Attic Insulation Batts Vs Blown

The answer is it depends.

Attic insulation batts vs blown.

Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material. Compared to blown in insulation batts can reach a resistance rating r factor of over 3 1. When insulating an attic space many homeowners ask us which is better blown in or batt insulation. When a home is fully finished the scales of batt vs.

Batts offer a slight advantage. Once installed and expanded to the uniform manufactured thickness batts offer a known r factor. Batt insulation is that it is a form of loose fill insulation as opposed to a flexible blanket. Very common very problematic.

Blown in varieties however typically reach a peak of around a 2 8 r factor. Disadvantages of batt insulation. The first difference in blown in vs. It is sold in bags and made of materials that are of varying degrees of recycled.

The photo above shows an attic insulated with blown cellulose. With this method the insulation is simply blown onto the attic floor and no matter what type of joists studs or wiring that may be in play the blown insulation will naturally form itself tight around any of these creating a layer of strong insulation. The maximum rating of batt insulation is around 4 2. Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product.

The biggest disadvantage of batt insulation is that it does not fit well in non standard spaces. For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. This will lead to non uniform r values. Blown in insulation clearly lean toward using blown in insulation.

You can usually obtain an r factor of 3 1 to 4 2 or slightly higher per inch of material with batts. Current energy standards recommend the installation of a first layer of craft faced moisture barrier fiberglass batt. That s because blown insulation is great at filling the gaps and giving you a good complete layer of insulation. You also don t see any gaps that allow you to see all the way down to the ceiling drywall.

Blown in insulation thickness can vary in an attic space. Sometimes loose fill insulation is referred to as blown in insulation because an installer literally blows it into your home with a special machine. In short there is less chance of error with blown insulation as compared to batts. You can hire a contractor carrying relevant business insurance and using skilled and trained workers to install your batt insulation much more quickly than a batt insulation install might take.

It comes in rolls and has paper backing on one side. You ve probably got batts in your attic walls and crawlspace right now. The r factor of blown in fiberglass is usually 2 3 to 2 8 per inch of material. Notice how you don t see any of the ceiling framing down at the ceiling level.