In this article, we'll discuss four different types of attic insulation, including spray foam, blown fiberglass, blown cellulose, and fiberglass mass. The most popular form of insulation for attics is fiberglass blocks. Blown fiberglass is a great choice for insulating your attic due to its many advantages. But what about the downsides? The next type of insulation on our list is blown cellulose. The last type of attic insulation is spray foam insulation.
This is becoming increasingly popular due to its extensive benefits - it is the only one that comes in liquid form. Some less common loose-filled insulating materials are polystyrene beads and pearlite. Loose-fill insulation can be installed in enclosed cavities, such as walls, or in unenclosed spaces, such as attics. Cellulose, fiberglass and rock wool are usually blown by experienced installers, experts in achieving the correct density and R values.
Usually, polystyrene, vermiculite and pearlite beads are poured. The Federal Trade Commission has issued the “Trade Regulatory Standard Relating to the Labeling and Advertising of Home Insulating Materials” (16 CFR, Part 460). The Commission issued the R-value rule to prohibit, throughout the industry, specific unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The standard requires manufacturers and other companies that sell insulation materials for homes to determine and disclose the R value of each product - this value varies depending on the different types and forms of insulation for homes and between products of the same type and shape. The warm roof material then radiates the accumulated thermal energy to the cooler surfaces of the attic, including the air ducts and the attic floor.
Loose-filled fiberglass seems to dominate attic insulation in newly built homes and has an R-value of approximately 2.5 per inch. In situ foam insulation can be blown onto walls, on attic surfaces, or under floors to isolate and reduce air leaks. Fiberglass insulation for loosely filled attics is still experiencing convection, but not as much as old fiberglass used to have. Shredded and recycled cellulose paper with added boric acid for insect control and fire resistance offers a better insulation option for attics than blocks. If you check with the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association, they will assure you that fiberglass or mineral wool are definitely your best choice for insulating the attic.
This attic insulation is also blown with a blowing machine, although the material used is different. So it's obvious that you need to invest your time and money in insulating your home - but what attic insulators are available to choose from? Which attic insulation is better? And what are the potential risks of each of them? Radiant barriers are installed in homes, usually in attics, mainly to reduce heat gain in summer, which helps reduce cooling costs. A well-publicized study conducted by Oak Ridge Laboratories in 1991 revealed that fiberglass insulation material for loosely filled attics lost much of its insulating value when temperatures dropped below 20 degrees, making loosely filled fiberglass an inferior product compared to cellulose. Most houses are isolated in the attic and on any floor located above unfinished basements or narrow spaces. The most effective way to insulate an attic does not always coincide with the most cost-effective way.
