Everything About the Attic

Cellulose attic insulation became popular in the 70’s, when people’s awareness towards the preservation of the environment became strong. This is because the cellulose insulation is a product of the paper industry, and it is actually made of recycled newsprint up to 75%. The R-value for this type of insulation is 3.2 per inch.

Also profiting from a shortage of fiberglass, the average Joe started installing cellulose insulation in the attic, and it became an instant hit. The price was also an important factor, as manufacturing cellulose was much cheaper than manufacturing fiberglass, thus making the product cheaper itself (obviously).

This trend slowly but shortly became weaker and in the end it gave back fiberglass its number one spot in the popular preference. There are way fewer companies that sell cellulose insulation nowadays.

The R-values of cellulose and fiberglass are the same when talking about normal temperatures. However, in colder climates, cellulose is more effective because it has better insulating properties. Another advantage of cellulose over fiberglass is the fact that it is less vulnerable to air movement and it is not that much affected by packing. It is a better option for insulating cavities, walls and ceilings.

The cellulose is basically a loose fill product. This means that up until the time when a wet-spraying method was developed, installing it was quite a difficult task. What the spraying equipment must do is to combine a small amount of water with the actual insulation, and this creates a certain stickiness. With the help of pressure spraying, open walls can be filled in this way.

The installation is not very difficult. You need a spray tool that will pump the thick cellulose into different spaces. The walls on which it is being used can usually be closed in as little as 24 hours after the application of the insulation. Spraying this type of insulation will give you, as a home owner, the full R-value needed for your house, because it fills up the wall cavities (as opposed to batts).

Special chemical treatments are also made for the cellulose insulation nowadays, since the material is flammable. The treatment actually makes it very resistant to fire, and it will actually slow down its progress inside a building. Another good aspect of cellulose is the fact that it doesn’t come with all the irritating properties that fiberglass has.