TO:
FROM:
DATE:
Steve Jordan, Jordan Companies, Inc.
Russ Rudy, Kansas Weatherization Assistance Program
January 4, 1993
SUBJECT: Test Information on Wet Spray Cellulose
Steve:
As per our telephone conversation during the holidays, here are the articles and reports on Wet Sprayed
Cellulose. I’m also including an article from the Journal of Light Construction on crawlspace venting.
On January 1, I took the readings on fuel use and inside temperature on two identical houses that I’m running tests on. I think I told you about these two houses, they were built by Habitat for Humanity. Each house is
1050 ft sq (upstairs) with a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and three bedrooms upstairs, and a full basement.
One house was insulated using fiberglass and normal installation and air sealing techniques, the other was insulated with wet sprayed cellulose and received air sealing work prior to insulation. (the fiberglass contractor was aware of the test and may have done extra air sealing work).
The Fiberglass house used 10.1 mcf of natural gas during the month of December, the cellulose house used 6.7 mcf of natural gas during the same period. An individual gas meter is placed in the line supplying the forced air furnace in each house. At $4.25 per mcf of natural gas, the residents of the fiberglass house paid $42.92 for
December, while the residents of the cellulose house paid $28.47. The residents of the cellulose house paid
33% less for gas during December 1992.
Data loggers that I have installed in the houses show that the mean inside temperature in the cellulose was one degree warmer (averaged over the month) in the cellulose house. The residents of the cellulose house kept their house warmer, yet used less gas. I have also installed a meter on the electric line that serves the air conditioning compressor so that we can monitor summer cooling.
I thought you might find this test information interesting, and I look forward to meeting you on one of my trips to Wichita…
Yours,
Russ Rudy