Ask Your Insulation Contractor How 3 Common Types Of Home Insulation Compare

If your home needs new insulation in the attic, crawlspace, or between the exterior walls, talk to an insulation contractor to determine the right type of insulation to use. Popular choices are blown fiberglass, blown cellulose, and spray foam. Here's a look at how these choices compare.

Spray Foam Seals Air Leaks

Spray foam is the more expensive choice in home insulation, but it also has the most insulating ability. An advantage of spray foam is that it expands after it is sprayed on your attic floor and walls. As it expands, it oozes into nooks and crannies to seal all the air leaks in the attic.

Spray foam is also difficult to install properly, so if you choose foam insulation, you'll need to hire a professional to install it for you. The insulation contractor can apply spray foam in your attic, crawlspace, and between your home's exterior walls to improve the energy efficiency of your home, and provide soundproofing qualities.

Blown Fiberglass Fills Irregular Spaces

If you like the idea of fiberglass insulation, but you don't like rigid batt insulation, then blown fiberglass could be ideal. The fiberglass is in small bits that get blown in your attic through a hose. The small pieces of insulation fill up the floor and fill in irregular shapes much better than fiberglass blanket insulation.

Blown insulation is much easier to install than spray foam; however, the proper equipment is required. Fiberglass insulation doesn't catch fire, so it can protect your home if a fire breaks out. The insulation may be ruined though, as it can melt at high temperatures.

Cellulose Insulation Resists Bugs And Fire

Blown cellulose insulation is made of recycled paper, and is treated to resist fire damage and insects. Rodents might infest your attic, but they aren't necessarily drawn to cellulose insulation since it is deep, fluffy, and difficult to build nests in. The insulation contractor installs cellulose insulation by blowing it into your attic through a big hose. This distributes the insulation into the far corners of the attic where it can cover cracks and gaps.

Blown insulation can be used between exterior walls and in your attic. Both fiberglass and cellulose blown insulation have good insulating ability that's determined by how deep the insulation is when finished. An insulation contractor can walk you through a cost comparison and explain the benefits of each type of insulation material. Your choice in new insulation might depend on your budget, where you're having the insulation installed, or your climate.

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