Owens corning or mineral wool?

[Tommy Fobia]

I don't like the idea of being surrounded by fibre-glass especially in a studio environment which tend not to be the best ventilated places in the world... Even if I wrap the 703 in cotton sheets, surely microscopic fibres (arguably the ones which you would most-likely inhale) would be able to escape through the weave of these sheets.

I'm sure I'm being overly cautious/paranoid, but I spend a lot of time in my studio making music and I don't fancy damaging my lungs...

Not meaning to sound paranoid (again!), but how would you KNOW that microscopic particles are NOT escaping through the cotton? I mean you can't see microscopic particles...

Have I good reason to be concerned?

Is there are mineral wool alternative which is as effective as 703? Or should I stop complaining like a little girl and just make sure I wrap the 703 extremely well...

Thanks.

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by Tommy Fobia

Is there are mineral wool alternative which is as effective as 703? Or should I stop complaining like a little girl and just make sure I wrap the 703 extremely well...

Thanks.

Stop being a wuss, MARY!!!!!!!

All kidding aside you will not have that problem with OC fiberglass or mineral wool. Could fibers get into the air? Sure, if you beat on the front of a panel with a BAT.
For things about heath problems of these products take a read at http://www.recording.org/ftopict-21013.html
It should put your mind at ease.

Glenn

[orange]

In the UK you are more likely to find rockwool (RW3) rather than rigid fibreglass - acoustically it's just as effective That's not to say it is any better for your lungs.

General opinion (whatever that means) suggests that there are no health issues with wrapped rigid fibreglass or rockwool - But I'm in total agreement that I'd rather not breath in microscopic particles of either material if I could possibly help it.

I'd have thought that wrapping in thin polythene under the fabric wrap would contain the particles effectively. Of course this will affect the absorbtion characteristics, but I would have thought that it would affect the top-mid more than the bass end. The fabric itself is gonna absorb the very high frequencies.

Perhaps Ethan or Glenn with some more scientific analysis/figures ?

[orange]

Originally Posted by myfipie

Stop being a wuss, MARY!!!!!!!

All kidding aside you will not have that problem with OC fiberglass or mineral wool. Could fibers get into the air? Sure, if you beat on the front of a panel with a BAT.
For things about heath problems of these products take a read at http://www.recording.org/ftopict-21013.html
It should put your mind at ease.

Glenn

ahh...glenn beat me to the post....

Are you saying that there could be a problem if the fibreglass was put into an environment with a great deal of low frequency vibration.....maybe vibration around the 20-50hz range ? such as a control room ??

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by orange

Perhaps Ethan or Glenn with some more scientific analysis/figures ?

The post Glenn mentioned has a link to an article on the American Cancer Society site explaining the myth of fiberglass cancer concerns. Not that it's good to breath fiberglass dust all day! The fabric in my company's traps is thick enough to avoid any fibers from escaping, but is soft enough not to harm the absorption.

--Ethan

[orange]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

The post Glenn mentioned has a link to an article on the American Cancer Society site explaining the myth of fiberglass cancer concerns. Not that it's good to breath fiberglass dust all day! The fabric in my company's traps is thick enough to avoid any fibers from escaping, but is soft enough not to harm the absorption.

--Ethan

I can't imagine that any fabric would be as effective as a polythene membrane. What affect would you think that polythene beneath the fabric would have ? any test results to demonstrate this ?

-----

EDIT

additionally I don't think it's just about these fibres being carcinogenic. Fibres can have other effects than just causing cancer. I'm an asthma sufferer and a dusty environment certainly makes my symptoms worse....not good if you're trying to record a vocal in a small DUSTY vocal booth.

[Tommy Fobia]

Originally Posted by orange

ahh...glenn beat me to the post....

Are you saying that there could be a problem if the fibreglass was put into an environment with a great deal of low frequency vibration.....maybe vibration around the 20-50hz range ? such as a control room ??

That's exactly what I was thinking...

Thanks for the replies and links, it all an interesting and very informative read.

How much absorption would be lost if the fibre-glass was inside a large polythene bag? Would it defeat the purpose of having the panels in the first place?

[Acoustic Cloud]

Dont wrap them in cheesecloth, and stop worrying about it! Dont our mixing skills need more worry?!?!

[orange]

Originally Posted by Acoustic Cloud

Dont our mixing skills need more worry?!?!

maybe (although this isn't a thread about our mixing skills). I still think it's a valid concern, I'd be really interested to know what affect a polythene 'sub-layer' would have on absorbtion co-efficient. If it's negligible then I'd be a lot happier with that layer in place.

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by orange

maybe (although this isn't a thread about our mixing skills). I still think it's a valid concern, I'd be really interested to know what affect a polythene 'sub-layer' would have on absorbtion co-efficient. If it's negligible then I'd be a lot happier with that layer in place.

I think it is a valid concern, but I have had plenty of customers with the same concerns and to this date have never had someone call to complain about it or find it a problem. I think that breathing in anything that is not clean air is not good. In my own studio I have 17 or so panels and find no mineral dust that I have to clean, which tells me it is not flying through the air. Nor have I had a person come in and start coughing.

Glenn

[orange]

I've been doing a bit of internet research on the health effects of rockwool/glassfibre. Bearing in mind that internet research is a dangerous occupation in itself, here are a few more thoughts:

It seems that most (not all eg http://microlabnw.com/index/Glass%20...Complaints.pdf) studies seem to conclude that there are no real long term health risks associated with these products, however I would have thought that the testing procedures seem to be centered on fixed installations. I assume that this means that the product is installed BEHIND plasterboard or above the ceiling in the roof void. I'm not sure that this means the results are valid when there is only a thin (?) layer of fabric containing the dust. It's possible that microscopic airbourne particulates could cause problems and I'm not sure that you would be fully protected by the fabric.

It seems certain, as previously mentioned on this thread, that at the very least you should take care during installation. And rockwool's own literature on this subject says that it is indeed an irritant.

I'm in no way trying to scaremonger - I'm using rockwool myself but being an asthma sufferer I know how subtle changes in dust levels can affect my health......... I remember also that asbestos (like smoking, radiation or British beef) was considered safe not too many years ago.

[Disjointed]

if you are really still worried about it... why not make yourself some cellulose absorbers... its just paper (and a borate)... doesnt get much safer then that.. and the cellulose should have a decent (comparable) absorption...

of course if your still worried about paper, you might want to worry about the petroleum off-gassing from all the plastics in your house, car, everywhere.... carpet, furniture, the keyboard you type on, clothes, etc....
and dont forget radiation from your tv, radio, cell phone, cell towers, THE SUN!
and of course the allowable amount of poisons that the gov says is ok in packaged food...

gl