Cellulose Insulation
There are several different types of insulation available for your home today. One of these types is cellulose insulation. We are going to take a look at this type of insulation, how thick it is, and how it compares to other types of insulation.
Cellulose has an R-value of 3.2 per inch. So, what exactly is cellulose insulation? Well, it is a byproduct of the paper industry. It uses up to 75% recycled newsprint. It has been used as an insulator for many decades, but grew in popularity during the energy crisis of the 70's as a way to increase home energy efficiency while being environmentally responsible. Cellulose is an awesome insulation choice if you are concerned with the environment, however this is not the only reason for the growth in popularity of cellulose insulation. Also aiding it's growth was the shortage of fiberglass due to the intense short-term demand for insulating products which outpaced production. Everyone wanted to conserve energy, and cellulose insulation to become an overnight hit.
Because manufacturing costs are much lower than fiberglass, cellulose insulation is more reasonably priced. However, as the energy crisis ended, the cellulose industry was no longer the big booming industry is once was, but rather settled back into a minority status to fiberglass' majority. There are only a few companies selling cellulose insulation today.
So, let's look at some reasons why, besides price, you would want to choose a cellulose insulation:
While cellulose and fiberglass share similar R-values at normal temperatures, cellulose has greater insulating properties at lower temperatures than fiberglass or mineral wool. This makes it the better insulation choice in the colder climates.
Cellulose is also a great choice for blown insulation needs as it is less permeable to air movement than fiberglass and is less affected by packing and fluffing. It is probably the best insulation for blowing into uninsulated walls or other building cavities.
The installation is simple. While it once was a dusty, difficult job, now it is easy due to special spray tools that pump the thick cellulose mixture into the space between the framing studs.
It is great as a form of soundproofing for interior walls. When used for this, a screen similar to a window screen is installed on one side of the wood framing to catch the insulation as it is sprayed.
Spray application of cellulose insulation gives you the full rated R-value for the wall cavity as opposed to batt fiberglass, which tends to have a more irregular R-value due to compression during installation.
Because it is a wood derivative (thus inherently flammable), cellulose insulation is required to be treated chemically to be both fire resistant and fire retardant. This treatment makes it completely safe for all residential uses and gives it a quality that fiberglass does not have: it slows down the movement of a fire in a building.
One other big plus of cellulose insulation is that it has none of the irritating properties of fiberglass, and so far has not been shown to have any deleterious effects. However, this does not mean you should be stupid when installing it, for the safety of your lungs and eyes, goggles and a protective mask or respirator should be worn when working with this or any other dusty product.
As you can see, while not as popular as fiberglass, cellulose insulation offers many advantages over fiberglass, but is not as well known. So, for your wall and ceiling insulating needs, consider cellulose insulation. It is less expensive, just as simple to install, and offers qualities that many other types of insulation, including fiberglass, can't.
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Tags: insulation building energy
