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 Mobile ViewINSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT ACOUSTICAL SEALANT CHOICES AIR BYPASS LEAKS AIR LEAK DETECTION TOOLS AIR LEAK MINIMIZATION AIR LEAK SEALING PROCEDURE AIR SEALING STRATEGIES ANIMAL ALLERGENS APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION ASBESTOS-FREE INSULATION MATERIALS ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings ATTIC LEAKS, CONDENSATION & MOLD ATTIC VENTILATION BACKDRAFTING HEATING EQUIPMENT BASEMENT CEILING VAPOR BARRIER BASEMENT HEAT LOSS BASEMENT LEAKS, INSPECT FOR BASEMENT WATERPROOFING BATH & KITCHEN DESIGN GUIDE BATHROOM VENTILATION BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE Best Interior Finish Practices BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION BLOWER FAN CONTINUOUS OPERATION BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING BLOWN-IN INSULATION BOOKSTORE - INTERIORS BRICK LINED WALLS BRICK VENEER WALL INSULATION BRICK VENEER WALL Loose, Bulged BRICK WALL DRAINAGE WEEP HOLES BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION? BUILDING NOISE DIAGNOSIS & CURE CACTUS FUNGI / MOLD CAR MOLD CONTAMINATION CARPET DUST IDENTIFICATION CARPET MOLD CONTAMINATION CARPET PADDING ASBESTOS, MOLD, ODORS CARPET STAIN DIAGNOSIS CARPET & other STAIN TESTS CARPET TEST PROCEDURE CARPETING & INDOOR AIR QUALITY CARPETING, SELECTION & INSTALLATION CASEWORK, CABINETS, SHELVING INSTALLATION CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION CATHEDRAL CEILING VENTILATION CEILING FINISHES INTERIOR CEILINGS, DROP or SUSPENDED PANEL CEILINGS, PLASTER TYPES CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR COMBUSTION AIR for TIGHT buildings COOLING LOAD REDUCTION by ROOF VENTS CRAWL SPACES CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS CONDENSATION on WINDOWS & SKYLIGHTS DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE DEFINITION of Heating & Cooling Terms REMOTE ELECTRIC POWER, PHOTOVOLTAIC ELECTRIC HEAT ELECTRIC POWER, PHOTOVOLTAIC, REMOTE SITE ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings ENERGY STAR PROGRAM EVAPORATIVE COOLING SYSTEMS FIBERGLASS INSULATION FIBERGLASS HAZARDS FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD FLAT ROOF MOISTURE & CONDENSATION FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODS IN buildings-mold FLOOR, CONCRETE SLAB CHOICES FLOOR, CONCRETE SLAB POURED FINISH FLOOR DAMAGE DIAGNOSIS FLOOR RADIANT HEAT Mistakes to Avoid FLOOR TYPES & DEFECTS FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING FRENCH DRAINS FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES FRAMING METAL STUD PERFORMANCE FREEZE-PROOF A BUILDING FROST HEAVES, FOUNDATION, SLAB GREEN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION CODES GUIDES GREENHOUSE DESIGN for SOLAR HEATING HEAT LOSS in buildings HEAT LOSS RATE CALCULATIONS HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS HEAT LOSS INDICATORS HEAT LOSS PREVENTION PRIORITIES HEAT LOSS R U & K VALUE CALCULATION HEAT TAPES & CABLES on Roofs for Ice Dams HEATING SYSTEMS HEATING COST FUEL & BTU Cost Table HEATING COST SAVINGS METHODS HEATING LOSS DIAGNOSIS-BOILERS HEATING LOSS DIAGNOSIS-FURNACES HEATING SYSTEM INSPECTION PROCEDURE HOUSEWRAP INSTALLATION DETAILS HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET ICE DAM PREVENTION INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE INSULATION CHOICES INSULATION FACT SHEET- DOE INSULATION for GREENHOUSE or SOLARIUM INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE ASBESTOS-FREE INSULATION MATERIALS ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings Asbestos Pipe Insulation Balsam Wool Batt Insulation Cellulose loose fill insulation Cellulose Insulation Identification Cellulose Insulation Inspection Cellulose Insulation Pros-Cons Cellulose Insulation R-Values Cellulose Insulation Odors, Smells Cellulose Insulation Moisture Cellulose Insulation Mold Resistance Retrofit Insulation Settlement, Voids Cellulose Insulation Fire Resistance Ceramic Insulation Concrete insulation, light-weight Cotton Insulating Batts Fiberglass Insulation Foam Board Insulation Foam Insulation Types - Visual Id Homasote & Other Insulating Board Icynene Foam Spray Insulation Insects & Foam Insulation Mineral Wool - Rock Wool Insulation Paper Duct Insulation Perlite Insulation PHENOLIC FOAM INSULATION POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM INSULATION POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM BELOW SLABS POLYSTYRENE FOAM INSULATION RADIANT BARRIERS REFLECTIVE INSULATION RIGID FOAM USE INDOORS STRESS SKIN INSULATED PANELS STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION SUPER HI-R INSULATION SUPERINSULATION RETROFIT Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation UFFI URETHANE FOAM Deterioration, Outgassing VERMICULITE INSULATION INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT INSULATION LOCATION - WHERE TO PUT IT INSULATION MOLD INSULATION R-Values & Properties KIT HOMES, Aladdin, Sears, Wards, Others LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION LEED Building Designation & IAQ LOG HOME GUIDE LOG HOME WALL INSULATION VALUES MOBILE HOME INSPECTIONS MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MOLD in FOAM INSULATION, RESISTANCE MOLD INFORMATION CENTER Nanomaterials Hazards NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE NOISE CONTROL for HEATING SYSTEMS NOISE CONTROL for FLOORS NOISE CONTROL for PLUMBING NOISE CONTROL for ROOFS ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN METHOD PASSIVE SOLAR HEAT PERFORMANCE PASSIVE SOLAR HOME, LOW COST PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SYSTEMS PLASTER & BEAVERBOARD & DRYWALL PLASTER BULGES & PILLOWS PLASTER LATH, METAL PLASTER, LOOSE FALL HAZARDS PLASTER TYPE IDENTIFICATION PLASTER VENEER Best Practices PASCAL CALCULATIONS RADIANT BARRIERS RADIANT HEAT RADIANT HEAT Floor Mistakes to Avoid RADIANT HEAT TEMPERATURES RADIANT SLAB FLOORING CHOICES RADIANT SLAB TUBING & FLUID CHOICES REFLECTIVE INSULATION RIGID FOAM USE INDOORS ROOF VENTING ENERGY SAVING DETAILS ROOF VENTING NEEDED? ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES ROT, TIMBER FRAME SEARS KIT HOUSES SHEATHING, FOIL FACED - VENTS SLAB INSULATION, PASSIVE SOLAR SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS SOUND CONTROL in buildings STAIN & BIODETERIORATION AGENT CATALOG STAINS on buildings - QUICK GUIDE STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS STAINS & FINISHES, INTERIOR STAINS on INDOOR SURFACES: PHOTO GUIDE STRESS SKIN INSULATED PANELS STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION SWEATING (CONDENSATION) on PIPES, TANKS THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS THERMAL MASS in buildings THERMAL TRACKING Indicates Heat Loss THERMOSTATS, HEATING / COOLING TRIM, INTERIOR INSTALLATION VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS VENTILATION in buildings VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS in buildings VINYL CHLORIDE HEALTH INFO WALL FINISHES INTERIOR WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS WIND TURBINES & LIGHTNING WIND WASHING INSULATION At EAVES WINDOWS & DOORS WINTERIZE A BUILDING WOOD Burning Heaters Fireplaces StoveS ZONE VALVES More Information |
This article compares the features of loose-fill or blown-in cellulose building insulation with fiberglass and rock-wool loose-fill or blown-in materials. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers nor with topics or services discussed at this website.© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. Pro's and Cons of Cellulose InsulationAlso see our Cellulose Insulation home page Cellulose loose fill insulation and also see BLOWN-IN INSULATION and INSULATION LOCATION - WHERE TO PUT IT. In these articles we provide photographs and descriptive text various kinds of building insulation along with description of the characteristics of each material. The question-and-answer article below paraphrases, quotes-from, updates, and comments an original article from Solar Age Magazine and written by Steven Bliss. Question: How does Cellulose Insulation Stack Up Against Fiberglass or Rockwool Insulation?I plan to retrofit 7 inches of blown insulation over the top of 6 inches of existing fiberglass insulation, and I would like to use blown-in cellulose. How does cellulose insulation stack up against fiberglass or rockwool with respect to
Thanks - David Stingle, Black Creek WI Answer:The R-vale per inch of loosefill insulation varies depending on its installed density and product characteristics. For that reason, the most reliable way to buy loose-fill insulation is to specify the R-value - not the thickness - and install the correct number of bags per square foot, following the loose-fill or blown-in insulation coverage chart printed on all insulation bags. The insulation chart also shows a minimum insulation thickness necessary to guarantee the desired R-value3. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires insulation manufacturers to make available to consumers an information sheet explaining this system. Moisture absorption of cellulose insulation: Of the three insulations you named: blown-in or loose-fill cellulose, fiberglass, or rockwool, only cellulose will absorb moisture, but this is only a problem if it gets drenched, such as by roof leaks into an attic or building wall. The other two insulations will hold moisture only on their glass or mineral fiber surfaces. Fire resistance of cellulose insulation: Of the three insulation products we are discussing, only cellulose is potentially flammable, if its fire retardant loses effectiveness over time (as some suspect of the dry-applied fire-retardants). Studies in the mid 1980's of the reliability of fire retardance of cellulose insulation over time were inconclusive. See Cellulose Insulation Fire Resistance for details. As for rodent resistance of cellulose insulation, we (DJF) have observed that rodents are happy tunneling in just about any soft insulating material, but we have also observed that a different sort of pest, mold, is not generally found in cellulose insulation. We (DF) believe based on our own field and lab investigations that the fire retardant chemicals used to treat cellulose insulation appear to also resist mold growth. Mold resistance of cellulose insulation: cellulose insulation appears to be resistant to mold growth. Details are at Cellulose Insulation Mold Resistance Watch out: other insulation properties such as air flow resistance and moisture resistance may be very important in some cases, such as choosing an insulation to use in or over a crawl space that may be damp, or against basement foundation walls - Ed. See INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT and FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD for examples- Ed. Details about the R-values and other properties of various insulation products can be found in our Insulation Table at INSULATION R-Values & Properties. The link to the original Q&A article in PDF form immediately below is preceded by an expanded/updated online version of this article.
The question-and-answer article above, quotes-from, updates, and comments an original article from Solar Age Magazine and written by Steven Bliss. Questions & Answers regarding this articleQuestions & answers about cellulose building insulation Ask a Question or Search InspectAPediaHTML Comment Box is loading comments...
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