Keeping your Coastal Bend home warm in the winter and cool in the summer is not only essential for home comfort, it’s also essential for keeping your home energy efficient. One of the best ways to accomplish both is by insulating your Corpus Christi home with the right materials.
The top insulation materials are fiberglass and cellulose. When you understand the differences between the two, you easily make an informed decision about which is right for your home and budget.
Fiberglass and cellulose insulation have many similarities, including:
- Cost and installation: Both are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. However, cellulose does require an installation blower, which requires training. For more information on insulating your Corpus Christi home, ask your local HVAC expert.
- Air Leakage: While they both retain heat, they also allow air to pass through.
- Moisture: Both tend to retain a lot of moisture, though both will dry out quickly. Avoid a situation where they’re combined with a vapor barrier in a damp space such as the basement.
The differences between fiberglass and cellulose insulation include:
- Cellulose is better able to slow airflow loss.
- Both have a low flammability. Fiberglass will melt at higher temperatures. Cellulose has been treated with flame retardants, which reduces flammability and cuts down on pest issues.
- Cellulose is made from more recycled products than fiberglass, which makes it a more green product because it has fewer negative ecological impacts on the environment.
- Cellulose is more ideal for colder climates because during the winter months, it is less likely to lose heat.
- Cellulose will more quickly lose its effectiveness if it gets damp.
Whether you’re updating or increasing the insulation in your home, it’s important to consider the options. If you are insulating your Corpus Christi home, make sure you have what you need before you begin the process.
For expert advice about insulating your Corpus Christi home and other issues related to your home comfort and energy savings, please contact us at CCAC, Inc. We have over 30 years of experience serving Coastal Bend.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about insulating your home and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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