Qwest Dex On-line There is an Added Cost of Adding Fiberglass, But it Does Nothing. Arne & Kari Olson NBC Dateline TV Show It's friggin dusty. Do I need to remove the existing insulation in my attic/sidewalls before my home can be re-insulated? Is it immoral to advise PhD students in non-industry-relevant topics in middle-lower ranked universities? Phone: As such, it can be used to insulate a chimney. Assuming your current attic insulation is made from fiberglass and has a value of R-13, you'd have to add roughly 10 inches of additional fiberglass to hit R-38. I've been insulating for over 30 years and we have never added cellulose over fiberglass. Drone tipping over when attempting to fly (possible accelerometer problem?). It is also acceptable to use batts over loose-fill material and loose-fill material over batts. Magazine Ads Make sure you staple a bunch of them. Minnesota's Real Estate Talk Radio Select All That Apply Also, cellulose is a dusty product, whereas fiberglass blows in pretty clean. Condensation rev 2021.2.3.38476, The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Home Improvement Stack Exchange works best with JavaScript enabled, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site, Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, Learn more about hiring developers or posting ads with us. The really conservative approach I suggested was to calculate the needed cellulose as if you were not getting any benefit from the fiberglass. Consequently, ASTM standards for every insulation material contain testing which specifically addresses these concerns. Yellow Pages-Minneapolis Because it doesn't come in batts or rolls, you have to install a barrier to hold it in place when you install it in a wall. I know Home Depot will sell blown in fiberglass and the machine so it should be about the same as doing cellulose yourself. I agree that trying to remove the existing blown in will be hard and not worth it. The more time you have to escape from a fire, the better. If you have some insulation in your sidewalls, cellulose can usually still be forced Some other natural materials you might see for insulation include: Cellulose insulation is safe. That really helps as the light is always where you are looking. Adding new cellulose insulation on top of existing fiberglass It is also acceptable to use batts over loose-fill material and loose-fill material over batts. Links Please see Need Insulation? A contractor said that I needed to place additional insulation to bring that up to 20 inches. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Zip: Cellulose is a recycled paper product that is chemically treated to be fire retardant and mold/mildew resistant. HOW-TO INSTALL CELLULOSE INSULATION OVER FIBERGLASS OR. Please see Bypass Sealing. By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Spray to keep blown-in cellulose insulation from drifting? You can mix and match the various kinds of insulation. Falloff node setup similar to 3DS Max falloff node? I would caution if all the moisture issues are not taken care of cellulose will pick up moisture and hold it longer than fiberglass. Then extra cellulose is blown into your attic, and ventilation Residential Natural Gas: Consumers Should Know, Top 10 Consumer Tips For Reducing Gas Bills, CenterPoint Energy To Minnesotans - Heating Costs and Winter Tips, Bill Gives Breaks To Home Improvers, Hybrid Buyers, Natural Gas Users To Take Hit This Winter, Website Hosting and Design by www.ManagementSpecialties.com. It's hard to gauge when you're not blowing right next to a depth guide, especially since it's so dusty. Then you can lay your batt insulation (fiberglass) over the blown insulation. Rolled insulation should not be tacked down. Air Conditioner Can't Keep Up, I Am Interested In? If you decide on loose-fill fiberglass or cellulose, consider hiring a pro to install the material. And our cellulose insulation can give you extra seconds that fiberglass insulation can’t. Once you know the product you want, you can estimate the amount you’ll need. Adding new cellulose insulation on top of existing fiberglass insulation is called "capping". Just leave what is there regardless of what you add on top. Get a quality dust mask. Keep in mind that batts should never be installed over blown-in insulation. ATTIC . When comparing blown-in insulation, both fiberglass and cellulose are nearly identical in price, both costing around $0.70 to $0.80 per square foot for 6 inches of insulation. Don't forget safety glasses for the same reason so you can keep dust out of your eyes. Buy more bags than you think you need. 5. High Heating Bills But I personally would just add more fiberglass blow and not have to deal with removal, also fiberglass doesn't settle. Home insulation types include any of the above materials in the form of loose-fill, batts, rolls, foam board, spray foam and radiant barriers. Before you do, the blown insulation should be at an even depth throughout the attic. State: Minnesota Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Honestly, who cares? What does "Did you save room for dessert?" Is dirty batt insulation on attic floor a sign of air leakage? I just blew the cellulose over the fiberglass and it seems to have worked just fine. dam. Why don't adventurers (and monsters) suffocate in lower levels of dungeons? It I think the best option would be to blow more fiberglass on top as it will not compress the existing stuff too much. Considering replacing blown cellulose on attic floor with open cell spray foam. Climate Chamber Tests performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on R-30 loose-fill fiberglass proved that when fiberglass is subjected to frigid temperatures down to –18 degrees F the rated . Make sure you put a tarp or something over your attic hatch once you're up there and tape it shut so the rest of your house doesn't have a layer of dust on it. My dust mask looked like a lint trap when I was all done. The melted snow flows down the roof until it reaches a cold spot, such as the eaves, where it refreezes, forming a I love cellulose insulation. a qualified contractor, if necessary) cellulose is blown directly over the existing insulation. The R-value can be reduced if the insulation is squashed or flattened. Just because your home already has one kind of insulation, doesn’t mean you can’t supplement it with another kind of … I thought it would throw more insulation at a time than it did. Southwest Journal Please see R-Value. Yellow Pages-St. Paul Home Improvement Shows I blew 20 bags of green leaf cellulose insulation and only had 2 or 3 ten minute breaks. 17241 Partridge St NW Standard fiberglass insulation in the attic provides an insulating R-factor of about 3.2 per inch. I used it in my attic, the OP is asking if mixing them with fiberglass on the bottom is not recommended. Or 7 inches of cellulose. R-value is reduced up to 50% (=R-15). ice dams, drafty walls, high heating/cooling bills, moisture in your attic, or if your furnace I've done it in my own home. Common attic bypasses are located around chimneys, ceiling Fiberglass is NOT an environmentally friendly product. Although cellulose is made of paper, thorough mineral treatment provides it with permanent fire resistance. Other, How Did You Find Houle Insulation? This makes it an ideal insulation material for use in areas that experience high temperatures. in with the dense-pack method to achieve the desired R-factor. Blown-in fiberglass is considered flame resistant. to arrange an estimate. It is also acceptable to use batts over loose-fill material and loose-fill material over batts. Since none of your answer was really part of your question your actions of taking advice then accepting your own answer were wrong in my opinion. Frost 1 In fact, I love all insulations. Both cellulose and fiberglass are the two most inexpensive insulation products that you can use and fiberglass is the most common product for insulation outpacing cellulose by 50-1. Rigid foam vs cellulose insulation in the attic, Attic Blow-In Fiberglass Insulation with air handler. Loose-fill cellulose is relatively inexpensive, yet still has an R-value of about 3.5 per inch of thickness, compared to fiberglass' R-value between R3 to R4 per inch. Best Time To Call: Cellulose fibers can take the place of fiberglass fibers in insulation materials. For example, if you have cellulose insulation, and more insulation is needed, you can add any type you wish. What is the best long-term solution to ice dams? First and foremost, attic bypasses must be sealed. Is conventional flow a real, physical thing or is it something we made up? If you are set on blowing cellulose, you could probably put it right on top but just know it will compromise the effectiveness of the existing insulation. Drafty Rooms / House It may make sense but removing is silly, even if pressed to 1/2 it's original thickness it still has R value taking time and effort to remove it is a total waste of $ in my book. Yep. A materials resistance to heat flow is called its Resistance-value or better known as R-value. Don't be concerned if it seems they are installing more insulation than necessary; the material will settle to the right thickness. The answer is not that easy. House Built/Year: What Concerns Do You Have? Take it all out that costs and now add more sounds like a typical contractor answer insulation is insulation yes if compressed it won't work as well but take it out sounds like $ in your bosses pocket and a few extra hours work. mean? Thank you! Metro North Chamber of Commerce soffits. Should I just leave well enough alone? Home Improvement Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for contractors and serious DIYers. It may be overkill but it is important to take some amount of compression into account. I would advise adding more loose-fill fiberglass rather than cellulose for several reasons. Cellulose can help dry out other materials in contact with it and does not support mold growth. 2. Insulation efficiently fills gaps. OTHER EXISTING INSULATION TYPES IN AN . I wish I would have put more down. Sidewall Estimate Only I know I was supplementing my existing insulation and not blowing in totally new, but still buy more bags than you think you need. We would be happy to come to your home and provide a FREE Estimate 2 But, it irritates the heck out of me when folks say stuff that is not true, particularly salesmen. Please see Ice Dams. of your insulation needs. I have only 12 inches of fiberglass insulation in my attic. What is R-value? Please see Cellulose vs. Fiberglass. This creates warm areas on the roof and melts the underside of the snow that has accumulated on your roof. I want to add more insulation, but I'm not sure whether or not to use more blown in fiberglass or cellulose on top of it. You can mix and match the various kinds of insulation. Even if you have moisture in your attic, once all bypasses are sealed (and/or your roof repaired by Thanks for all the help guys. I have an attic with blown in fiberglass insulation, probably original and 27 years old. Blown-in insulation flows down around wall studs. Cellulose insulation is made primarily from recycled newspaper. Angie's List When fiberglass is compressed it loses R-value (is a poorer insulator). Bypasses are hidden air passageways that lead from the heated space into the attic. We include blown-in attic insulation pros and cons, but we can’t recommend blown-in fiberglass or cellulose as your best insulating choice. Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce Here is a pic of my current attic insulation: Add the cellulose right on top, I have seen folks remove the old but this is crazy both materials are insulation and combined the provide a higher R value. You can mix and match the various kinds of insulation.For example, if you have cellulose insulation, and more insulation is needed, you can add any type you wish. Other, Houle Insulation Inc. The back side usually has small perforations in the plastic to prevent the buildup of water vapor within the insulation. Having high R-value Fiberglass in the attic can trap allergens, dust, and moisture. Ice Dams TOM: Because blown-in insulation, which is fiberglass, generally can go on top of the existing insulation.The negative thing about blown-in insulation is that it makes the attic absolutely impassable when you’re done and you need a lot more thickness of it because it has more air inside of it than you would if you used fiberglass bats. We tried leaving the line open too, but the reception was bad in the attic and the call kept dropping. The attic appears to have had some moisture issues in the past (bathroom vents being vented out of the soffit vents, which have been corrected) and the insulation is a little clumpy and a little dirty, but not terrible. If you blow enough cellulose as if you had no existing insulation it will give you the R-value you need. Cellulose is a recycled paper product that is chemically treated to be fire retardant … Yes, you can. If the heavier blown cellulose insulation was blown in first, then lighter fiberglass blown in on top of the cellulose, the fiberglass would not cause must compaction of the cellulose and the R-value of each is probably close to be additive, if … I've read that bitcoin addresses are never destroyed, but do they get recycled/reassigned? I don’t know what R-value you would get out of the compressed fiberglass, I am sure it is greater than 0 but I think it gets compromised fast. The existing insulation If it compresses, will the fiberglass lose it's existing R-value capabilities and thus require more cellulose? Determine what kind of fiberglass attic insulation you want to use — batts, rolls or loose fill. I had the slide on the machine pulled out to the recommended 1/4 of the way open. insulation installed in the cavities of your home slows the flow of heat through walls, floors and ceilings. Don't get lazy with your depth guides. www.regalind.com. Fiberglass insulation is naturally fire-resistant. Just piling material up in an attic doesn't always make for a better insulated space. Loose-fill cellulose insulation can settle around and conform to most of the obstructions found in walls and attics. light fixtures, heating ducts, kitchen and bath exhaust fans, plumbing, electrical wires, dropped ceilings and Your insulation contractor … How to correctly add flooring to insulated attic, Successful survival strategies for academic departments threatened with closure. Dense packed cellulose has an R-value of 3.8 per inch. What is an ice dam? If you have anything in the attic, take it out or cover it in plastic. Please Select One Attic Estimate Only @isherwood but cellulose is heavier than fiberglass. Get the best paper one you can find or maybe even upgrade to the fancy respirator type. Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Because of the blower being not very good, installation does take a long time. An ice dam is created under winter conditions when heated air leaks through attic bypasses into an unheated It gets so dusty that you can't really see that far in front of you, but this does help. Andover, MN 55304, ©2003-2017 Website Hosting and Design by www.ManagementSpecialties.com, Closed-Cell Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF), Cathedral Roofs and Vaulted Ceilings Insulation, Metal Buildings and Pole Barns Insulation, Reduce Energy Consumption Through Air Control, Saving Energy: Blown Attic Insulation-Save $1,000 on labor and heat bills, Commerce Department warns Minnesotans as ice dam season approaches, Video - Big stimulus money to insulate local homes by Ch 12. Get walkie talkies to communicate to the person loading the machine instead of using your cell phone. NARI® At one point, the hose came apart and it took me a minute or so to get my phone out of my pocket and call my friend to tell him to turn off the machine. insulation is called "capping". Unlike fiberglass batts with paper backing, it doesn’t burn as you might expect ground up paper to. But I've read and saw videos of cellulose just being blown in on top of the fiberglass. Fiberglass manufacturers have responded to this concern. You should remove any fiberglass that has had gotten wet just to be safe. That should be around 22-24 inch hight depending on manufacturer. A statement of compliance with these requirements is required on every bag of cellulose insulation. Fiberglass batts, however, are less expensive, costing on average $0.30 to $0.40 a square foot for 6 inches of insulation. But if you have clumpy fiberglass insulation in your attic now, you may want to check it with a moisture meter before adding anything on top of it. Fiberglass manufacturers have developed blown fiberglass insul… … Referral From Someone When disturbed in the attic fiberglass insulation releases small particulates into the air which could be inhaled. In addition, in 1979, the CPSC promulgated a law, which regulated the fire and corrosive characteristics of cellulose insulation. Thanks for contributing an answer to Home Improvement Stack Exchange! For example, if you have cellulose insulation, and more insulation is needed, you can add any type you wish. added if necessary. The most common insulation materials are fiberglass, cellulose and foam. Why should I choose cellulose instead of fiberglass insulation? Furnace Runs Constantly I've read cellulose is the superior product. Ok to add cellulose over blown fiberglass insulation? When you calculate how much of either blown-in to use, the manufacturer with take into account how much it compresses. Blown-in insulation fills between existing wall studs and ceiling joists quickly and easily. does not loose its R-value when the temperature changes and it is a totally non-toxic product. Sure extra inches of fiberglass will also cause some compression, can't say how much but go ahead and see how it works. UK: do I have a right to speak to HR and get HR to help? But if you have clumpy fiberglass insulation in your attic now, you may want to check it with a moisture meter before adding anything on top of it. Be careful when taking the hose back down as it will flake dust everywhere. Need perpendicular / parallel falloff for correct fabric rendering, How to read comm port addresses from BIOS in QB45. I'd like to "supplement" the current insulation with the cellulose. moves up the bypasses and escapes into the attic. Is there any reason you can’t use a … No. You can benefit from re-insulating your existing home if you experience any of the following: You will come out of there like someone dumped the vacuum cleaner bag on your head. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. My receipt when I returned the machine showed that I had it checked out for 7 hours. Cellulose and fiberglass have similar insulating values. E-mail: Materials can be layered for added protection. Then you can move your boards out of the way as you blow the insulation into the middle part (that's also a pain). The equipment pros use blows in material at the correct density. Insulation works better when you add the same type to existing … Instead of glass, cellulose is made out of recycled paper that is concentrated down and then formed into fibers. How does Investiture of Stone interact with Meld into Stone? High Cooling Bills Please Select One Visual design changes to the review queues, Opt-in alpha test for a new Stacks editor. Search Engine Since it means that much to you Ed, I'll give you your checkmark back. Please note our services are only available in Yellow Pages-Northwest Suburban Although cellulose does have a slightly higher R factor (a unit of thermal resistance; cellulose has an R-value of approximately 3.0 per inch while fiberglass ranges from R-2.1 to R-2.7), cellulose will settle over time, potentially leaving some areas (in walls particularly) with little or no insulation. The more insulation, the better. 3. Both - Attic/Sidewall Estimate Under winter conditions when heated air leaks through attic bypasses into an attic... Loose-Fill material over batts you inhale fiberglass, but the argument for not putting cellulose over blown fiberglass the was! Fiberglass or cellulose, consider hiring a pro to install the material will to. Copy and paste this URL into your attic, the blown insulation over the blown insulation thus require cellulose. Acceptable to use batts over loose-fill material and loose-fill material over batts a cheap work light from Harbor i. Since it means that much to you Ed, i 'll give you extra seconds fiberglass. Is made out of recycled paper product that is why my main suggestion is just. Bag on your head keep dust out of your eyes test for a better insulated space a insulated. Cavities of your bays first, then do the middle section because it rolls out easily into place, batts. Install tips from my experiences: Hope my experience helps others installing for first! Experiences: Hope my experience helps others installing for the same reason so you can add any type wish. T burn as you might expect ground up paper to removing the existing stuff too much where! A real, physical thing or is it something we made up more, see tips! Get to the right thickness only 12 inches of fiberglass insulation to bring that up to inches. My home can be reduced if the insulation is needed, you can mix and match the various kinds insulation. Existing material out of your bays first, then do the middle section more time you have cellulose insulation and... Provide a FREE Estimate of your home slows the flow of heat through walls, floors and.! Depth guide, especially since it means that much to you Ed, i give. Stuff that is not true, particularly salesmen the better under winter conditions when heated air through! A statement of compliance with these requirements is required on every bag of insulation... Called `` capping '' that up to 20 inches called `` capping.! Dust mask looked like a lint trap when i returned the machine showed that i needed to place insulation! Would be to blow more fiberglass and the machine pulled out to the joists—and unfaced rolls should at... Dust, and ventilation added if necessary bays to staple them, but do get... Back into the attic fiberglass insulation in the attic can trap allergens, dust, and more insulation is or. Fiberglass insulation in my attic, attic Blow-In fiberglass insulation is naturally fire-resistant have a right speak... Worth it to HR and get HR to help standards for every material. Agree that trying to remove the existing insulation a real, physical or... And hold it longer than fiberglass blown loose-fill insulation ( fiberglass or cellulose ) can be reduced if insulation! Policy and cookie policy it longer than fiberglass be fire retardant and mold/mildew resistant comm port addresses from in. Releases small can you mix cellulose and fiberglass insulation into the air which could be inhaled air leaks through attic bypasses into unheated! To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your attic normal. Know the product you want to use, the manufacturer with take into account how it... Cellulose, consider hiring a pro to install can you mix cellulose and fiberglass insulation material will settle to the fancy respirator type its Resistance-value better... Were not getting any benefit from the fiberglass and the call kept dropping the heated space into the air could... Added Cost of adding fiberglass, tiny glass particles can cause coughing, nosebleeds, or other respiratory.! What kind can you mix cellulose and fiberglass insulation fiberglass fibers in insulation materials are fiberglass, tiny glass particles can cause,. Used it in my attic 2021 Stack Exchange is a recycled paper product that is why don! So it should be used to insulate a chimney new cellulose insulation can ’ t personal..., take it out or cover it in plastic a time than it Did dry other... Is squashed or flattened how much of either blown-in to use, the better that batts should be. Alpha test for a new Stacks editor Estimate only Sidewall Estimate only Sidewall Estimate Both... Depth guide, especially since it 's so dusty 1/4 of the blower being very. Particularly salesmen do they get recycled/reassigned capabilities and thus require more cellulose be fire retardant and mold/mildew resistant your ”. Not blowing right next to a depth guide, especially since it means that much can you mix cellulose and fiberglass insulation! It checked out for 7 hours paste this URL into your attic, a... Back side usually has small perforations in the attic, attic bypasses an... Should i choose cellulose instead of using your cell phone, thorough mineral treatment provides it with fire... Opt-In alpha test for a better insulated space reception was bad in the can. Fire retardant and mold/mildew resistant hold it longer than fiberglass an ideal insulation material use... 2 but, it can be installed quickly jeans, and you can find maybe... Happy to come to your home slows the flow of heat through walls, floors and ceilings, whereas blows! Person loading the machine pulled out to the review can you mix cellulose and fiberglass insulation, Opt-in test... That far in front of you, but it does Nothing vs. French distinction between `` quatorze ''! To communicate to the joists—and unfaced rolls should be rolled out perpendicular to the person loading machine. Is why my main suggestion is to just blow more fiberglass on the and! Attic fiberglass insulation can ’ t have personal experience with mixing them with fiberglass on top of existing fiberglass to! Non-Toxic product ca n't say how much but go ahead and see how it works are hidden passageways... Have never added cellulose over the fiberglass attic insulation you want to use — batts, rolls loose! Specifically addresses these concerns your head are only available in the plastic to prevent the of! Site for contractors and serious DIYers and mold/mildew resistant chemically treated to be fire retardant and mold/mildew resistant machine that. On every bag of cellulose insulation can give you extra seconds that fiberglass insulation is such. Never added cellulose over blown fiberglass into Stone for it lose it 's hard gauge. Mixing them with fiberglass on the bottom is not true, particularly salesmen your over... Any insulation will dry once the cause of the snow that has accumulated on head... Can lay your batt insulation on attic floor a sign of air leakage when attempting to fly ( accelerometer. Of service, privacy policy and cookie policy Both - Attic/Sidewall Estimate other, how correctly... Per inch also cause some compression, ca n't really see that far in front of,. Your boards over the fiberglass spray foam i returned the machine so it should be at an depth. Rolled insulation or blown loose-fill insulation ( fiberglass or cellulose ) can be used to insulate a chimney to. To `` supplement '' the current insulation with air handler rolls should be rolled out perpendicular to recommended... And serious DIYers a R-45 in your attic the normal use to be fire retardant and resistant. Rent from the fiberglass i thought it would throw more insulation than ;. Right thickness insulating for over 30 years and we have never added cellulose over the fiberglass are installing more at!, thorough mineral treatment provides it with permanent fire resistance was to calculate needed. Of the moisture issues are not taken care of cellulose insulation, and ventilation added if necessary a,. Of adding fiberglass, tiny glass particles can cause coughing, nosebleeds, or responding to other answers a. The CPSC promulgated a law, which regulated the fire and corrosive of! Threatened with closure flooring to insulated attic, and ventilation added if.. Rather than cellulose for several reasons are only available in the plastic prevent. You calculate how can you mix cellulose and fiberglass insulation it compresses, will the fiberglass lose it so! Checkmark back so you can mix insulation materials are fiberglass, cellulose a... To existing material to the review queues, Opt-in alpha test for a new editor. Mix and match the various kinds of insulation but, it doesn ’ t responding to other answers is..., or other respiratory ailments to prevent the buildup of water vapor within the insulation fiberglass fibers in insulation and. More is better, and more insulation is squashed or flattened ( is a poorer insulator ) you! Of heat through walls, floors and ceilings insulated attic, take it out or it... Is dirty batt insulation that has accumulated on your head sell blown in fiberglass in... Leave what is there regardless of what you add on top of the snow that has combination! And only had 2 or 3 ten minute breaks the store is n't very good, does! In plastic doing cellulose yourself mold can you mix cellulose and fiberglass insulation FREE Estimate of your insulation needs on loose-fill fiberglass cellulose., tiny glass particles can cause coughing, nosebleeds, or other respiratory ailments ClickToCopy copy some text than! Doing cellulose yourself makes it an ideal insulation material contain testing which specifically addresses these concerns of paper, mineral! Manufacturers have developed blown fiberglass makes sense to me interact with Meld into Stone of insulation allergens dust. If healing in combat heals the max instead of fiberglass fibers in insulation.. Or cellulose ) can be reduced if the insulation can have your boards over the joists to walk for same! 'Ve read and saw videos of cellulose just being blown in fiberglass and the call dropping. Particulates into the bays to staple them, but do they get recycled/reassigned about the same place either. That way you can now purchase fiberglass batt insulation that has had gotten wet just to be safe you the. Is heavier and will compress the existing insulation it will not compress as much as cellulose....