Eliminating The Misguided Assumptions Concerning Blown Attic Insulation Most Homeowners Have

6 January 2017
 Categories: Home & Garden, Blog

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It is no big secret that keeping your home well insulated is one of the easiest ways to ensure it is as efficient as possible. If you are considering having some insulation installed or renewed in your attic, you will probably be facing the choice between rolled and blown insulation. While blown insulation offers great advantages, such as ease of installation and high efficiency, most homeowners will skip right over this insulation in favor of the rolled form due to some major misguided assumptions. Check out these common assumptions about blown insulation in the attic and the real truths you need to know so you can make the better choice for your home.  

Assumption: Blown attic insulation is a fire hazard. 

Truth: Most people assume that blown insulation is made from paper alone and therefore must be incredibly flammable. While blown insulation does contain a lot of recycled paper materials, these materials have been treated in the manufacturing process to make them less flammable. In most cases, the paper fibers you see have been treated with borate, which is a mineral that reduces flammability. In some cases, new blown insulation can actually be more fire resilient than outdated rolled insulation. 

Assumption: Because blown insulation is loose, it is not as effective as rolled insulation.

Truth: This is actually not the truth at all. Most people who believe this have had improperly installed blown installation at some point because when blown insulation is actually installed in the proper manner, the protective layer is just as dense and thick as what it would be if rolled insulation were installed instead. When blown insulation is installed correctly, it also does not settle into the walls and crevices because it doesn't have room to do so. 

Assumption: Blown attic insulation has to be wet during installation, and this leads to mold growth.

Truth: Several years ago, the technique for installing blown installation involved getting the material fairly wet, but this is not the case with modern improvements. A very minimal amount of moisture is added to the insulation material to encourage it to freely move from the receptacle during installation. However, this is usually no more than just enough water to get the insulation damp. The material dries out extremely quickly after installation because of this, and mold is not a concern. Furthermore, most contractors leave areas open temporarily to encourage airflow for drying the insulation. 

For more information, contact a company like All Weather Shield Inc.