Cellulose Vs Fiberglass Attic

Dirty fiberglass batts have a significantly reduced r value.

Cellulose vs fiberglass attic.

Cellulose has an r factor of at least 3 8 per inch moderately higher than fiberglass batts. It is made of shredded paper plus a fire retardant chemical known as a borate. Both fibreglass and cellulose are the two most inexpensive insulation products that you could use. The manufacture of fiberglass is 80 more energy intensive than cellulose.

Fiberglass is the most common. 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. If you ve got bare uninsulated areas on the floor of your attic getting some kind of insulation in there is a must. In most houses around atlanta the choice of insulation material comes down to fiberglass vs.

Any insulation is better than no insulation. Fiberglass insulation contains billions of tiny glass fibers which contain trapped bubbles of air. But which one should you pick. The paper is broken down into cellular fibers that provide insulation.

Cellulose provides better sound insulation than fiberglass i e homes are less noisy with it. 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. Benefits of cellulose insulation. Cellulose insulation includes cellulose cells that have natural insulating power.

Fibreglass is perhaps the most common product available in the market for insulation outpacing its close competitor cellulose by 50 1. As the temperature difference between the living space and attic increases the r value of blown fiberglass diminishes. Because it is denser than fiberglass cellulose is much more resistant to wind washing. More consistent pricing from cellulose manufacturers than fiberglass.

Sources many fiberglass installers fluff the fiber with extra air so you don t get as much insulation as you re supposed to. This is called wind washing. Cellulose is easier to keep out of bird blocks and air conditioner condensate pans. Cellulose resists blowing when installed fiberglass tends to blow around stick to the attic ceiling and drift.

Cellulose is the second most common. Fiberglass batts don t offer that flexibility. Once installed in the attic cellulose loose fill insulation looks like mounds of freshly fallen snow covering the attic floor. Air moving through a vented attic deposits dirt and dust into fiberglass batts.

Better insulator sometimes cellulose and fiberglass batts typically have similar r values of about 3 2 to 3 8 per inch. Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic. Fiberglass is a suspected carcinogen. Thus creating a more energy efficient home.

Loose fill blown fiberglass insulation has another slight problem. Both types of insulation can you know insulate.