Insulation type

Hello all,

I was looking through a relative’s attic to determine if they needed more insulation and came across long thin black bags full of this brown insulation. I’ve attached a picture of it. It will disintegrate a bit when you pick it up and start rubbing it together and is brown in color. Some of the bags were already broken open so I wanted to double check with you guys what type this is before layering some more insulation over it.

Thanks!

Looks like cellulose to me.

Does not look like cellulose, mineral wool would be my guess. Cellulose feels soft, mineral wool feels scratchy, cellulose is light mottled gray, mineral wool is brown.

Most of the cellulose I see is brown, sometimes gray. Just depends on the base material, cardboard or newspaper. Mineral or rock wool is more fibrous and course.

Looks like Basalm Wool insulation. It typically came in a black Kraft paper wrapping. It’s found in old homes and was made of wood fibers.

Balsam wool looks more like cedar mulch, and as far as I know only comes in batts.

Not overly concerned what type it is I would take a sample and see if it burns .