Owens Corning® PINK Next Gen™ Fiberglas™ insulation is made with safe, proven ingredients that naturally resist fire and do not support mold growth, with no formaldehyde and no fire retardants added to the fiberglass.
Pink® Batts® glass wool insulation passes combustibility tests, making it suitable for use as part of a passive fire system. An insulation product, if chosen correctly, can complement both passive fire and active fire protection to safeguard lives in the event of fire.
Lack of Proper Fire Resistance: Pink expanding foam, despite claiming to be 'fire-rated' on the packaging, often falls short when it comes to providing adequate fire resistance.
To sum up, choosing mineral wool, cellular glass, or closed-cell insulation that is incombustible and nonabsorbent provides the highest level of fire safety. Such types of insulation won't add to the spread of fire, nor release toxic smoke and fumes.
Polystyrene or polyurethane are the most common materials used to make foam board insulation. These materials are combustible and will catch on fire when exposed to high temperatures. Foam boards with kraft paper facing or foil backing are more resistant to ignition.
Fiberglass and mineral wool insulation
Materials are noncombustible, and remain so for the life of the product. They require no additional fire-retardant chemical treatments—in fact, unfaced fiberglass and mineral wool are accepted as a fire block in wood frames.
Today's PINK® Fiberglas™ Insulation is a comfortable choice for your home and your family. Not only is it proven to perform, it's also sustainable, naturally non-combustible and formaldehyde-free.
In general, the color of insulation doesn't equal better performance over another color. Whether it's pink, white, brown, or yellow—color doesn't influence dependability, reliability, or the products effectiveness.
Apply insulation (batt or spray foam) within the framing of the wall up to the ceiling or roof line. Install a thin structural sheathing material (e.g., drywall, rigid insulation, lightweight steel or aluminum sheeting).
While fiberglass insulation is not entirely fireproof, it is designed to be fire-resistant and slow down the spread of flames.
As it is non-combustible, it won't catch fire and therefore won't contribute to the spread of fire through a building. Fire rated foam is usually pink in colour, to identify it as different from other types of expanding foam which don't have the non-combustible qualities.
Fiberglass insulation is commonly used in homes and commercial buildings to minimize heat and sound transfer and create a comfortable indoor environment. You can easily identify fiberglass insulation by its pink color, which was originally used by the Owens Corning Company for marketing purposes.
Health Risks
If the insulation is ever disturbed, it can cause many health problems that are otherwise easily avoided. Breathing in fiberglass particles can irritate your eyes, lungs, and skin. This health risk is probably the best reason you want to cover your fiberglass insulation.
Pink fiberglass insulation effectively keeps homes warm in the winter and cool during the summer. But it does not come without a price. The material could trigger asthma, bronchitis, and eye irritation. Moreover, it could cause itchiness and skin irritation.
On the other hand, if you're wondering “does pink insulation have asbestos? The answer is generally no.
It is produced in R-values from 12 to 54.
Mineral wool is noncombustible and can be used in tandem with other forms of fire-resistant insulation. Mineral wool can also refer to glass wool, rock wool, or slag wool. Glass wool in particular can withstand temperatures of up to 1,220 degrees. Mineral wool has an R-value ranging from R-2.8 to R-3.5.
Your chimney is a place in your home that gets really hot. With that being said, a chimney must be able to radiate the heat it generates. Spray foam insulation or injection foam in the chase would prevent this from happening and cause problems in the future because the foam will act as a barrier.
Non-combustible materials include tile, stone, and brick. Typically, the hearth will extend 16 to 18 inches from the firebox opening, and the surround will be 8 to 12 inches wide. However, the materials used on the hearth and surround can flow as continuous flooring in the room or as an entire wall finish if desired.
The Origins of Pink Insulation
The pink color in insulation is largely due to Owens Corning, a leading manufacturer in the insulation industry. In the 1950s, Owens Corning started adding pink dye to their fiberglass insulation as a marketing strategy.
The black discoloration can be the result of airflow contaminating the insulation with dust and debris. In this situation, it's likely that the insulation wasn't installed properly. There may also be pests nesting in the insulation, bringing in more debris and leaving droppings.
If your old insulation is made of mineral wool or natural fibers, you can take it a recycling center. Fiberglass insulation can also be recycled, but it requires more specialized facilities, so you can call the center beforehand and inquire about the kind of insulation materials they readily accept.
If you see pink loose-fill or batting, that means your home has fiberglass insulation. Because fiberglass batts feature spun glass fibers, they won't absorb water. If water does get into this insulation, it won't cause a significant amount of damage.
This is sometimes rock wool insulation. Even if not, fiberglass insulation is non-flammable, as long as no vapor barrier is used with it. Installation of fireplace doors and fireplace inserts usually includes such insulation.