Cellulose Or Fiberglass In Attic
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.
Cellulose or fiberglass in attic. Cellulose forms a dense continuous mat of insulation in your attic. Cellulose has 38 better air infiltration than fiberglass. Compared to fiberglass cellulose is a superb air blocker. Once it has settled fiberglass has an r value of 2 1 2 7 per inch while cellulose has an r value of approximately 3 0 per inch.
When using cellulose blown in dry insulation it requires a machine to achieve its purpose and a training session from wherever you rent the blower from. This is called wind washing. Cellulose in walls and the attic also has some soundproofing properties that reduce noise transmission through the house. Or 7 inches of cellulose.
Unless you opt for spray foam then the insulation choices normally come down to cellulose and fibreglass. Loose fill cellulose is relatively inexpensive yet still has an r value of about 3 5 per inch of thickness compared to fiberglass r value between r3 to r4 per inch. Loose fill cellulose insulation can settle around and conform to most of the obstructions found in walls and attics. Cellulose can be blown into existing walls through small access hoses without dismantling the entire wall as with fiberglass batts.
So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these. You can get to the same place with either material. Since cellulose is blown in it fills all the gaps crevices nooks and crannies in your attic unlike batts that can leave gaps. Costs slightly more than fiberglass.
Downsides of cellulose insulation. Cellulose is more difficult to cheat than fiberglass. Rather than trying to meticulously lay fiberglass insulation over the attic homeowners and builders can simply blow cellulose insulation throughout the attic. As the temperature difference between the living space and attic increases the r value of blown fiberglass diminishes.
Fiberglass batts however are less expensive costing on average 0 30 to 0 40 a square foot for 6 inches of insulation. Fiberglass insulation is the easiest insulation product on the market to install and if installed correctly the most effective product on the market for home attic insulation. Blown cellulose is typically the preferred choice of insulation for attics. When walls are already finished injecting loose fill cellulose insulation is one of the few ways of adding.
This keeps the air from moving within the insulation and from penetrations between the air conditioned space and the attic. Loose fill blown fiberglass insulation has another slight problem.