Difference Between Attic Insulation Cellulose And Fiberglass

Unless you opt for spray foam then the insulation choices normally come down to cellulose and fibreglass.

Difference between attic insulation cellulose and fiberglass.

Pros and cons of cellulose attic 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. Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic. Some suggested would be appreciated.

This is called wind washing. Air moving through a vented attic deposits dirt and dust into fiberglass batts. 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. 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 batts don t offer that flexibility. Per square inch of insulation cellulose has a higher r value than fiberglass. It is non toxic and will not rot decay or contribute to mold growth. The two main least expensive and most commonly used residential insulation materials is cellulose and fibreglass.

Compared to fiberglass cellulose is a superb air blocker. Because it is denser than fiberglass cellulose is much more resistant to wind washing. Cellulose insulation is considered green as it is made from recycled newspaper and requires less energy to manufacture than fiberglass insulation. Dirty fiberglass batts have a significantly reduced r value.

A given sample of cellulose insulation will provide better thermal performance than an identically sized sample of fiberglass insulation. Blown cellulose is typically the preferred choice of insulation for attics. I won t even discuss r value because fiberglass batts don t belong in an attic. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these.

Cellulose insulation is also chemically treated to resist fire insects and mold. Better insulator sometimes cellulose and fiberglass batts typically have similar r values of about 3 2 to 3 8 per inch. I had been told fiberglass was best by on installer but after reading some of the posts here it appears the cellulose is the better. Cellulose recycled ground up paper with boric acid added for insect control and fire resistance offers a better attic insulation option than batts.

I live in phoenix arizona and am going to add several inches of insulation to my attic and would like to know which insulation is best to use.