Cellulose Or Fiberglass Attic Insulation

Fiberglass fibers may become airborne which can be considered a pollutant.

Cellulose or fiberglass attic insulation.

It is made from paper that has a minimum of 85 recycled content such as newspaper. Fiberglass is a suspected carcinogen. Like cellulose you need a big machine to blow it in. Like cellulose you need a big machine to blow it in.

Attic blown cellulose is typically the preferred choice of insulation for attics. Cellulose cellulose insulation offers many advantages to your home such as its r value of r 2 6 per 100mm metric which is better than glass wool or rock wool. It has a better resistance to air flow and prevents the upward movement of air caused by temperature differences. Unless you opt for spray foam then the insulation choices normally come down to cellulose and fibreglass.

Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic. This keeps the air from moving within the insulation and from penetrations between the air conditioned space and the attic. Or 7 inches of cellulose. Cellulose insulation is considered green as it is made from recycled newspaper and requires less energy to manufacture than fiberglass insulation.

It does not pollute the air during manufacture or use as much energy to produce as fiberglass. In addition to its great r value cellulose also provides sounds insulation by providing mass and dampening. Loose fill fiberglass seems to dominate attic insulation in new construction homes and has an r value of approximately 2 5 per inch. The two main least expensive and most commonly used residential insulation materials is cellulose and fibreglass.

Sources many fiberglass installers fluff the fiber with extra air so you don t get as much insulation as you re supposed to. Cellulose insulation is also chemically treated to resist fire insects and mold. Cellulose has 38 better air infiltration than fiberglass. Cellulose provides better sound insulation than fiberglass i e homes are less noisy with it.

Cellulose insulation is considered a greener material than fiberglass. 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. You can get to the same place with either material.