# Moldy Insulation?



## kazmiekr (Sep 24, 2008)

Our basement smells very musty/moldy and I'm wondering if the insulation is a part of the cause.

This is what it looks like. Would this be worth replacing??


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## Big Bob (Jul 27, 2007)

If you read some labels and some data sheets on fiber glass insulation you will see statements like." Fiber glass does not promote or support mold or mildew". 

basically you have very thin glass fibers held together with phenolic resins. Owens Corning adds some pink to theirs. The Kraft paper facing is held on to the fiber glass batt wit a thin coat of resin similar to asphalt.

I have rarely seen mold or mildew on the fiber glass. Flooded homes & The Kraft paper, yes many times.

fiber glass insulation works by trapping air in between the very thin fibers.

If the insulation is holding an odor know that it is the trapped air and not the fiber glass itself. If the odor is minor I have good results with ozone generators and manipulating the ambient room temperature up and down to promote heat transfer in the insulation.

I suspect the dark surface areas on your insulation are dust and dirt like on your furnace or air-handler filter. Now if heavy enough that dust could support mold or mildew.


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

What Bob says is true, fiberglass alone is non organic and doesn't provide food for mold. Any dust or dirt trapped in it can provide the food. If the vapor retarder is installed facing the wrong direction, you could be seeing a condensation problem that would provide the moisture that mold needs to thrive. I see parts of paper vapor retarder facing different directions in the photos. I also see a very sloppy insulation install. Both of these could set up a moisture penetration problem in the insulation. The paper facer is treated, but is still a mold food source. The facer should be closest to the warm in winter side of the structure and as close to the warm side as possible. The insulation batts should be cut to fit the space, not bunched up and stuffed in.


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## Rubu (Sep 16, 2008)

Is there a specifically "Mold resistant" variety of insulation? My wife was asking and I did not think so but said I would ask. 

On a side note, I have seen the Owens Corning guy's house... it's pink. and he has a pink sign out front with the pink panther on it... and a pink 18 wheeler in the yard. I kid you not.


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## Big Bob (Jul 27, 2007)

Rubu said:


> Is there a specifically "Mold resistant" variety of insulation? My wife was asking and I did not think so but said I would ask.
> 
> On a side note, I have seen the Owens Corning guy's house... it's pink. and he has a pink sign out front with the pink panther on it... and a pink 18 wheeler in the yard. I kid you not.


 
Rubu,

You and your wife might start getting emails from Nigeria offering mold resistant insulation. Most insulation's are inorganic today and not a good food source for mold and mildew so they are not prone to grow there.
cellulose has so many chemical additives...you might be better off sleeping in the buff on fiber glass then rolling around in cellulose... mold and mildew feel the same way.


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## Rubu (Sep 16, 2008)

Yuck! I'm gettin itchy just thinkin about it.

Funny you should mention emails from Nigeria... I'm currently helping someone out who needs help moving several million dollars in pink insulation out of the country!


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