I was looking at using mineral wool batt insulation between studs in a staged retrofit situation. It looks like most of the mineral wool batts available still use a formaldehyde binder.

I wasn’t too worried because the home is very leaky right now and I thought that I might “dilute” out the formaldehyde over a few years before I tightened up the envelope. However, I found this article by Dr. Joe http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-070-first-deal-with-the-manure

In it he shows/states that :

“As air change is increased and formaldehyde concentrations are reduced by dilution emission rates are simultaneously increased. The faster you dig in a sand pile the more sand comes poring in. There is no way to win with formaldehyde unless you don’t put it in the building in the first place or seal it up so it does not get out of the stuff you put in the building or build the building out of. Why not just double or triple the ventilation rates? Sure. Spoken like a true believer or Kool-Aid drinker”

Has anyone measured interior formaldehyde levels in homes with mineral wool insulation over time?

The home is currently a balloon framed 2 story 1888 home in a hot/humid climate with no wall insulation .There is 9″ of open cell foam along the roofline in the attic but I have been put off of foam by the very “chemical” smell it gives off and want to minimize further use of foam.

thanks!!