by Edward Swinford

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by Edward Swinford

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Blown-in insulation

Should I use batt or blown-in attic insulation?

Are you thinking about adding insulation to your attic to save energy costs? Should you use batt (paper-backed) insulation or blown-in (loose-fill) insulation? This article will answer your question.

The U. S. Department of Energy has some very useful information about this subject. According to the Department of Energy, blown-in insulation is not only less expensive than batt, it provides a better thermal barrier than paper-backed batt insulation.

Batting is typically a thick fiberglass matt that is attached to a heavy brown paper backing. The batting is supplied in rolls. The installer must precisely measure the space between wood attic joists. The installer then precisely cuts the paper-backed insulation batt to fit the space. The fiberglass must fit precisely against the wood joists to avoid gaps that can cause thermal loss. Small gaps can cause large thermal losses. Just like tiny gaps below a door or ill-fitting windows, small gaps can add up to make your air conditioning system run overtime.

Blown-in insulation has the advantage of filling every nook and cranny between your attic joists.

Blown-in insulation has another advantage. Typically, blown-in insulation is less expensive to install than batt insulation.

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