Attic Insulation Batts Vs Blown

Batt insulation take time to read this column.

Attic insulation batts vs blown.

Attic insulation is accomplished with either fiberglass blankets batt or blown in insulation. When blown into attics and wall spaces loose fill fiberglass offers an average r 2 5 thermal value per inch the higher the number the greater the insulating effect. Blown in varieties however typically reach a peak of around a 2 8 r factor. Both blown in and batt roll insulation can be installed in different areas of a home including the attic and the walls.

Disadvantages of batt insulation. That s because blown insulation is great at filling the gaps and giving you a good complete layer of insulation. You also don t see any gaps that allow you to see all the way down to the ceiling drywall. Blown in insulation requires a professional.

Batt insulation is available at home centers and lumberyards. In short there is less chance of error with blown insulation as compared to batts. We use both blown in and batt insulation depending on the situation at hand. I don t know about that but it s a common insulation material that works much better in the blown form than in batts.

You d need a thickness of. Compared to blown in insulation batts can reach a resistance rating r factor of over 3 1. Current energy standards recommend the installation of a first layer of craft faced moisture barrier fiberglass batt. When insulating an attic space many homeowners ask us which is better blown in or batt insulation.

You can hire a contractor carrying relevant business insurance and using skilled and trained workers to install your batt insulation much more quickly than a batt insulation install might take. Before choosing blown vs. Insulation should be rolled out perpendicular to the joists and unfaced rolls should be used. Any existing batt or roll insulation in the attic should have the facing against the attic drywall floor or no facing at all.

On the negative side blown insulation will normally require a professional who has access to the blowing machine that is needed. Notice how you don t see any of the ceiling framing down at the ceiling level. The maximum rating of batt insulation is around 4 2. The photo above shows an attic insulated with blown cellulose.

Batts you must also examine the r values. The answer is it depends. When a home is fully finished the scales of batt vs. While the manufacturer will state the actual r value of the insulation that you use according to the department of energy you can expect an r value range between 2 9 and 3 8 per inch of thickness for standard fiberglass batts and between 3 7 and 4 3 for high performance fiberglass batts.

Batt or rolled insulation or blown loose fill insulation fiberglass or cellulose can be installed on top of old insulation. Depending on the material of the insulation the installation method may vary slightly.