Compared to a few decades ago, homeowners have a wide variety of choices regarding insulation for their entire house. While newer types of insulation are undoubtedly effective, we can’t overlook all of the benefits of cellulose insulation in Sacramento, CA. This post will cover a few of the reasons to choose cellulose the next time you need to install insulation.
What is cellulose insulation?
Cellulose insulation is made of anywhere from 75 to 85 percent recycled paper fiber. So, anything from discarded newspapers to old cardboard boxes can be found in this type of insulation. Obviously, insulating your home strictly with dry paper products is a major fire hazard, which is why the remaining percentage of cellulose fiber consists of fire retardants like boric acid.
Cellulose insulation can come in batts that fit between studs in a wall, but its most common form is loose fill. Loose-fill or blown-in cellulose insulation effectively fills all of the areas that traditional insulation can’t. You’ll often find blown-in cellulose up in a home’s attic.
How is it sustainable?
As mentioned above, cellulose insulation is made of paper products that would otherwise just be sent to a landfill. It’s estimated that 44 million newspapers end up in a landfill every day and 25 billion cardboard boxes go to the dump each year. Cellulose manufacturers do their part to help the environment by taking products that would otherwise go to the landfill and using them to insulate the walls and attics in homes.
Cellulose insulation also lasts for anywhere from 20 to 30 years. Towards the end of its lifespan, it begins to decompose naturally, unlike fiberglass or foam insulations. Once it’s time to replace this environmentally-friendly insulation in Sacramento, CA, it can go into a compost pile or even be used in the garden to protect plants and shrubs.
How does it stack up against other insulation materials?
Insulation is graded by its effectiveness in terms of its R-value. The higher the R-value, the better the material is at trapping inside air and blocking outside air. Cellulose has an R-value of about 3.7, which is right in the middle of the pack. While it’s not the most effective (that’s polyurethane foam), it is the best for the environment and is relatively inexpensive compared to the competition.
Can I install cellulose insulation by myself?
The benefits of cellulose insulation in Sacramento, CA should be clear by this point, but before you decide to install cellulose in your home, it’s important to know that it should only be installed by a professional. Insulation contractors have all of the right machinery to properly install cellulose in your walls or attic.
Plus, hiring a professional takes the burden off your shoulders and is less expensive than renting your own gear for the job.
Be sure to hire 5 Star Performance Insulation, Inc.
You shouldn’t install cellulose insulation by yourself, but hiring the wrong team won’t do, either. At 5 Star Performance Insulation, Inc., we have over 25 years of industry experience working with all sorts of insulation. Give us a call today to learn more about environmentally-friendly insulation in Sacramento, CA or to get a quote for our services.