Unless you opt for spray foam then the insulation choices normally come down to cellulose and fibreglass.
Blown cellulose insulation vs blown fiberglass insulation attic.
Making cellulose a better choice for homes in northern climates.
So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these insulation materials.
You can get to the same place with either material.
According to research done at the oak ridge national lab fiberglass loses up to 50 of its r value in very cold conditions.
Fiberglass batts however are less expensive costing on average 0 30 to 0 40 a square foot for 6 inches of insulation.
Assuming your current attic insulation is made from fiberglass and has a value of r 13 you d have to add roughly 10 inches of additional fiberglass to hit r 38.
How are they similar and how are they different from blown fiberglass vs.
Cellulose is easier to keep out of bird blocks and air conditioner condensate pans.
At 3 5 per inch of material the r value of blown in cellulose is 23 better per inch than fiberglass batts.
Installation costs for blown in insulation costs around 2 a square foot where installation costs for batts is around 1 a square foot.
Cellulose produces much less static than fiberglass.
Or 7 inches of cellulose.
More consistent pricing from cellulose manufacturers than fiberglass.
The two main least expensive and most commonly used residential insulation materials is cellulose and fibreglass.
You can find high r value insulation produced in both fiberglass and blown cellulose.
When comparing blown in insulation both fiberglass and cellulose are nearly identical in price both costing around 0 70 to 0 80 per square foot for 6 inches of insulation.