Wooly Bully… Balsam Wool Insulation.

Submitted by DonHester on Tue, 10/07/2014 - 22:02.

Wooly Bully… Balsam Wool Insulation. East Wenatchee Home Inspections

It make me all warm and fuzzy inside, and “It Tucks In”. I love finding those hidden gems from building day past during a home inspection.

Here is an insulative material from yesteryear. It is Balsam Wool. This is typically a tan/reddish brown fiber that is similar to sawdust. The fibers came from various wood species such as redwood, fir (Balsam), cedar and usually consisted of the tree bark, wood pulp and other wood byproducts. The product was produced from the 1920’s to the middle of the century.

When in batts is usually wrapped in a black kraft wrap like in the picture below. The wrap is usually pretty brittle by this age.

Balsam Wool has a R value of about 2 to 3.5 in loose fill and about 2 to 3.25 in batts. Which is not too bad for its day. The issue was the batt were typically only a couple inches thick.

Here is a little advertising from the past for Balsam Wool.

“Balsam- Wool is a guaranteed Weyerhaeuser product, a blanket of fluffy wood fibre that looks and acts like sheep’s wool. It is a TRUE insulation-keeping the house warm in winter and cool in summer- because it is- FLEXIBLE-THICK, EFFICIENT, WINDPROOF, WATERPROOF, FIRE RESISTANT, VERMIN PROOF, LIGHT WEIGHT, PERMANENT”

“The Sure way to keep your home in the COMFORT ZONE”

From Weyerhaeuser -

“Balsam Wool Insulation was sold in the early part of the 20th century. Balsam Wool Insulation was made from the following: Wood Fiber, Liquid Fire Retardant impregnated into fiber (borax-based), Asphaltic binder to maintain loft, Kraft paper backing

Note: Weyerhaeuser Balsam Wool Insulation does not and never has contained asbestos fibers.”

So next time you're in the attic or crawlspace doing a little home inspection or doing a little remodeling of a older home you may just run into a little Woolly Bully Balsam Wool Insulation.

“If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”

Red Adair

NCW Home Inspections, LLC is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…

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Instructor- Fundamentals of Home Inspection Bellingham Technical College

www.ncwhomeinspections.com 509-670-9572

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Wooly Bully… Balsam Wool Insulation.