My Insulation Is Better Than Yours – On the House
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My Insulation Is Better Than Yours

By on September 30, 2014
fiberglass insulation

Question

I just heard your recommendation on insulation between blown cellulose and fiberglass on air. You suggested fiberglass over cellulose and you couldn’t be more wrong. I was formerly a state licensed salesman and made a deep study of insulation materials. The boric acid salts that treat the recycled newsprint is the same constituent in the fire retardant foam used at airports to stop fires as well as the material used to kill insects and vermin making it highly recommended by home insurers. It stops a fire dead and keeps the critters out of the attic. Also, while the cellulose may settle, it retains a great amount of the air bubbles that is the true medium that constitutes the coefficient of thermal transfer that is insulation. And cellulose can be re-fluffed or have additional cellulose blown over top. Whereas, fiberglass is a collection of interlaced threads or rods whose only R-value is the air bubbles trapped in strata. With heating and cooling the rods brake, settling, and losing the air bubbles such that fiberglass has been shown to lose 3/4 of its R-value in five years. Also, fiberglass will melt, vaporize and disappear long before a fire becomes critical and has no resistance to fires. In fact if the medium is in craft paper covering rather than aluminum foil it will actually spread fire. And vermin will actually nest in fiberglass. Blown cellulose should always be used when possible. The exception would be in batting or confined area situations where fiberglass or insulating foam is the alternative.

William

Answer

Thank you very much for your comments. As you feel strongly about cellulose insulation we feel the same about fiberglass. My brother and I have been remodeling contractors for 35 years and have had practical hands-on experience with both products. Our opinion is also based on our decades of practical experience and technical research. We respect your opinion and hope that you will continue to support those products that you believe to be best – as will we.

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