Cellulose Vs Fiberglass Blown In Insulation Attic

What this basically means is the ability the insulation has to resist heat flow.

Cellulose vs fiberglass blown in insulation attic.

Both fibreglass and cellulose are the two most inexpensive insulation products that you could use. According to research done at the oak ridge national lab fiberglass loses up to 50 of its r value in very cold conditions. Another important benefit from dense packed cellulose is its ability to limit air movement which cuts down on heat loss through convection. Loose fill or blown cellulose insulation is manufactured primarily from recycled newspapers a very benign product so it poses virtually no ongoing health risk.

The higher the r value the higher the performance with heat the insulation has. Loose fill fiberglass has an r value of r 2 2 to 2 7 per inch. You can find high r value insulation produced in both fiberglass and blown cellulose. Cellulose has an r value of r 3 2 to 3 8 per inch.

With that said most homeowners agree that blown cellulose is slightly more efficient due to the face that it blocks more air than fiberglass. When should you use blown in attic insulation for your home. Making cellulose a better choice for homes in northern climates. More consistent pricing from cellulose manufacturers than fiberglass.

Another major weakness of fiberglass insulation which does nothing to stop air from passing through it. At 3 5 per inch of material the r value of blown in cellulose is 23 better per inch than fiberglass batts. Installation costs for blown in insulation costs around 2 a square foot where installation costs for batts is around 1 a square foot. Cellulose resists blowing when installed fiberglass tends to blow around stick to the attic ceiling and drift.

Cellulose insulation includes cellulose cells that have natural insulating power. 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. Fiberglass insulation contains billions of tiny glass fibers which contain trapped bubbles of air. Fibreglass is perhaps the most common product available in the market for insulation outpacing its close competitor cellulose by 50 1.

The higher the r value the more efficient it is. You can get to the same place with either material. Fiberglass batts however are less expensive costing on average 0 30 to 0 40 a square foot for 6 inches of insulation. Cellulose is easier to keep out of bird blocks and air conditioner condensate pans.

The paper is broken down into cellular fibers that provide insulation. When comparing blown in insulation both fiberglass and cellulose are nearly identical in price both costing around 0 70 to 0 80 per square foot for 6 inches of insulation. It is made of shredded paper plus a fire retardant chemical known as a borate.