Coop insulation--Plastic Bags!!

[100chihuahuas]

I was trying to come up with affordable ways to insulate the walls to by 8x6 coop for next winter, and I think i found it.
Many, many crumpled-up plastic bags!
It would take some time to gather all of the bags I would need, but what a neat way to recycle one fo the most non-recycled and environmentally harmful items out there today, and mold-resistant, too.
One by one I would crumple the bags into little balls and add them to the spaces betweent he studs.
I am looking for opinions on the effectiveness of this method.
And would it be more effective to pack in/compress as many as possible into each space, or leave it lighter and more fluffy with more air pockets?

Thank you

 

[Chicken03]

Sounds like a good idea, but how would you hold the bags in between the studs? If you can find a way to hold the bags in I can't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[100chihuahuas]

My idea is that as son as I feel I have enough bags, I would cover the bottom half of my inside wall with plywood and stuff it until it is full. I'd do the same for the middle and top, leafing a small space at the top to keep putting them in until full, then seal that spot.

What I am wondering is if this idea would be very effective. I couldn't find information anywhere else on people using bags as insulation, so I'm wondering if this idea is just silly!

 

[AtholCoop]

Works great. Me and the wife have been using them for insulation in dog beds for years. The best thing to do is just stuff one bag as full as you can get it with other bags, makes like a pillow.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I've used those signs put up for housing developments and political signs. They are corrigated so they trap air in them that then warms up in the sun.

 

[acheeknmanbestfren]

Another item that can be recycled into insulation is packing peanuts. I used them in a couple of walls (ran out or I'd have done the entire coop). I hate packing peanuts so it was a good use of them!

 

[flopshot]

Quote:
i like this alot better. it just seems the bags would be a bunch of moisture traps.

 

[100chihuahuas]

The packing peanuts would be a good idea, but those are a bit harder to find in vast enough quantities. As for being moisture traps, I think I can aviod that by making sure my walls are everything-proof.
I also hope that being in super-dry-aired Alaska coupled with adequate ventilation will help with moisture condensation issue.
I can't wait to try this and see how well it works!
Now, off to gather all of these plastic bags....

 

[patandchickens]

You're not going to get *much* insulation value out of plastic bags or packing peanuts... although they are better than nothing if you really want to insulate. Definitely put the packing peanuts in bags, not loose in the wall, btw.

With either of them, if you develop a mouse problem you will have quite the mess to clean up, though... eensy tiny flinders of plastic and/or styrofoam alllll over.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Intheswamp]

In some earthship construction aluminum cans are used to create dead-air cells in the walls.

Ed