Cellulose Vs Fiberglass Attic

Once installed in the attic cellulose loose fill insulation looks like mounds of freshly fallen snow covering the attic floor.

Cellulose vs fiberglass attic. Benefits of cellulose insulation. Cellulose is the second most common. This allows the insulation to get into the small pockets and crevices that fiberglass wouldn t be able to. Any insulation is better than no insulation.

Fiberglass is a suspected carcinogen. Air moving through a vented attic deposits dirt and dust into fiberglass batts. But which one should you pick. In most houses around atlanta the choice of insulation material comes down to fiberglass vs.

Sources many fiberglass installers fluff the fiber with extra air so you don t get as much insulation as you re supposed to. It is made of shredded paper plus a fire retardant chemical known as a borate. As the temperature difference between the living space and attic increases the r value of blown fiberglass diminishes. This is called wind washing.

Cellulose resists blowing when installed fiberglass tends to blow around stick to the attic ceiling and drift. Because the loose particles blown in fill any and all odd shaped areas of the attic floor cellulose offers superior coverage without the need to custom fit pieces. Better insulator sometimes cellulose and fiberglass batts typically have similar r values of about 3 2 to 3 8 per inch. Fiberglass batts don t offer that flexibility.

Compared to fiberglass cellulose is a superb air blocker. Dirty fiberglass batts have a significantly reduced r value. Cellulose has an r factor of at least 3 8 per inch moderately higher than fiberglass batts. Fiberglass insulation contains billions of tiny glass fibers which contain trapped bubbles of air.

Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic. Because it is denser than fiberglass cellulose is much more resistant to wind washing. You can add batts in easy to access places such as the attic but not in between walls. Thus creating a more energy efficient home.

Fibreglass is perhaps the most common product available in the market for insulation outpacing its close competitor cellulose by 50 1. If you ve got bare uninsulated areas on the floor of your attic getting some kind of insulation in there is a must. More consistent pricing from cellulose manufacturers than fiberglass. Both types of insulation can you know insulate.

The manufacture of fiberglass is 80 more energy intensive than cellulose. Once it has settled fiberglass has an r value of 2 1 2 7 per inch while cellulose has an r value of approximately 3 0 per inch. Cellulose is easier to keep out of bird blocks and air conditioner condensate pans. Fiberglass is the most common.

Loose fill blown fiberglass insulation has another slight problem. Cellulose insulation includes cellulose cells that have natural insulating power.