Lagging pipes with raw sheep wool

Has anyone tried lagging pipes with sheep's wool?

We have some 15cm steel pipes in the roof space, distributing air round the house. They don't get too hot. But, of course, there is some heat loss, and I'd like to lagg them.

We have plenty of raw sheep fleeces and access to more. I'd like to use that directly around the pipes in its raw form and the only thing I'm struggling with is how to bind the wool and keep it in place. obviously, it'd be nice to use something natural to do that too.

Any ideas?

Thanks


Andy

Hi Andrew, and welcome to permies! I can't see any downside to your plan. A natural fibre twine would probably do the trick, maybe wrapped in a spiral pattern over the fleece. Two strands, in opposite directions, would be even better.

Hi Phil,

Yes, and I can think of where I might get that cheaply.

OK, let me spell out the potential downsides of using wool, as far as I can predict them.

Our roofspace is home or temporary accommodation for a number of animals. There are Dormice, mice, maybe rats, small lizards, possibly, wood loving insects etc. It's an old stone house and, whatever you do short of rebuilding, they will get in. Sometimes a weasel or stoat or pine marten will get in and clear most of them out, but in the end they will be back. A compartment full of woodwool is below the boarding and is closed at the sides and below with wood. As far as I know they have not managed to get into that.

But, clearly, wool is lovely and warm and perfect for pulling apart and making into nests, or living in etc.  There was previously a layer of rockwool up there which had been 4 inches thick, but was compressed down to an inch by dust, droppings and stuff. It was pulled apart and moved everywhere by animals.

So, what I need to do is lay the raw wool around the pipes, and bind it, hopefully without compressing it too much, as much of the calorific value comes from the air trapped between the fibres, but at the same time protect it from all the animals that want to use it for their own purposes.

I had thought about getting more oversized metal piping and putting it round with wool stuffed in between. Expensive.

I like twine for binding, but something for wrapping around the wool that is not permeable by animals.