ICC EVALUATION SERVICE, INC.

Evaluate P Inform P Protect

EVALUATION GUIDELINE FOR COTTON FIBER INSULATION

EG81

Effective March 1, 2004

PREFACE
Evaluation reports issued by ICC Evaluation Service, Inc. (ICC-ES), are based upon performance features of the International family
of codes and other widely adopted code families, including the Uniform Codes, the BOCA National Codes, and the SBCCI Standard Codes.
Section 104.11 of the International Building Code® reads as follows:

The provisions of this code are not intended to prevent the installation of any materials or to prohibit any design or method
of construction not specifically prescribed by this code, provided that any such alternative has been approved. An alternative
material, design or method of construction shall be approved where the building official finds that the proposed design is
satisfactory and complies with the intent of the provisions of this code, and that the material, method or work offered is, for
the purpose intended, at least the equivalent of that prescribed in this code in quality, strength, effectiveness, fire resistance,
durability and safety.

Similar provisions are contained in the Uniform Codes, the National Codes, and the Standard Codes.

This document has been issued to provide all interested parties with guidelines for demonstrating compliance with performance features
of the applicable code(s) referenced in the document. The guideline has been approved by the ICC-ES Evaluation Committee, and is effective
on the date shown above. All reports issued or reissued on or after the effective date must comply with this guideline, while reports issued prior
to this date may be in compliance with this guideline or with the previous edition. If the guideline is an updated version from the previous edition,
a solid vertical line ( %) in the margin within the guideline indicates a technical change, addition, or deletion from the previous edition. A deletion
indicator (º) is provided in the margin where a paragraph has been deleted if the deletion involved a technical change. This guideline may be
further revised as the need dictates.

ICC-ES may consider alternate guidelines, provided the report applicant submits valid data demonstrating that the alternate guidelines
are at least equivalent to the guidelines set forth in this document, and otherwise demonstrate compliance with the performance features of the
codes. Notwithstanding that a product, material, or type or method of construction meets the requirements of the guidelines set forth in this
document, or that it can be demonstrated that valid alternate guidelines are equivalent to the guidelines in this document and otherwise
demonstrate compliance with the performance features of the codes, ICC-ES retains the right to refuse to issue or renew an evaluation report,
if the product, material, or type or method of construction is such that either unusual care with its installation or use must be exercised for
satisfactory performance, or if malfunctioning is apt to cause unreasonable property damage or personal injury or sickness relative to the benefits
to be achieved by the use of the product, material, or type or method of construction.

Copyright © 2004

Business/Regional Office P 5360 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, California 90601 P (562) 699-0543
www.icc-es.org Regional Office P 900 Montclair Road, Suite A, Birmingham, Alabama 35213 P (205) 599-9800
Regional Office P 4051 West Flossmoor Road, Country Club Hills, Illinois 60478 P (708) 799-2305
 EVALUATION GUIDELINE FOR COTTON FIBER INSULATION
1.0 INTRODUCTION insulation. Identification provisions must include the
evaluation report number, FSI (flame-spread index), SDI
1.1 Purpose: The purpose of this evaluation guideline is (smoke-developed index) and R-values of the product.
to establish requirements for cotton fiber insulation to be
recognized in an ICC Evaluation Service, Inc. (ICC-ES), 2.1.4 Field Preparation: A description of the methods
evaluation report under the 2003 International Building of field-cutting and application.
Code® (IBC) and the 2003 International Residential Code®
(IRC). Bases of recognition are IBC Section 104.11 and IRC 2.2 Testing Laboratories: Testing laboratories shall
Section R104.11. The applicable code section in the IBC is comply with Section 4.2 of the ICC-ES Rules of Procedure
Section 719; and in the IRC is Section R316. for Evaluation Reports.

1.2 Scope: Cotton fiber insulation is unfaced batt 2.3 Test Reports: Test reports shall comply with the ICC-
insulation used as concealed thermal insulation in walls, ES Acceptance Criteria for Test Reports (AC85).
floors, ceilings, attics and crawl spaces, and as a 2.4 Product Sampling: Products shall be sampled in
component of a fire-resistance-rated assembly. accordance with Section 3.2 of AC85.
1.3 Codes and Reference Standards: Where standards 3.0 TEST AND PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
are referenced in this guide, these standards shall be
applied consistently with the code upon which compliance 3.1 Surface-burning Characteristics: The cotton fiber
is based. insulation shall be tested for surface-burning characteristics
1.3.1 Codes: to document flame-spread index and smoke-developed
index. The test methods are noted in Section 4.1 of this
1.3.1.1 2003 International Building Code® (IBC), guideline.
International Code Council.
3.2 Thermal Transmission Properties: The cotton fiber
1.3.1.2 2003 International Residential Code® (IRC), insulation shall be tested to document the thermal
International Code Council. resistance, R-values. The test methods are noted in Section
1.3.2 Reference Standards (ASTM International): 4.2 of this guideline.

1.3.2.1 ASTM B 152/152M-00, Standard Specification 3.3 Material Properties: The cotton fiber insulation shall
for Copper Sheet, Strip, Plate, and Rolled Bar. be tested to document the following physical properties:
thickness and density, corrosiveness, fungi resistance, and
1.3.2.2 ASTM E 84-01, Test Methods for Surface moisture absorption. The test methods are noted in Section
Burning Characteristics of Building Materials. 4.3 of this guideline.
1.3.2.3 ASTM E 119-00, Test Methods for Fire Tests 3.4 Fire-resistance-rated Assemblies: When cotton
of Building Construction and Materials. fiber insulation is used in a fire-resistance-rated assembly,
1.3.2.4 ASTM C 167-98 (2003), Standard Test fire testing of the assembly shall be performed to determine
Methods for Thickness and Density of Blanket or Batt the fire-resistance rating. The test methods are noted in
Thermal Insulation. Section 4.4 of this guideline.
1.3.2.5 ASTM C 177-97, Standard Test Method for 4.0 TEST METHODS
Steady-State Heat Flux in Measurements and Thermal
4.1 Surface-burning characteristics: Surface-burning
Transmission Properties by Means of the Guarded-Hot-Plate
characteristics of the insulation shall be tested in
Apparatus.
accordance with ASTM E 84. The insulation shall be
1.3.2.6 ASTM C 518-02e1, Standard Test Method for supported by 1/4-inch-diameter (6.3 mm) supporting metal
Steady-State Thermal Transmission Properties by Means of rods spaced 24 inches (609.6 mm) on center. The metal rod
the Heat Flow Meter Apparatus. shall be inserted through insulation of thickness 1 inch (25.4
mm) or greater, at approximately 1/4 inch (6.3 mm) from the
1.3.2.7 ASTM C 739-03e1, Standard Specification for
surface to be exposed to the flame. Specimens shall be
Cellulosic Fiber Loose-Fill Thermal Insulation.
tested in the initial batt form. The test shall be performed for
1.4 Definition: Cotton Fiber Insulation: An unfaced batt all insulation densities for which recognition is sought.
insulation consisting of a blend of recycled-cotton and
polyester fibers treated with a borate solution to resist flame Conditions of Acceptance: The product shall have a
and smoke development and inhibit mold, mildew, bacteria flame-spread index not exceeding 25 and smoke-developed
and fungi growth. index not exceeding 450.

2.0 BASIC INFORMATION 4.2 Thermal Resistance: Thermal resistance of the

cotton insulation shall be determined by tests conducted in
2.1 General: The following information shall be submitted: accordance with ASTM C 518. Thermal-resistance values
2.1.1 Product Description: Complete information shall be based on a mean test temperature of 75/F ± 5/F
concerning material specifications, thickness, size and the (23.9/C ± 2.8/C). Evidence of calibration in accordance with
manufacturing process. the standard must be certified and properly documented in
the test report. This includes a description of the control
2.1.2 Installation Instructions: Installation details and samples used and the last date of calibration prior to testing
limitations, and fastening methods. of the cotton insulation. Thermal resistance, when
2.1.3 Packaging and Identification: A description of determined in accordance with ASTM C 177 (guarded hot
the method of packaging and field identification of the batt plate), is permitted with proper documentation.

2
EVALUATION GUIDELINE FOR COTTON FIBER INSULATION

Conditions of Acceptance: Recognition of thermal- representative rolls or bundles. Test condition is to be

resistance values for a range of thicknesses of cotton maintained at 86/F (30/C) and at a minimum relative
insulation shall be established by tests at the thinnest and humidity of 95 percent for 28 days. A continuous strip chart
thickest and at mid-thicknesses to establish a representative recording of chamber conditions must accompany the test
curve for interpolation purposes. The description of test report. Test chambers shall be kept closed during incubation
samples shall include details of air spaces, if so tested. period, except during inspection. Samples are examined
Thermal-resistance values will be related to test samples. visually after incubation period under 40X magnification to
Testing at the minimum condition will apply for all greater determine extent of mold growth and deterioration.
densities and thicknesses.
Conditions of Acceptance: Mold growth must be
4.3 Material Properties: The cotton fiber insulation shall confined to the inoculated area with no significant growth
be tested for the physical properties given in Sections 4.3.1, within.
4.3.2, 4.3.3, and 4.3.4 of this guideline.
4.3.4 Moisture Absorption: Moisture absorption shall
4.3.1 Thickness and Density: Thickness and density be tested in accordance with ASTM C 739. Specimen is
shall be determined by tests conducted in accordance with weighed in a 9-by-9-by-5-inch (233 by 233 by 127 mm) or
ASTM C 167. Five specimens shall be selected from one 0.23-cubic-foot (6.6 L) container. The container filled with
representative roll or bundle of insulation. All five specimens the insulation specimen is to be preconditioned in a humidity
shall be tested by dropping them twice along both long chamber at 120/F ± 2/F (49/C) and 50 percent relative
dimensions as per the standard. At least 5 minutes shall be humidity to a constant weight, and weighed to determine the
allowed for each specimen to reach equilibrium before the initial conditioned weight. Humidity shall then be increased
thickness is measured. to 90 ± 2 percent and maintained for 24 hours. The
specimen in the container is then reweighed. The weight
Conditions of Acceptance: Thickness and density are gain is determined as a percentage of the initial conditioned
reported in the product evaluation report and are determined weight.
as follows: Specimen thickness is determined from the
average of measurements taken at five different points Conditions of acceptance: The weight gain of the
specified in ASTM C 167. Density is determined by one of specimen shall not exceed 15 percent.
the equations as specified in ASTM C 167.
4.4 Fire-resistance-rated Assembly: The cotton fiber
4.3.2 Corrosiveness: Corrosiveness of the insulation insulation shall be tested as a component of a fire-
shall be tested in accordance with ASTM C 739. A minimum resistance-rated assembly, wall, floor-ceiling, or roof-ceiling
of six specimens, each weighing 0.7 ounce (20 grams), shall construction under ASTM E 119.
be used for each test. Each of the six tests shall be
Conditions of Acceptance: The fire-resistance-rated
conducted using the following metal coupon specimens:
assembly shall be completely described in the product
4.3.2.1 Two aluminum coupons, Type 3003 bare evaluation report with the hourly rating. The cotton fiber
aluminum, zero temper. insulation shall be limited to use in the specific assembly
tested and described in the evaluation report.
4.3.2.2 Two copper coupons, ASTM B 152, Type ETP,
Carbon No. 110 soft copper. 5.0 QUALITY CONTROL
4.3.2.3 Two steel coupons, low carbon, commercial 5.1 A quality control manual complying with the ICC-ES
quality, cold rolled, less than 30 carbon content, shim steel. Acceptance Criteria for Quality control Manuals (AC10) shall
Each coupon shall be 2 inches by 2 inches (50.8 mm by be submitted.
50.8 mm) by 0.003 inch (0.076 mm) in thickness, and free
of tears, punctures or crimps. Distilled or deionized water 5.2 Third-party follow-up inspections are not required
shall be used for the test mixture. Specimens shall be under this evaluation guideline.
placed in a preconditioned humidity chamber maintained at 6.0 EVALUATION REPORT RECOGNITION
120/F ± 3/F (48.9/C ± 1.7/C) and 97 ± 1.5 percent relative
humidity for 336 ± 4 hours. A continuous 24-hour strip chart The following are conditions of use for cotton fiber
recording, showing the 336-hour exposure conditions, must insulation covered by this guideline:
be included in the test report. 6.1 The insulation shall not be installed over recessed
Conditions of Acceptance: After testing in the light fixtures that are not insulated or against any heat-
above manner, there shall be no perforations in metal producing appliance.
coupons when examined over a 40-watt lightbulb. 6.2 The insulation shall not be used in a fire-resistance-
4.3.3 Fungi-resistance: Mold and mildew (fungus) rated assembly unless its performance is documented by
resistance shall be tested in accordance with ASTM C 739. tests under Section 4.4 of this guideline.#
One sample shall be selected from each of three