Boosting The Insulation In Your Middletown-Area home: Fiberglass And Cellulose Basics

Good insulation is one of the keys to keeping your greater Middletown home comfortable throughout the year. Although there are plenty of choices when it comes to insulating the home, fiberglass and cellulose are two of the most common types homeowners rely on. If you’re having trouble choosing between the two, here are a few facts that can help you decide which type of insulation to choose for your home.

• Fiberglass and cellulose owes its popularity in part due to its ease of installation. However, when installing fiberglass, a sloppy job can leave voids and imperfections that result in energy losses.
• Cellulose can be blown into oddly shaped locations, whereas fiberglass batts must be carefully cut and sized to properly fit larger areas. However, high-powered insulation blowers are needed to properly install blown-in cellulose.
• Both fiberglass and cellulose offer similar R-values, at around 3.5 and 3.7 per inch. Neither type is suitable, however, for use as an air barrier, although dense-packed cellulose slows airflow more effectively than fiberglass batts.
• During times of extreme cold, the R-value of fiberglass can drop, whereas cellulose largely maintains its R-value in the same circumstances.
• Fiberglass and cellulose are both prone to absorbing and retaining moisture, a significant problem for homeowners in humid climates. Alhough both can dry out fairly quickly, neither should be used without proper ventilation.
• The manufacturing process for cellulose requires less energy and offers a greater amount of recycled content than fiberglass.

If you’re still not sure about whether to go with cellulose or fiberglass, the experts at C.R. Wolfe Heating & Air Conditioning are more than happy to help. Contact us to discover the best type of insulation for your needs, or to schedule an appointment for a free home consultation. Since 1945, we’ve helped our customers in greater Middletown meet and exceed their HVAC needs.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about Insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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