Attic Insulation Blown In Cellulose Vs Fiberglass

Batt insulation take time to read this column.

Attic insulation blown in cellulose vs fiberglass.

When using cellulose blown in dry insulation it requires a machine to achieve its purpose and a training session from wherever you rent the blower from. This keeps the air from moving within the insulation and from penetrations between the air conditioned space and the attic. Fiberglass insulation contains billions of tiny glass fibers which contain trapped bubbles of air. According to research done at the oak ridge national lab fiberglass loses up to 50 of its r value in very cold conditions.

Making cellulose a better choice for homes in northern climates. You can find high r value insulation produced in both fiberglass and blown cellulose. Blown fiberglass on the other hand is made up of very fine strands of glass and these tiny fibers are a carcinogen that can easily be inhaled into your lungs. Cellulose forms a dense continuous mat of insulation in your attic.

You can get to the same place with either material. The paper is broken down into cellular fibers that provide insulation. Cellulose has 38 better air infiltration than fiberglass. It is made of shredded paper plus a fire retardant chemical known as a borate.

Batt insulation is available at home centers and lumberyards. Loose fill or blown cellulose insulation is manufactured primarily from recycled newspapers a very benign product so it poses virtually no ongoing health risk. Blown in insulation requires a professional. At 3 5 per inch of material the r value of blown in cellulose is 23 better per inch than fiberglass batts.

The three most common types of blown in insulation are loose fill fiberglass cellulose and rock wool each with its own pros and cons. Fiberglass insulation is the easiest insulation product on the market to install and if installed correctly the most effective product on the market for home attic insulation. The higher the r value the more efficient it is. Assuming your current attic insulation is made from fiberglass and has a value of r 13 you d have to add roughly 10 inches of additional fiberglass to hit r 38.

There are three types of blown in insulation. Cellulose insulation includes cellulose cells that have natural insulating power. Cellulose is more difficult to cheat than fiberglass. The two main least expensive and most commonly used residential insulation materials is cellulose and fibreglass.

Or 7 inches of cellulose. Before choosing blown vs.