Better For Attic Insulation Fiberglass Or Cellulose

Loose fill insulation is just better.

Better for attic insulation fiberglass or cellulose.

Cellulose provides better sound insulation than fiberglass i e homes are less noisy with it. Batts must be cut tightly and you can t have gaps. When you install loose fill insulation it s hard to miss a spot the way you might with batt insulation. According to research done at the oak ridge national lab fiberglass loses up to 50 of its r value in very cold conditions.

Blown in fiberglass creates a seamless blanket in your attic. When installed properly in similar areas they perform about the same at 3 5 to 3 7 r value. Blown cellulose is typically the preferred choice of insulation for attics. Cellulose and fiberglass have similar insulating values.

Sources many fiberglass installers fluff the fiber with extra air so you don t get as much insulation as you re supposed to. Fibreglass is perhaps the most common product available in the market for insulation outpacing its close competitor cellulose by 50 1. The thermal performance of fiberglass insulation is directly related to its ability to trap and maintain very small pockets of air. Fiberglass and cellulose have similar r values with ranges depending on how and where they are installed.

Cellulose has a slightly higher r factor a unit of thermal resistance with an r value of approximately 3 0 per inch while fiberglass ranges from r 2 1 to r 2 7. Making cellulose a better choice for homes in northern climates. Sloppy people aren t suited for this job. Cellulose insulation is considered green as it is made from recycled newspaper and requires less energy to manufacture than fiberglass insulation.

From the speed and ease of installation to the virtual impossibility of installing it wrong assuming you re experienced loose fill fiberglass or cellulose is usually more effective than batt insulation. It has a better resistance to air flow and prevents the upward movement of air caused by temperature differences. Both fibreglass and cellulose are the two most inexpensive insulation products that you could use. Cellulose forms a dense continuous mat of insulation in your attic.

Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic. Cellulose insulation is also chemically treated to resist fire insects and mold. At 3 5 per inch of material the r value of blown in cellulose is 23 better per inch than fiberglass batts. Fiberglass is a suspected carcinogen.

Cellulose is more difficult to cheat than fiberglass.