R/E/P Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: New insulation material from Dow - "Safetouch"  (Read 6115 times)

zmix

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2828
New insulation material from Dow - "Safetouch"
« on: March 25, 2008, 10:24:45 AM »

Dow has introduced a new insulating material which uses recycled fibers. It's called "safetouch".

We all know (I hope so, anyway) that fiberglass gets it's sound absorbing qualities from it's simple mechanism of converting air motion (vibration) into heat,
thereby dissapating the energy of the vibration and obeying Newton's first law of thermodynamics (energy cannot be created or destroyed).

I wonder if this new material is of any benefit in acoustical control?

Has anyone run any tests?

avare

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 31
Re: New insulation material from Dow - "Safetouch"
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2008, 10:33:39 AM »

I am not aware of any acoustic testing on the product.  Of course it absorbs, but without test data for absorption vs frequency, it is an unknown quantity.
Logged

Ethan Winer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 571
Re: New insulation material from Dow - "Safetouch"
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2008, 10:34:58 AM »

zmix wrote on Tue, 25 March 2008 10:24

Has anyone run any tests?


It's up to the vendors to test their own products. This costs about $1,000, so why should we be on the hook to do it for them? Very Happy

--Ethan

zmix

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2828
Re: New insulation material from Dow - "Safetouch"
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2008, 10:37:50 AM »

Ethan Winer wrote on Tue, 25 March 2008 10:34

zmix wrote on Tue, 25 March 2008 10:24

Has anyone run any tests?


It's up to the vendors to test their own products. This costs about $1,000, so why should we be on the hook to do it for them? Very Happy

--Ethan


Because we can spend $60 and set up a simple trap and make our own measurements. Razz

I have found that material-level measurements can vary from application results. Don't you test your final products Ethan? Shocked

gullfo

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 133
Re: New insulation material from Dow - "Safetouch"
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2008, 11:59:12 AM »

one might suspect it is similar to pink insulation since that appears to be its intended product group:

Quote:

SAFETOUCH™ Fiberglass-Free Insulation has the same insulating properties as fiberglass-based products, with batts available in both R-13 and R-19.
Logged
Glenn Stanton

www.runnel.com/

johnR

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 923
Re: New insulation material from Dow - "Safetouch"
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2008, 04:38:45 PM »

I'd be concerned about flammability, since it's made of polyester. I couldn't find any reference to fire resistance on the web site. It may only be suitable for use behind something less flammable, like drywall.
Logged

zmix

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2828
Re: New insulation material from Dow - "Safetouch"
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2008, 07:16:17 PM »

johnR wrote on Tue, 25 March 2008 16:38

I'd be concerned about flammability, since it's made of polyester. I couldn't find any reference to fire resistance on the web site. It may only be suitable for use behind something less flammable, like drywall.




Obviously not well suited for discussion on -this- forum...

zmix

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2828
Re: New insulation material from Dow - "Safetouch"
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2008, 10:01:48 AM »

Dear Mr. Zwicky,

Thank you for contacting the Customer Information Group (CIG).  
In regards to your inquiry, SAFETOUCH (TM) has not been tested by Dow for acoustical applications.
We apologize for the inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Brian
Dow CIG
866-583-2583
8AM - 5PM EST M-F
www.dow.com





Brian,
Thank you for the prompt reply.  Is it possible that you could send
me a sample so that I can perform my own acoustical testing?


Dear Mr. Zwicky,

Thank you for contacting the Customer Information Group (CIG).  

Currently, SAFETOUCH (TM) has been launched through select LOWES stores in OH, PA, WV, and the Midland, MI store.  We are not sampling or selling outside of these regions at this time.   We currently do not have a time table for when it will be available for the rest of the US.

Thank you for your interest.

Sincerely,

Dave F.
Dow Customer Information Group
1-866-583-2583
8AM - 5PM EST M-F
www.dowbuildingmaterials.com

Ethan Winer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 571
Re: New insulation material from Dow - "Safetouch"
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2008, 12:46:24 PM »

zmix wrote on Tue, 25 March 2008 10:37

Don't you test your final products Ethan? Shocked


Of course, but I'm a manufacturer! Lab data here:

http://www.realtraps.com/data.htm

Home-made absorber tests discussed here:

http://www.ethanwiner.com/density.html

and here:

http://www.realtraps.com/art_testing.htm

--Ethan

brett

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1114
Re: New insulation material from Dow - "Safetouch"
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2008, 02:32:30 PM »

Has anyone used cotton insulation? I thought I saw semi-rigid cotton panels somewhere? How do they hold up, but again seems like a fire hazard to have on the walls. I guess they could be sprayed with retardant.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.076 seconds with 20 queries.