Did airstream change back to fiberglass insulation

[scamp]

There has been some discussion on this forum that some airstream owners have seen pink fiberglass insulation on there late model 2015 airstreams, I was told that airstream has gone to a brown insulation in there 2015 models and I was at the factory in March 2014 and they were using the brown insulation,mine is a 2015 and has the brown insulation ,built in June 2014 , some have said they maybe have switched back to the old fiberglass insulation, is this true and for what reasons ,lack of supplies of the new insulation? Or is there a problem with the new brown insulation.

Don

[2012FB]

2015 30' Bunk. At the time I did not think much about it but I went back to see if any of my RV550 installation pictures showed the pink fiberglass. Here is the only shot I could find showing what I removed from the walls around the old water heater after removed. It is the same as the small tuffs I have seen coming from between some of the interior aluminum panels.

What does the brown stuff look like?

[Zil]

Fiberglass is fiberglass. Owens has a copyright/patent on the color pink.

[WineStream]

We just did the factory tour last fall and they were touting on the tour about the insulation and how it allows anyone to install it which used to be an issue for the pink stuff. Maybe it's not fiberglass anymore? I wasn't critiquing the guide, so wasn't hanging on his every word, but I seem to recall him starting that is recycled?

[cameront120]

Brown insulation would suggest mineral wool, rather than fibreglass. Such as that made by Roxul. There certainly is no shortage but it is slightly more expensive. It's also a better product than fibreglass. Mineral wool is hydrophobic, so it isn't impacted by moisture like fibreglass is. Hopefully Airstream has abandon the use of fibreglass in its production.

[wahoonc]

I have seen fibreglass insulation in white, brown, yellow, blue and pink...

I agree mineral wool would be a better choice, and there are even better choices out there, but it comes down to cost. "Cost" includes the cost of the materials as well the labor to install it. Things like spray foam takes expensive equipment, personal protective equipment and some skill to install.

Aaron

[m.hony]

Didn't they say on the factory tour that the insulation was recycled denim? Or was it recycled newspapers? Recycled something or other- I thought blue jeans- it is kind of a brownish grayish color-

[vito98103]

It's Eco-Batt, a fiberglass insulation made from recycled glass.

[m.hony]

I think the new recycled glass insulation is part of the "going green" or "certified green" effort-

[Tim A.]

Originally Posted by vito98103

It's Eco-Batt, a fiberglass insulation made from recycled glass.

If you look on the website for EcoBatt, you will find that it is made from recycled glass plus sand. Presumably the sand mentioned is quartz sand, the raw material for glass which is not partly from recycled glass. Rock wool is made from melted rocks of various types and is, essentially, volcanic glass.

The differences between the fibers in the pink stuff, the brown stuff, and rock wool are minor. The binding material which holds the batting together and the density of the batting can be very different. Also, they all will hold water like a sponge, so keeps those leaks under control!

Tim

[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by m.hony

I think the new recycled glass insulation is part of the "going green" or "certified green" effort-

I've got the green sticker on my 2014 and I see pink insulation. For what that's worth.

[scamp]

Here is a picture of the insulation discription in the 2014 airstream brochure.

Don

[scamp]

Here is a picture of the insulation from the insulation manufacture.

Don

[ghaynes755]

Yep that's the brown stuff at the factory. Thought they said wood based but guess not.

Which means someplace between an R-8 and an R-13 (2.5 to 3.5 inch thickness). Not bad...

[cameront120]

Originally Posted by Tim A.

If you look on the website for EcoBatt, you will find that it is made from recycled glass plus sand. Presumably the sand mentioned is quartz sand, the raw material for glass which is not partly from recycled glass. Rock wool is made from melted rocks of various types and is, essentially, volcanic glass.

The differences between the fibers in the pink stuff, the brown stuff, and rock wool are minor. The binding material which holds the batting together and the density of the batting can be very different. Also, they all will hold water like a sponge, so keeps those leaks under control!

Tim

Actually, fibreglass insulation will retain water. Mineral wool is hydrophobic and will not retain water and, therefore, makes for a better product in trailers or any situation where water might be present.

[Tim A.]

Originally Posted by cameront120

Actually, fibreglass insulation will retain water. Mineral wool is hydrophobic and will not retain water and, therefore, makes for a better product in trailers or any situation where water might be present.

I suspect that a hydrophobic character is much dependent on what is used to bind the fibers in the batting. According to Wikipedia, mineral wool is used in hydroponics:
"Mineral wool products can hold large quantities of water and air that aid root growth and nutrient uptake in hydroponics."

In other words, probably any glass-fiber product could be made nominally hydrophobic. Even so, with a dense batting, water will be retained.

Tim

[timhortons]

I don't care how water resistant it is, coat it, or heck keep the trailer sealed. Anything called "mineral-wool" sounds freaky to me, like asbestos freaky.

I'm suspicious of anything sprayed on or foamy, except as a sound deadener perhaps. Memories of urea-formaldehyde insulation spray, and I wonder what it's VOC venting, or if it's crumbling into dust.

I'd prefer new pink stuff to "recycled" eco tree hugger myself, only because my first thought is "recycled from what? medical waste?"

anyways it's ECObatt in the brochure, I'm sure the good folks at THOR wouldn't bait and switch me.