Cellulose Insulation Vs. Fiberglass Insulation: The Great Debate

The Pros and Cons of Insulation

The great debate between using cellulose insulation verses fiberglass insulation, to me, comes down to the homeowner's preference and their confidence level in either one over the other. When you are comparing cellulose and fiberglass insulation, they are both made from recycled materials, are flame retardant and provide energy savings. However, when viewing them in terms of causing health problems, cellulose is not as potentially dangerous as fiberglass. Below is a quick start summary of the pros and cons of cellulose and fiberglass insulation. However, when deciding which insulation to use in your home my best advice is to discuss the topic thoroughly with your builder, contractor and any other home improvement specialist to garner specific detailed facts as to which is better for your specific needs and conditions.

Cellulose vs. Fiberglass Insulation

Definitions

**Cellulose insulation - Shredded and ground up recycled paper and naturally produced fabrics, which have been coated with a combination of chemicals to make the insulation fire retardant.

**Fiberglass insulation - Fiberglass is exactly what the name implies: fibers made of glass. Invented by the Owens Corning Company in the late 190s, fiberglass insulation is made from the same glass as cookware and glassware but the fibers are created by filtering molten hot glass through minuscule opening to create a thin, small fiber made from glass. Resins and other chemicals are then added to make the fiberglass insulation heat resistant.

Pros for using either cellulose or fiberglass insulation

Cellulose Insulation:

1. Made from recycled materials so it is eco-friendly and green.

2. No adverse health effects from cellulose have been identified to date.

3. Cellulose has a high resistance to air flow and fluctuations in temperature do not decrease the effectiveness of the insulation.

4. The chemicals used to make the cellulose fire retardant are safe for humans but does repel rodents, insects and mold.