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This article illustrates and describes the properties of cellulose building insulation materials. I've added these examples because of frequent questions about these materials. This document assists building buyers, owners or inspectors who need to identify building insulation materials and also people who need to recognize both asbestos materials (or probable-asbestos) in buildings as well as materials unlikely to contain asbestos - all by simple visual inspection.

Also see BLOWN-IN INSULATION and INSULATION LOCATION - WHERE TO PUT IT. In these articles we provide photographs and descriptive text various kinds of building insulation along with description of the characteristics of each material.

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

CELLULOSE - building insulation identification guide

Modern cellulose building insulation is basically chopped newsprint, usually treated with a fire retardant chemical. As you can see in the photos above, it looks like fluffy gray papery material. The lighter colored chips may be wood fragments that have been added to this mix.

Cellulose insulation is usually blown-in to building cavities as an insulation retrofit or into attics where it is being added or where access is physically difficult.

Cellulose building insulation has been used in buildings since or before 1937 and continues to be installed in buildings (2008) in the U.S.

Cellulose insulation produced by some manufacturers is a mixture of chopped paper and wood fibers (sawdust).

Tips for Inspecting for Cellulose Insulation

Pro's and Cons of Cellulose Insulation

The link to the original Q&A article in PDF form immediately below is followed by an expanded/updated online version of this article.

• Q&A on - PDF version, use your browser's back button to return to this page. Original article, Solar Age Magazine, December 1985/January 1986, adapted and updated for InspectAPedia.com December 2010.

The question-and-answer article below paraphrases, quotes-from, updates, and comments an original article, (see links just above) from Solar Age Magazine and written by Steven Bliss.

Question: How does Cellulose Insulation Stack Up Against Fiberglass or Rockwool Insulation?

I plan to retrofit 7 inches of blown insulation over the top of 6 inches of existing fiberglass insulation, and I would like to use blown-in cellulose.

How does cellulose insulation stack up against fiberglass or rockwool with respect to

1. R-value of cellulose insulation compared with fiberglass or mineral wool (rock wool) insulation
2. Moisture absorption of cellulose insulation compared with fiberglass or mineral wool (rock wool) insulation
3. Attraction to (resistance to) nesting rodents: cellulose insulation compared with fiberglass or mineral wool (rock wool) insulation
4. Fire protection (fire resistance) - of cellulose insulation compared with fiberglass or mineral wool (rock wool) insulation.

Thanks - David Stingle, Black Creek WI

Below we add additional insulation property questions:

• Mold resistance of cellulose insulation, details are at Cellulose Insulation Mold Resistance
• Insulation settlement and compaction, details are at Retrofit Insulation Settlement, Voids. And at BLOWN-IN INSULATION we also discuss insulation settlement in retrofit jobs and we calculate the potential impact on wall R-value.

Answer:

The R-vale per inch of loosefill insulation varies depending on its installed density and product characteristics. For that reason, the most reliable way to buy loose-fill insulation is to specify the R-value - not the thickness - and install the correct number of bags per square foot, following the loose-fill or blown-in insulation coverage chart printed on all insulation bags.

The insulation chart also shows a minimum insulation thickness necessary to guarantee the desired R-value3.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires insulation manufacturers to make available to consumers an information sheet explaining this system.

Cellulose insulation yields R-3.1 to R-3.7 per inch, compared to R-2.2 to R-2.9 per inch for blown in or loose-fill fiberglass and rockwool insulation. In general, you should compare products on the basis of cost per R-value per square foot.

Moisture absorption of cellulose insulation: Of the three insulations you named: blown-in or loose-fill cellulose, fiberglass, or rockwool, only cellulose will absorb moisture, but this is only a problem if it gets drenched, such as by roof leaks into an attic or building wall. The other two insulations will hold moisture only on their glass or mineral fiber surfaces.

Fire resistance of cellulose insulation: Of the three insulation products we are discussing, only cellulose is potentially flammable, if its fire retardant loses effectiveness over time (as some suspect of the dry-applied fire-retardants). Studies in the mid 1980's of the reliability of fire retardance of cellulose insulation over time were inconclusive. See Cellulose Insulation Fire Resistance for details.

As for rodent resistance of cellulose insulation, we (DJF) have observed that rodents are happy tunneling in just about any soft insulating material, but we have also observed that a different sort of pest, mold, is not generally found in cellulose insulation. We (DF) believe based on our own field and lab investigations that the fire retardant chemicals used to treat cellulose insulation appear to also resist mold growth.

Mold resistance of cellulose insulation: cellulose insulation appears to be resistant to mold growth. Details are at Cellulose Insulation Mold Resistance

The question-and-answer article above and also appearing at Cellulose Insulation Pros-Cons, quotes-from, updates, and comments an original article, (see links just above) from Solar Age Magazine and written by Steven Bliss.

What are the R Values and Effectiveness of Cellulose Building Insulation?

The thermal resistance or heat-loss resistance of cellulose insulation sold by Pal-O-Pak Insulation company, for a 10-inch depth, was reported as 0.635 per square meter. The product heat resistance ranged (by thickness) from 0.004 to 1.602 m²· K· W^-1. Modern blown-in cellulose building insulation has an R-value of about 3.70 per inch.

Our photo (left) of cellulose insulation sprayed over a suspended ceiling shows an area we were investigating for mold on the upper or hidden side of the suspended ceiling tiles (none was visible). We brushed back the cellulose insulation to check the ceiling surface. But you can also see that this insulation plan was not the best. About R7.

Less than three inches of insulation had been added, and working on wiring or piping in the ceiling area means removing one of these ceiling tiles and dropping cellulose insulation into the occupied space - a bit of a mess.

What these data and most reports of insulation products' resistance to heat loss do not include is the large impact on building heat loss of the degree of care with which any insulating product has been installed.

Gaps between insulating materials and building surfaces can permit drafts which can overcome otherwise high "R" values that may be associated with the insulating material. (Just imagine a well-insulated home in the dead of winter but with a few windows open.)

Insulating materials that by their physical nature tend to fill in cracks and gaps without much human effort, such as blown-in products or foamed products, are likely to produce fewer air leaks and thus may be expected to improve the economy of heating or cooling a building when compared with construction where diligence was not a watchword.

To compare insulating material R-values see our Table of Properties of Insulating Materials

What is the Mold Resistance of Cellulose Building Insulation?

We suspect that building cavities insulated with fire-retardant treated cellulose insulation are a bit more resistant to mold-growth than cavities insulated with fiberglass, cotton, or some other materials.

Our hypothesis is that the fire-retardant chemicals happen to also discourage fungal growth.

Details about mold resistance of cellulose building insulation: field inspection & lab testing

Mold resistance of cellulose insulation: we (DJF) add to this list of properties of cellulose insulation our field and laboratory observation that cellulose insulation appears to be highly resistant to mold growth and somewhat resistant to insect activity compared with fiberglass and mineral fiber insulation.

We have inspected buildings at which cellulose insulation in walls or attics has been actually wet (from building leaks and from fighting building fires).

Testing cellulose insulation for mold contamination included both analysis of bulk samples from buildings where the insulation appeared undisturbed and others where it had been soaked. We examined the cellulose insulation microscopically in our forensic laboratory, at low magnification for evidence of visible mold contamination on the surface of the cellulose fragments, and at high power magnification up to 1200x for individual mold spores. We also collected vacuum-samples of cellulose wall insulation in the same buildings in order to more readily separate the larger cellulose insulation fragments from the generally smaller, lighter mold spores that might be present.

Testing in our laboratory did not in any case detect meaningful mold contamination nor mold growth in the cellulose.

We believe that the fire retardant chemicals used to treat cellulose insulation probably also imparts mold growth resistance.

See FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD for examples of mold contamination in building insulation.

Odor Properties of Cellulose Building Insulation

According to Deborah Falkow, owner of MetroNY Insulation, both National Fiber's Cel-P)ak and Nu-Wool cellulose insulations are "all-borate formulations (for fire, pest and mold resistance). Borate is an odorless mineral that doesn't outgas, which is a fancy way to say that National Fiber's cellulose products don't produce funny smells."

But some cellulose building insulations may produce a funny odor, especially right after insulation. Ms. Falkow continues: "Some cellulose manufacturers use an ammonium sulfat/borate mix. That can produce objectionable odors, under the right conditions."

Settlement or Void Problems with Various Building Insulation Products

Insulation settlement and compaction: the effectiveness and R-value of any loose fill insulation product (cellulose, chopped fiberglass, mineral wool, rock wool, vermiculite) that is poured or blown into building wall cavities, attic floors, or cathedral ceilings is at the mercy of the workmanship of the installer.

Deborah Falkow, owner of MetroNY Insulation, writes that the worry about cellulose insulation settlement in buildings is a
myth. "Dense-packed cellulose doesn't settle, because it can't." she writes. "It's instyalled at twice its settled density, which means that it's under slight pressure in the wall or ceiling cavity."

At BLOWN-IN INSULATION we also discuss insulation settlement in retrofit jobs and we calculate the potential impact on wall R-value.

Insulation Voids: Causes & Types

If an insulation retrofit job omits certain building areas such as the stud bay below windows, cavities above or below older framed buildings that use diagonal corner bracing, or cathedral ceilings built with fire blocking, there may be voids in the insulation blanket. In field inspection we have not observed insulation voids that appeared to be due to the material rather than workmanship of the installer, with the exceptions of:

• UFFI, Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation: foam shrinkage can leave significant gaps at the top and sides of UFFI that was injected into building wall cavities. See Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation UFFI.
• Fiberglass insulation: custom-cut fiberglass batts that are retrofitted to older frame buildings whose framing members were not placed on uniformly-spaced centers may be poorly fit if workmanship is not careful. Also see: Insulation Air & Heat Leaks
• Foam board insulation: custom-cut foam insulating board sections that are retrofitted to older frame buildings whose framing members were not placed on uniformly-spaced centers may be poorly fit if workmanship is not careful.
• Poured insulation or blown-in attic floor insulation: is sometimes distributed unevenly in insulation retrofit jobs leaving areas of thin or even no insulation, especially in hard-to-reach areas, if workmanship is not careful.
• Also see: /interiors/Fiberglass_Insulation_Leaks.htm and AIR LEAK DETECTION TOOLS

Other Voids in Blown-in Building Wall or Ceiling Insulation

As discussed at BLOWN-IN INSULATION:

Watch out: in some blown-in building insulation retrofit projects we have occasionally found significant insulation voids where the installer was careless, or where the installer did not anticipate blockages in the wall cavity formed by diagonal bracing or fire blocking. An infra-red or thermal scan of a heated building during cold weather will make such insulation voids obvious - DF.

[We did indeed observe significant shrinkage, not settlement, in UFFI blown-in insulation in some homes insulated with that product in the 1970's, particularly if the product was not properly mixed in the first place. See Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation UFFI. - DF]

Watch out: other insulation properties such as air flow resistance and moisture resistance may be very important in some cases, such as choosing an insulation to use in or over a crawl space that may be damp, or against basement foundation walls - Ed. See INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT and FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD for examples- Ed.

Details about the R-values and other properties of various insulation products can be found in our Insulation Table at INSULATION R-Values & Properties.

Manufacturers of Cellulose Insulation

Some of the cellulose manufacturers registered by NIST include

• National Cellulose Corp.,
• National Fiber Corp. (Cel-Pak & Nu-Wool)
• U.S. Insulation Sales Corp.,
• Pal-O-Pak Insulation Company (aka National Cooperatives, Inc.),
• United Materials Corporation, and
• Insul-Wool Insulation Corporation.

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INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
  ASBESTOS-FREE INSULATION MATERIALS
  ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings
  Asbestos Pipe Insulation
  Balsam Wool Batt Insulation
  BLOWN-IN INSULATION
  BRICK LINED WALLS
  BRICK VENEER WALL INSULATION
  Cellulose loose fill insulation
    Cellulose Insulation Identification
    Cellulose Insulation Inspection
    Cellulose Insulation Pros-Cons
    Cellulose Insulation R-Values
    Cellulose Insulation Odors, Smells
    Cellulose Insulation Moisture
    Retrofit Insulation Settlement, Voids
    Cellulose Insulation Fire Resistance
  Ceramic Insulation
  Concrete insulation, light-weight
  Cotton Insulating Batts
  Fiberglass Insulation
  Foam Board Insulation
  Foam Insulation Types - Visual Id
  Homasote & Other Insulating Board
  Icynene Foam Spray Insulation
  Insects & Foam Insulation
  Mineral Wool - Rock Wool Insulation
  Paper Duct Insulation
  Perlite Insulation
  PHENOLIC FOAM INSULATION
  POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM INSULATION
  POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM BELOW SLABS
  POLYSTYRENE FOAM INSULATION
  RADIANT BARRIERS
  REFLECTIVE INSULATION
  RIGID FOAM USE INDOORS
  STRESS SKIN INSULATED PANELS
  STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION
  SUPER HI-R INSULATION
  SUPERINSULATION RETROFIT
  Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation UFFI
  URETHANE FOAM Deterioration, Outgassing
  VERMICULITE INSULATION

• Thanks to Gary Randolph, Ounce of Prevention Home Inspection, LLC Buffalo, NY, for attentive reading and editing suggestions. Mr. Randolph can be reached in Buffalo, NY, at (716) 636-3865 or email: gary@ouncehome.com March 2007
• Deborah K. Falkow is owner of MetroNY Insulation, LLC., an New York insulation contractor. MetroNY Insulation, 60 Commerce St., Suite M, Spring Valley NY 10977, Tel: 845-445-8255, Email: info@metronyinsulation.com
• Solar Age Magazine was the official publication of the American Solar Energy Society. The contemporary solar energy magazine associated with the Society is Solar Today. "Established in 1954, the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the nation's leading association of solar professionals & advocates. Our mission is to inspire an era of energy innovation and speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy. We advance education, research and policy. Leading for more than 50 years. ASES leads national efforts to increase the use of solar energy, energy efficiency and other sustainable technologies in the U.S. We publish the award-winning SOLAR TODAY magazine, organize and present the ASES National Solar Conference and lead the ASES National Solar Tour – the largest grassroots solar event in the world."
  
• Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com.
  Excerpts with updates and annotations expanding the original Best Practices Guide text can be found in the online review and book summary at BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE and also at DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION, at INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE, and in other articles found at InspectAPedia.com such as HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS, SOUND CONTROL in buildings, and other topics.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

• Asbestos: How to find and recognize asbestos in buildings - visual inspection methods, list of common asbestos-containing materials
• Asbestos HVAC Ducts and Flues field identification photos and guide
• Asbestos products and their history and use in various building materials such as asphalt and vinyl flooring includes discussion which draws on Asbestos, Its Industrial Applications, D.V. Rosato, engineering consultant, Newton, MA, Reinhold Publishing, 1959 Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 59-12535 (out of print).
• Asbestos Identification and Testing References
• Asbestos Identification, Walter C.McCrone, McCrone Research Institute, Chicago, IL.1987 ISBN 0-904962-11-3. Dr. McCrone literally "wrote the book" on asbestos identification procedures which formed the basis for current work by asbestos identification laboratories.
• Stanton, .F., et al., National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 506: 143-151
• Pott, F., Staub-Reinhalf Luft 38, 486-490 (1978) cited by McCrone
• ASHRAE resources on building insulation, dew point and wall condensation - see the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook, available in many libraries. The following three ASHRAE Handbooks are also available at the InspectAPedia bookstore in the third page of our Insulate-Ventilate section:
  • 2005 ASHRAE Handbook : Fundamentals : Inch-Pound Edition (2005 ASHRAE HANDBOOK : Fundamentals : I-P Edition) (Hardcover), Thomas H. Kuehn (Contributor), R. J. Couvillion (Contributor), John W. Coleman (Contributor), Narasipur Suryanarayana (Contributor), Zahid Ayub (Contributor), Robert Parsons (Author), ISBN-10: 1931862702 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862707
  • 2004 ASHRAE Handbook : Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning: Systems and Equipment : Inch-Pound Edition (2004 ASHRAE Handbook : HVAC Systems and Equipment : I-P Edition) (Hardcover)
    by American Society of Heating, ISBN-10: 1931862478 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862479
    "2004 ASHRAE Handbook - HVAC Systems and Equipment The 2004 ASHRAE HandbookHVAC Systems and Equipment discusses various common systems and the equipment (components or assemblies) that comprise them, and describes features and differences. This information helps system designers and operators in selecting and using equipment. Major sections include Air-Conditioning and Heating Systems (chapters on system analysis and selection, air distribution, in-room terminal systems, centralized and decentralized systems, heat pumps, panel heating and cooling, cogeneration and engine-driven systems, heat recovery, steam and hydronic systems, district systems, small forced-air systems, infrared radiant heating, and water heating); Air-Handling Equipment (chapters on duct construction, air distribution, fans, coils, evaporative air-coolers, humidifiers, mechanical and desiccant dehumidification, air cleaners, industrial gas cleaning and air pollution control); Heating Equipment (chapters on automatic fuel-burning equipment, boilers, furnaces, in-space heaters, chimneys and flue vent systems, unit heaters, makeup air units, radiators, and solar equipment); General Components (chapters on compressors, condensers, cooling towers, liquid coolers, liquid-chilling systems, centrifugal pumps, motors and drives, pipes and fittings, valves, heat exchangers, and energy recovery equipment); and Unitary Equipment (chapters on air conditioners and heat pumps, room air conditioners and packaged terminal equipment, and a new chapter on mechanical dehumidifiers and heat pipes)."
  • 1996 Ashrae Handbook Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning Systems and Equipment: Inch-Pound Edition (Hardcover), ISBN-10: 1883413346 or ISBN-13: 978-1883413347 ,
    "The 1996 HVAC Systems and Equipment Handbook is the result of ASHRAE's continuing effort to update, expand and reorganize the Handbook Series. Over a third of the book has been revised and augmented with new chapters on hydronic heating and cooling systems design; fans; unit ventilator; unit heaters; and makeup air units. Extensive changes have been added to chapters on panel heating and cooling; cogeneration systems and engine and turbine drives; applied heat pump and heat recovery systems; humidifiers; desiccant dehumidification and pressure drying equipment, air-heating coils; chimney, gas vent, fireplace systems; cooling towers; centrifugal pumps; and air-to-air energy recovery. Separate I-P and SI editions."
  • Principles of Heating, Ventilating, And Air Conditioning: A textbook with Design Data Based on 2005 AShrae Handbook - Fundamentals (Hardcover), Harry J., Jr. Sauer (Author), Ronald H. Howell, ISBN-10: 1931862923 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862929
  • 1993 ASHRAE Handbook Fundamentals (Hardcover), ISBN-10: 0910110964 or ISBN-13: 978-091011096
• Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
• Construction Waterproofing Handbook, Michael T. Kubal. Quoting:
  ... an all-inclusive, project-simplifying guide for waterproofing and construction professionals. This comprehensive answer-packed resource is loaded with the up-to-date, clearly-defined information you need on every project, including work on the building envelope, below-grade, above-grade, and remedial waterproofing.
• Brick nogging used as soundproofing is mentioned in this article on Popular Forest
• Brick Nogging, Historical Investigation and Contemporary Repair, Construction Specifier, April 2006. Historical use of brick in timber-framed buildings, drawing on the investigations of the Kent Tavern in Calais, VT. "Brick nogging is a European method of construction which was brought to the new world in the early-nineteenth century. It was a common construction method that employed masonry as infill between the vertical uprights of wood framing." -- quoting the web article review.
• Photo of very rough in-wall brick nogging at an architects website
• Dust from the World Trade Center collapse following the 9/11/01 attack: the lower floors of this building contained spray-on fire-proofing asbestos materials.
• "Energy Savers: Whole-House Supply Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Whole-House_Supply_Vent.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11880?print
• "Energy Savers: Whole-House Exhaust Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Whole-House_Exhaust.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11870
• "Energy Savers: Ventilation [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Ventilation.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
• "Energy Savers: Natural Ventilation [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Natural_Ventilation.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
• "Energy Savers: Energy Recovery Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Energy_Recovery_Venting.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11900
• "Energy Savers: Detecting Air Leaks [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Detect_Air_Leaks.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
• "Energy Savers: Air Sealing [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Air_Sealing_1.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
• Fiberglass: Indoor Air Quality Investigations: Health Concerns About Airborne Fiberglass: Fiberglass in Indoor Air from HVAC ducts, and Building Insulation
• From the walls in, Charles Wing
• Humidity: What indoor humidity should we maintain in order to avoid a mold problem?InspectAPedia Bookstore (Amazon.com)
• Insulate & Weatherize (Taunton's Build Like a Pro), Bruce Harley. Review quoted:
  An engineer who trains builders in energy-efficient construction, Harley offers a wealth of information that will allow readers to improve their home's efficiency, saving both money and natural resources. After an introductory section that explains the underlying principles of heat transfer, insulation, and air quality, Harley demonstrates basics such as weather-stripping and moves forward through advanced projects including insulation and major upgrades. Short "Pro Tips" as well as sections labeled "Trade Secrets," "What Can Go Wrong," and "In Detail" provide a great deal of helpful information. Increasing energy efficiency is one of the easiest ways for homeowners to save money
• "Insulation: Adding Insulation to an Existing Home," U.S. Department of Energy - tips on how to do your own check for the presence of absence of insulation in a home
• Insulation: Selecting Insulation for New Home Construction, U.S. Department of Energy - "Your state and local building codes probably include minimum insulation requirements, but to build an energy-efficient home, you may need or want to exceed them. For maximum energy efficiency, you should also consider the interaction between the insulation and other building components. This is called the whole-house systems design approach."
• Insulation Types, table of common building insulation properties from U.S. DOE. Readers should see INSULATION R-Values & Properties our own table of insulation properties that includes links to articles describing each insulation material in more detail.
• The National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST (nee National Bureau of Standards NBS) is a US government agency - see www.nist.gov
  • "A Parametric Study of Wall Moisture Contents Using a Revised Variable Indoor Relative Humidity Version of the "Moist" Transient Heat and Moisture Transfer Model [copy on file as/interiors/MOIST_Model_NIST_b95074.pdf ] - ", George Tsongas, Doug Burch, Carolyn Roos, Malcom Cunningham; this paper describes software and the prediction of wall moisture contents. - PDF Document from NIS
• Nogging: See this photo of exposed bricks on a building exterior on a building exterior in Canada. [Thanks to Carson Dunlop, Toronto - see References below].
• Piquet Wall Construction: See this photo of piquet wall construction - involving timber-framed wall construction with long top girts, diagonal timber bracing, and small diameter logs placed vertically along with concrete chinking to fill in the wall plane.
• Plank House Construction: weblog from plankhouse.wordpress.com/2009/01/25/plank-house-construction/ and where plank houses were built by native Americans, see
  Large 1:6 Scale Plank House Construction / P8094228, Photographer: Mike Meuser
  06/12/2007 documented at yurokplankhouse.com where scale model Museum quality Yurok Plank Houses are being sold to raise money for the Blue Creek - Ah Pah Traditional Yurok Village project.
• Principles of Heating, Ventilating, And Air Conditioning: A textbook with Design Data Based on 2005 ASHRAE Handbook - Fundamentals, Harry J., Jr. Sauer, Ronald H. Howell, William J. Coad. Quoting
  ... textbook for college level HVAC courses or independent study and review, especially when combined with the 1997 ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook. Contains the most current ASHRAE procedures and definitive, yet easy to understand, treatment of building HVAC systems -- from basic principles through design and operation. Dual units of measurement.
• Re-Bath, tub lining products is a bath tub relining manufacturer and distributor located in Tempe, Arizona - see rebath.com
• Rubblestone Wall Filler: See this Lartigue House using exterior-exposed rubblestone filler between vertical timbers of a post and beam-framed Canadian building.
• Super-Insulated Retrofit Book: A Homeowner's Guide to Energy-Efficient Renovation, Robert Argue
• The super-insulated retrofit book: A homeowner's guide to energy-efficient renovation (Sun builders series), Brian Marshall
• Understanding Ventilation: How to Design, Select, and Install Residential Ventilation Systems, John Bower, Quoting:
  Understanding Ventilation is the only book that covers all aspects of exchanging the air in houses: infiltration, equipment selection, design, heat-recovery ventilators, sizing, costs, controls, whole-house filters, distribution, and possible problems that a ventilation system can cause--all in easy-to-understand language.
• "Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
• Weaver: Beaver Board and Upson Board: Beaver Board and Upson Board: History and Conservation of Early Wallboard, Shelby Weaver, APT Bulletin, Vol. 28, No. 2/3 (1997), pp. 71-78, Association for Preservation Technology International (APT), available online at JSTOR.
• ...