Can vermiculite be used as insulation around a chimney liner?I have been told vermiculite expands 30x when heated. Can I use it safely around my chimney liner, and how do I know how much to put in?
I would use vermiculite because when perlite is ingested it can cause impaction.
They both work. So do absorbent cotton and sphagnum (my favorite).
Good question. I've used both many times, and I honestly can't decide which is better. I've used vermiculite more, and I know that more breeders use vermiculite than perlite, but I can't say exactly why. I've also used Hatchrite, which is perlite already mixed with water, and it works good. But vermiculite and perlite are easy to mix. Add enough water so it's moist, but not so wet that when you squeeze a handful water drips. And you'll probably need to add water periodically to keep the humidity up.
