Better For Attic Insulation Fiberglass Or Cellulose

Cellulose has 38 better air infiltration than fiberglass.

Better for attic insulation fiberglass or cellulose.

Cellulose insulation is also chemically treated to resist fire insects and mold. Blown in fiberglass creates a seamless blanket in your attic. This keeps the air from moving within the insulation and from penetrations between the air conditioned space and the attic. 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.

According to research done at the oak ridge national lab fiberglass loses up to 50 of its r value in very cold conditions. Fiberglass is a suspected carcinogen. When installed properly in similar areas they perform about the same at 3 5 to 3 7 r value. Cellulose insulation is considered green as it is made from recycled newspaper and requires less energy to manufacture than fiberglass insulation.

Fiberglass and cellulose have similar r values with ranges depending on how and where they are installed. At 3 5 per inch of material the r value of blown in cellulose is 23 better per inch than fiberglass batts. Both fibreglass and cellulose are the two most inexpensive insulation products that you could use. Cellulose is more difficult to cheat than fiberglass.

Making cellulose a better choice for homes in northern climates. Sloppy people aren t suited for this job. Batts must be cut tightly and you can t have gaps. The higher the r value the better the insulation performs.

It has a better resistance to air flow and prevents the upward movement of air caused by temperature differences. Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic. When you install loose fill insulation it s hard to miss a spot the way you might with batt insulation. Blown cellulose is typically the preferred choice of insulation for attics.

Cellulose provides better sound insulation than fiberglass i e homes are less noisy with it. Cellulose forms a dense continuous mat of insulation in your attic. Fibreglass is perhaps the most common product available in the market for insulation outpacing its close competitor cellulose by 50 1. Loose fill insulation is just better.

Sources many fiberglass installers fluff the fiber with extra air so you don t get as much insulation as you re supposed to.