St Louis - St Charles Cellulose vs. Fiberglass Insulation.
Blown in Attic Insulation: Cellulose vs. Fiberglass Insulation
When considering adding insulation to your attic, you may have heard that blown in insulation is the way to go but are wondering which type to go with: fiberglass or cellulose. Both have their benefits and drawbacks. Blown in insulation, also known as loose fill insulation, is a type of insulation made up of tiny particles that are blown into an attic or wall to fill all the air gaps. This prevents energy from escaping, saving you money.
Overall, re-insulating your home saves you money and energy, keeping you in more control of the comfort level in your home and slashing your energy bills at the same time. Let's take a look at the pros and cons of cellulose and fiberglass insulation.
Cellulose Insulation
- Higher R-Value per inch. Cellulose has an R-value of 3.5 - 3.7 per inch; fiberglass has 2.1-2.7 R per inch.
- Cellulose (a wood-based product) retains more of its R-Value through a wider range of temperatures compared with fiberglass.
- Cellulose has nearly 40 percent better air infiltration than fiberglass. Cellulose forms a dense continuous mat of insulation in your attic, which prevents the air from moving within the insulation. It also prevents penetrations between the air-conditioned space and the attic.
- Cellulose is more difficult to "cheat" than fiberglass. Both cellulose and fiberglass must be installed at the correct depth and density in order to hit the intended R-value. Poorly-installed fiberglass features an "over-fluffed" thickness, whereas "over-fluffed" cellulose will deflate more quickly and result in a poor installation. Less-than-reputable fiberglass installers may use this condition to cheat customers out of R-Value and material.
- Cellulose fills small cracks and crevices better, as it can get in between gaps in fiberglass batts whereas blown-in fiberglass bridges over the gaps.
- Cellulose's density reduces sound from the outside.
- Cellulose is hygroscopic, which means any moisture it encounters will be dispersed throughout the material, preventing liquid from accumulating in any one area. It resists mold growth.
- More fire-safe than fiberglass, as cellulose fibers are more tightly packed. This chokes wall cavities of combustion air to prevent the spread of fire through framing cavities.
- Better in northern climates, as compared with fiberglass which loses up to 50 percent of its R-value in very cold conditions.
Fiberglass Insulation
- Fiberglass carries a brand name recognition, such as Owens Corning "Pink Panther" - a household name.
- Dust from fiberglass is easier to control during the installation process.
- It's more aesthetically pleasing, resembling snow.
- Quicker installation
- Fiberglass blows farther than cellulose and therefore requires less crawling in the attic space.
Here at Addict Insulation, we prefer to work with loose-fill cellulose insulation mainly for its ability to settle around and conform to most of the obstructions found in walls and attics.
Contact Addict Insulation
To learn more about our blown in insulation services, contact us at 636-233-7314.
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