What Is the Best Attic Insulation? Blown-In Attic Insulation vs. Batt Attic Insulation
When people decide to insulate the attic, they often ask themselves which is the best attic insulation. Is it blown in attic insulation or is it batt attic insulation? Well, they both have their pros and they both can be a great solution. So what differentiates them?
From an economical point of view, the blown-in insulation is better. It is also quick to install. As a matter of fact, it only takes one to two hours and it’s all done. You can basically choose between two types of materials, cellulose or fiberglass, with the latter being more popular nowadays. The installation process usually goes like this: the professional installer will use a hose that comes from a blowing machine. This blowing machine is usually mounted on a truck. Then, the professional installer will go to the far end of your attic and start laying down the layer of loose fill insulation, with his back to the access point of the attic. In this fashion, the entire surface of your attic gets covered with a uniform layer of insulation.
On the other end, batt attic insulation is more expensive, but it has its advantages. You will also hear people call it rolled-in attic insulation or blankets. While the most popular type of batt insulation is fiberglass, there are also additional options available, like cotton fiber. Cotton does not all the nasty properties of fiberglass and it provides with a health advantage.
Batts are installed directly on the attic floor and they are placed between the ceiling joints of your house. Batts are rectangular pieces 4-8 feet in size and are manually placed one by one, until the floor of your attic gets covered completely. Maybe the most important advantage that rolled-in insulation has over blown-in insulation is the fact that it is easy to remove should you decide in the future that additional work must be done in your attic.
The R-factor is slightly better in the case of batts. While the batts have an R-value of 3.1 to 4.2 per inch (in the case of fiberglass), the blown in fiberglass has an R factor of 2.3 to 2.8 per inch. While batts will provide you with a stable, known R-value, the blown-in insulation’s R-value can vary due to the variation in thickness. So what will it be? Only you know, but make sure that you base your decision on the aforementioned factors.