Better For Attic Insulation Fiberglass Or Cellulose

Fiberglass and cellulose have similar r values with ranges depending on how and where they are installed.

Better for attic insulation fiberglass or cellulose.

Loose fill insulation is just better. When installed properly in similar areas they perform about the same at 3 5 to 3 7 r value. Fiberglass is a suspected carcinogen. Blown in fiberglass creates a seamless blanket in your attic.

At 3 5 per inch of material the r value of blown in cellulose is 23 better per inch than fiberglass batts. Cellulose insulation is considered green as it is made from recycled newspaper and requires less energy to manufacture than fiberglass insulation. Cellulose and fiberglass have similar insulating values. It has a better resistance to air flow and prevents the upward movement of air caused by temperature differences.

Sloppy people aren t suited for this job. Fibreglass is perhaps the most common product available in the market for insulation outpacing its close competitor cellulose by 50 1. When you install loose fill insulation it s hard to miss a spot the way you might with batt insulation. Cellulose is more difficult to cheat than fiberglass.

Cellulose forms a dense continuous mat of insulation in your attic. Cellulose has 38 better air infiltration than fiberglass. Batts must be cut tightly and you can t have gaps. The higher the r value the better the insulation performs.

Sources many fiberglass installers fluff the fiber with extra air so you don t get as much insulation as you re supposed to. Blown cellulose is typically the preferred choice of insulation for attics. The thermal performance of fiberglass insulation is directly related to its ability to trap and maintain very small pockets of air. Cellulose provides better sound insulation than fiberglass i e homes are less noisy with it.

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. Cellulose insulation is also chemically treated to resist fire insects and mold. From the speed and ease of installation to the virtual impossibility of installing it wrong assuming you re experienced loose fill fiberglass or cellulose is usually more effective than batt insulation.

Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic.