A lot of remodel and repair professionals tell us they like to work with cellulose insulation because it’s safer to install — itch-free, with no irritation from glass fibers. Plus, it’s better for their customers and the environment. Cellulose comes from plants (think wood pulp), and our cellulose insulation is made of at least 85 percent post-consumer paper fiber.

Once in a while, a contractor will ask us this really great question about using a cellulose product: If cellulose insulation is made from paper, and if that paper gets wet, won’t that be a problem?

First of all, no insulation is waterproof if water’s getting into a home or building in any meaningful quantity.

But here’s where things get interesting. Except for dripping water you’d never want, the other type of moisture found in walls is airborne humidity. And cellulose is the only kind of commonly used insulation that can manage humidity by dispersing it and transporting it through a space. As a result, moisture from humidity isn’t trapped by cellulose. Instead, it’s sent on its way for a fresher environment.

Combine the way cellulose handles humidity with the fact that it also reduces noise and provides fire resistance, and you’ve got a trifecta of goodness.