Insulation Institute Blog

Fiberglass duct liners and duct board have been incorrectly blamed for contributing to mold growth in high humidity and high temperature conditions. The fact is that fiberglass is inherently resistant to mold growth. Stringent testing in accordance with UL and ASTM standards confirms that fiberglass duct liners and duct board do not support mold growth.

Did you know that 40 percent of U.S. homes have at least one health or safety hazard? In fact, 35 million U.S. homes place their occupants at risk for health hazards, according to the National Center for Healthy Housing.[1] These homes have a range of problems, from mold and air leaks to toxic chemicals. Some states fare better than others. As consumer concern about healthy homes increases, access to data about the health of U.S. housing stock by state is useful to inform the marketplace and position new construction homes as a healthier option than many existing homes.

Man-made vitreous fibers (MMVFs) or synthetic vitreous fibers (SVFs), specifically glass, rock/stone or slag wools, have multiple end-use applications but are most commonly used as insulation. MMVFs have been studied by health and safety experts for decades. Most notably, the potential carcinogenicity (ability or tendency to produce cancer) of these fibers has been evaluated by toxicology studies in the form of large epidemiological cohort studies of MMVF manufacturing workers, in inhalation studies in experimental animals (in vivo), and in laboratory fiber solubility studies (in vitro).

According to Construction Dive, a study of 730,000 COVID-19 tests found that construction workers had the highest positivity rate for asymptomatic cases of any occupation. Therefore, to reduce widespread illness and keep pace with the high demand for residential construction, it’s essential to get workers vaccinated. Multistate, a full-service state and local government relations company, has published a comprehensive dashboard of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan for all 50 states.