Attic Cellulose Insulation Vs Fiberglass

Cellulose vs fiberglass insulation.

Attic cellulose insulation vs fiberglass.

Because it is denser than fiberglass cellulose is much more resistant to wind washing. Cellulose provides better sound insulation than fiberglass i e homes are less noisy with it. Or 7 inches of cellulose. Cellulose insulation is considered a greener material than fiberglass.

Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic. Cellulose has 38 better air infiltration than fiberglass. To hit code minimums you ve got to add new insulation on top of the old insulation. Fiberglass fibers may become airborne which can be considered a pollutant.

With varying locations and building code requirements fiberglass and cellulose insulation can be beneficial for homeowners builders and remodelers. 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 are two most commonly used insulations. It does not pollute the air during manufacture or use as much energy to produce as fiberglass.

Sources many fiberglass installers fluff the fiber with extra air so you don t get as much insulation as you re supposed to. Cellulose is more difficult to cheat than fiberglass. Fiberglass insulation contains billions of tiny glass fibers which contain trapped bubbles of air. 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.

You can get to the same place with either material. Dirty fiberglass batts have a significantly reduced r value. Air moving through a vented attic deposits dirt and dust into fiberglass batts. Cellulose forms a dense continuous mat of insulation in your attic.

It is made of shredded paper plus a fire retardant chemical known as a borate. Fiberglass is a suspected carcinogen. Fibreglass is perhaps the most common product available in the market for insulation outpacing its close competitor cellulose by 50 1. The paper is broken down into cellular fibers that provide insulation.

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. This is called wind washing. This keeps the air from moving within the insulation and from penetrations between the air conditioned space and the attic. It is made from paper that has a minimum of 85 recycled content such as newspaper.

Attic blown cellulose is typically the preferred choice of insulation for attics.