Blown Cellulose Vs Fiberglass Insulation Attic

This is well documented by the university of colorado in their 1990 evaluation of identical homes insulated with fiberglass and cellulose.

Blown cellulose vs fiberglass insulation attic.

Installation costs for blown in insulation costs around 2 a square foot where installation costs for batts is around 1 a square foot. Batt insulation is available at home centers and lumberyards. The results of their study showed cellulose reduced air leakage by 38 and required 26 less money to heat and cool than the fiberglass home. More consistent pricing from cellulose manufacturers than fiberglass.

Blown in insulation requires a professional. Before choosing blown vs. You can get to the same place with either material. Cellulose resists blowing when installed fiberglass tends to blow around stick to the attic ceiling and drift.

Blown cellulose is typically the preferred choice of insulation for attics. 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. Or 7 inches of cellulose. Unless you opt for spray foam then the insulation choices normally come down to cellulose and fibreglass.

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. It is made of shredded paper plus a fire retardant chemical known as a borate. The paper is broken down into cellular fibers that provide insulation.

So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these insulation materials. Making cellulose a better choice for homes in northern climates. Blown fiberglass on the other hand is made up of very fine strands of glass and these tiny fibers are a carcinogen that can easily be inhaled into your lungs. The two main least expensive and most commonly used residential insulation materials is cellulose and fibreglass.

How are they similar and how are they different from blown fiberglass vs. Attic insulation is accomplished with either fiberglass blankets batt or blown in insulation. Cellulose produces much less static than fiberglass. Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic.

Batt insulation take time to read this column. According to research done at the oak ridge national lab fiberglass loses up to 50 of its r value in very cold conditions. Fiberglass insulation contains billions of tiny glass fibers which contain trapped bubbles of air. 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.