Attic Insulation Blown In Cellulose Vs Fiberglass

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.

Attic insulation blown in cellulose vs fiberglass.

Cellulose has 38 better air infiltration than fiberglass. With that said most homeowners agree that blown cellulose is slightly more efficient due to the face that it blocks more air than fiberglass. The two main least expensive and most commonly used residential insulation materials is cellulose and fibreglass. Cellulose insulation includes cellulose cells that have natural insulating power.

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. Or 7 inches of cellulose. The higher the r value the more efficient it is. Making cellulose a better choice for homes in northern climates.

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 contains billions of tiny glass fibers which contain trapped bubbles of air. At 3 5 per inch of material the r value of blown in cellulose is 23 better per inch than fiberglass batts. It is made of shredded paper plus a fire retardant chemical known as a borate.

Blown in insulation requires a professional. You can get to the same place with either material. There are three types of blown in insulation. Batt insulation take time to read this column.

Loose fill or blown cellulose insulation is manufactured primarily from recycled newspapers a very benign product so it poses virtually no ongoing health risk. Attic insulation is accomplished with either fiberglass blankets batt or blown in insulation. According to research done at the oak ridge national lab fiberglass loses up to 50 of its r value in very cold conditions. 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.

Batt insulation is available at home centers and lumberyards. Cellulose is more difficult to cheat than fiberglass. You can find high r value insulation produced in both fiberglass and blown cellulose. This keeps the air from moving within the insulation and from penetrations between the air conditioned space and the attic.

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. Cellulose forms a dense continuous mat of insulation in your attic.