Difference Between Attic Insulation Cellulose And Fiberglass

Dirty fiberglass batts have a significantly reduced r value.

Difference between attic insulation cellulose and fiberglass.

Compared to fiberglass cellulose is a superb air blocker. Some suggested would be appreciated. Better insulator sometimes cellulose and fiberglass batts typically have similar r values of about 3 2 to 3 8 per inch. If you choose to install cellulose yourself you can buy the insulation in bags from your local home.

Pros and cons of cellulose attic insulation. Air moving through a vented attic deposits dirt and dust into fiberglass batts. Cellulose insulation is also chemically treated to resist fire insects and mold. This is called wind washing.

Unless you opt for spray foam then the insulation choices normally come down to cellulose and fibreglass. Because it is denser than fiberglass cellulose is much more resistant to wind washing. Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic. I won t even discuss r value because fiberglass batts don t belong in an attic.

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. The two main least expensive and most commonly used residential insulation materials is cellulose and fibreglass. It is non toxic and will not rot decay or contribute to mold growth. 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.

Blown cellulose is typically the preferred choice of insulation for attics. Cellulose insulation is considered green as it is made from recycled newspaper and requires less energy to manufacture than fiberglass 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. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these.

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. Per square inch of insulation cellulose has a higher r value than fiberglass. A given sample of cellulose insulation will provide better thermal performance than an identically sized sample of fiberglass insulation. Fiberglass batts don t offer that flexibility.

When used in an attic space however both types of insulation are ineffective at air flow across the attic floor such as a strong gust of wind.