

Final thoughts

Glass wool and mineral wool are both types of insulation materials commonly used in construction.

While both offer excellent thermal insulation properties, mineral wool tends to have superior fire resistance and moisture resistance compared to glass wool, making it suitable for applications where these properties are crucial, such as in high-temperature environments or areas prone to moisture exposure.

Additionally, mineral wool is denser and heavier than glass wool, providing better sound insulation capabilities.

Now that you know how these two insulation options compare, you can easily choose the right one for your specific needs.

Whichever form of insulation you choose, insulating your home is a great way to keep your home warm, prevent heat loss and reduce energy bills. Call our team of experts today for any queries or advice on  692 206.

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Mineral wool is a catch-all term that can be used to describe two different forms of material: glass mineral wool and rock mineral wool. Both rock mineral wool and glass mineral wool can be produced in a variety of densities, making both options versatile and suitable for a wide range of building applications.

Whilst inherently similar, the two materials are different. In this article, we are exploring the differences between the two.

Sustainability

Depending on how it is produced, rock mineral wool can be a highly sustainable material. In fact, some rock mineral wool solutions include nearly a quarter of secondary industrial waste. Additionally, rock mineral wool has great heat saving properties and can be used to help improve the energy efficiency of homes.

Increasingly, recycled glass is used in the manufacture of glass mineral wool insulation. Glass mineral wool can theoretically be reused and recycled at the end of its life. However, it is worth noting that it&#;s harder to do this within the UK as there are currently no &#;take back&#; schemes available for the material.

Installation

Rock mineral wool systems tend to be very easy to install. Whilst slightly heavier than glass mineral wool, rock mineral wool is easier to cut, move and fit into place. In fact, many rock mineral wool systems can be cut using basic construction tools and correctly fitted without the need for specialist equipment.

Glass mineral wool is lighter than rock mineral wool because it is less dense, this makes glass mineral wool limper and very flexible. Rock mineral wool is denser and more rigid. Depending on the application, one may be easier to install than the other.

Thermal and acoustic properties

Heat Loss:

Rock mineral wool systems can attain R-values of around 3 to 3.3

Glass mineral wool can achieve R-values of around 2.2 to 2.7, which is effective, but not as good as the values of rock mineral wool.

Sound Insulation:

Rock mineral wool is a dense material, offering tremendous thermal and acoustic properties. As a dense material, rock mineral wool provides exceptional protection against excess noise and as such, can be used to insulate properties against sound just as effectively.

Solutions manufactured from glass mineral wool offer solid thermal and acoustic properties but are outperformed by rock mineral wool alternatives. Likewise, as a less dense material, glass mineral wool also offers inferior performance in terms of sound insulation.

Fire performance

Despite glass mineral wool and rock mineral wool both being cited as non-combustible, the actual fire resistance of each product varies.

Melting Temperature Combustibility Rock Over ˚c Euroclass A1 Non-Combustible Glass Around 400˚c Euroclass A1 Non-Combustible

 

Melting Temperatures:

According to several mineral wool insulation manufacturers, rock mineral wool has a melting temperature of over °C.

It has been well documented that glass mineral wool fibres have been tested to withstand temperatures of around 400°C.

Combustibility & Meeting Standards:

Many insulation solutions manufactured from glass mineral wool will meet the highest standards covered under BS EN -1. However, it is important to check this as and when glass mineral wool insulation is chosen for a project, to ensure it does comply to this standard. Products made from glass mineral wool are also able to meet the best possible Euroclass &#;A1&#; standard for reaction to fire classification.

Although glass mineral wool can be incorporated within a fire-stopping system, helping to meet increasingly stringent fire-related regulations &#; it doesn&#;t match rock mineral wool insulation in terms of fire-resistant performance.

Which is the most suitable material in providing prolonged periods of fire resistance?

Our final thoughts:

Whilst both materials offer strong performance, rock mineral wool is the superior option, as across almost every aspect of performance, the material delivers greater results. Most notably, rock mineral wool delivers far more effective performance regarding fire resistance. Due to rock mineral wool&#;s high melting point, this exceptional performance dramatically mitigates the risk of fire spreading within building structures. That&#;s why at ARC, we use the material across our range of cavity fire barrier and cavity closer solutions.

 

Last updated on 01/04/

 

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