Cellulose Insulation Provides a Green, Efficient, Non-Toxic Thermal Solution
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Save up to 40% on power bill
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Reduces noise by 80%
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Easy To Install
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Kills Mold And Fungus
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Insect And Rodent Repellant
The thermal protection of a home is essential; controlling durability, cost of operation and property owners and tenants' comfort. Fiberglass insulation is the standard bearer. The ubiquitous bales of pink and yellow fiberglass insulate more than 90% of the new homes built in the United States. But thanks to advances in technology we have new and better alternatives.
The common standard by which insulation is measured, R-value, is the level of resistance to heat flow. R-value measures conductive resistance – the ability of a material to impede the flow of heat along the continuous chain of matter that makes up a solid material. Most of a home’s heat is typically lost through conduction. Cellulose is not unusual in this regard. Like many insulation materials, it provides an R-value of approximately R-3.8 per inch of thickness. But, air leakage through cracks, voids, and gaps is important, responsible for approximately one-third of an average home’s heat loss. Cellulose is a superb air-blocker. Heat and comfort are also lost through convection; when drafty currents of air within the house, wall cavities or attics, move heat to other locations. Tightly packed cellulose provides a thermally efficient, cost effective, and comfortable solution.
Thermal performance
The thermal performance of cellulose insulation compares favorably to other types of low cost insulation. The thermal conductivity of loose-fill cellulose is approximately 40 mW/m·K (an R-value of 3.8 per inch). This doesn’t represent the whole picture of thermal performance. Other important aspects are how well the building envelope is sealed from air infiltration, convective airflows, and thermal bridging.
Cellulose is very good at fitting around items in walls like pipes and wiring, leaving few air pockets that can reduce the overall efficiency of the wall. Dense pack cellulose can seal walls from air infiltration while providing the density to limit convection, when installed properly. The University of Colorado School of Architecture and Planning did a study that compared two identical test structures, one insulated with cellulose and the other with fiberglass. The cellulose insulation lost 26.4% less heat energy over time compared to the fiberglass insulation. It also was shown to tighten the structure more than 30%. Subsequent real world surveys have cellulose performing 20-30% better at reducing energy used for heating than fiberglass.
Six inches of blown in Cellulose insulation is all it takes to prevent the loss of heat due to air convection versus fiberglass alone. Even if you have fiberglass installed in your attic, you can improve its performance by providing a “cap” of Cellulose insulation six inches deep, which will save you money on your utility bills.
The Applications
Dry Cellulose (Loose Fill)
Dry Cellulose is generally blown into new or existing walls or ceilings. During installation by this method, the material will settle by as much as 20 per cent and must therefore be permanently supported.
Spray On Cellulose (Wet Spray)
Spray applied cellulose is used for insulating new stud framed walls (drywall) or ceilings during construction. The only difference between this application and the dry cellulose method is the addition of water, and sometimes with an adhesive, to the cellulose while spraying. Wet spraying helps seal cavities against air infiltration and eliminates settling problems.
Cellulose Panels (Batts)
Celulose panels are commonly installed in sidewalls of residential or commercial structures, but can also be installed in rim joists, attics, floors or other hard to insulate areas. They are also very functional where traditional loose fill or sprayed-in cellulose insulation is not practical
