Can you treat insulation batts with "bug/animal/mold" repellant?

I will not be able to use dense-packed cellulose in my house walls (no installers, and I don't know if I want to teach myself), but I would like to have the boric acid used in cellulose to deter bugs, etc. Is it even remotely feasible to somehow spray on a boric acid solution? I have a typical air compressor and paint sprayer, and can get whatever machinery I need. All of my batts (2 or 3 layers) will be unfaced, so I could spray the batts from both sides. My options right now are fiberglass batts, blown-in fiberglass, or rock wool batts. Anyone have any experience w/ this mickey mouse sort of "fix"? Obviously, I'd need some amount of time, and a huge dry area, for drying the batts. Thanks.
Frustrated in Fairbanks, AK.

Asked by Anonymous
Posted Sun, 03/07/2010 - 16:27
Edited Mon, 03/08/2010 - 13:25

Tags: Energy efficiency and durability

1.

We treat old barn beams with borate before reusing them. You can but borate as a powder and mix it with a fifty/fifty mix of water and propylene glycol. I suppose you could do the same with filterglass.

Answered by Chaz Steffen
Posted Sun, 03/07/2010 - 16:47

2.

John,

I doubt that borax would do anything for fiberglass. It's used on porous hygroscopic materials. Blue jean batts are another option - they are treated with boric acid.

Answered by Riversong
Posted Sun, 03/07/2010 - 17:20

3.

Thanks for the answers. After more thinking and talking w/ Robert, I think I am going to skip the fiberglass and blow in my own cellulose, solving a multitude of problems. john

Answered by jklingel
Posted Sun, 03/07/2010 - 19:16