Attic Cellulose Insulation Vs Fiberglass

The two main least expensive and most commonly used residential insulation materials is cellulose and fibreglass.

Attic cellulose insulation vs fiberglass.

Thus creating a more energy efficient home. Or 7 inches of cellulose. Cellulose insulates better than fiberglass especially in very cold weather. This is called wind washing.

Unless you opt for spray foam then the insulation choices normally come down to cellulose and fibreglass. 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 is accomplished with either fiberglass blankets batt or blown in insulation. Both cellulose and fiberglass insulation provide about the same level of insulating power or r value per inch with slightly different results based on the installation procedure.

This keeps the air from moving within the insulation and from penetrations between the air conditioned space and the attic. Because it is denser than fiberglass cellulose is much more resistant to wind washing. Fiberglass insulation blown in attic r2 2 r4 3. Compared to fiberglass cellulose is a superb air blocker.

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. Both cellulose and fiberglass insulation have their pros and cons but i feel that cellulose is the better bet overall. When used in an attic space however both types of insulation are ineffective at air flow across the attic floor such as a strong gust of wind. Before choosing blown vs.

Air moving through a vented attic deposits dirt and dust into fiberglass batts. Fiberglass insulation and cellulose insulation offer similar r values. Dirty fiberglass batts have a significantly reduced r value. Cellulose forms a dense continuous mat of insulation in your attic.

This allows the insulation to get into the small pockets and crevices that fiberglass wouldn t be able to. You can get to the same place with either material. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these. If fiberglass batts become compressed losing some of their air pockets then this insulation may be more affected by air flow than cellulose which performs well regardless of density.

Fiberglass batt or roll insulation r3 2. Batt insulation is available at home centers and lumberyards. Blown in insulation requires a professional. 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 wins last update. Batt insulation take time to read this column.