Attic Insulation Fiberglass Vs Cellulose

The two main least expensive and most commonly used residential insulation materials is cellulose and fibreglass.

Attic insulation fiberglass vs cellulose.

Thus creating a more energy efficient home. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these. Batt insulation take time to read this column. Cellulose insulates better than fiberglass especially in very cold weather.

Batt insulation is available at home centers and lumberyards. Fiberglass batts however are less expensive costing on average 0 30 to 0 40 a square foot for 6 inches of insulation. Fiberglass insulation blown in attic r2 2 r4 3. Cellulose is more difficult to cheat than fiberglass.

Air moving through a vented attic deposits dirt and dust into fiberglass batts. Because it is denser than fiberglass cellulose is much more resistant to wind washing. This keeps the air from moving within the insulation and from penetrations between the air conditioned space and the attic. Attic insulation is accomplished with either fiberglass blankets batt or blown in insulation.

Understanding what you are putting into your home is important to you as a homeowner a parent and an individual and its important to us that you know the facts. This is called wind washing. Fiberglass batt or roll insulation r3 2. Cellulose forms a dense continuous mat of insulation in your attic.

Compared to fiberglass cellulose is a superb air blocker. Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic. Blown in insulation requires a professional. Check out our many resources below.

Unless you opt for spray foam then the insulation choices normally come down to cellulose and fibreglass. 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. You can get to the same place with either material. 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.

Both cellulose and fiberglass insulation provide about the same level of insulating power or r value per inch with slightly different results based on the installation procedure. This allows the insulation to get into the small pockets and crevices that fiberglass wouldn t be able to. We have written many articles on the different types of insulation. Both cellulose and fiberglass insulation have their pros and cons but i feel that cellulose is the better bet overall.

Cellulose has 38 better air infiltration than fiberglass. Or 7 inches of cellulose. Dirty fiberglass batts have a significantly reduced r value.