
Blown-in cellulose insulation is a fast and effective way to insulate your home’s attic and walls. The insulating properties for blown-in cellulose comes from the air spaces between the fluffed up shreds of cellulose fiber. The insulation pros at Fred F. Collis & Sons often use this insulation material because it’s green, easy to install, and extremely effective for homes in upstate New York. As with all our insulation projects, we start with a comprehensive home energy audit to identify where your home needs insulation.
What is Blown-In Cellulose Insulation?
This is a great green insulation option for families because the cellulose fibers come from plant based products — usually recycled newspapers. The cellulose fibers are treated with a fire retardant to meet safety requirements and then packaged for use as insulation. We use cellulose insulation that is odorless and is at least 85% recycled newsprint. An insulation technician from Fred F Collis & Sons blows the fibers into attic and wall spaces to form a dense pack of insulation to meet your R-value requirements. If blown-in fiberglass is preferred, our insulation pros can handle that with ease as well.
What is the R-Value of Blown-In Insulation?
The R-value of blown-in insulation can vary. Cellulose has a slightly higher R-value than fiberglass with a range of 3.2 to 3.7 per inch. The combination of excellent R-value and sustainability make cellulose insulation our preferred material.
Benefits of Blown-In Insulation
Many homes in the Utica, NY area have fiberglass batt insulation in their attics, but blown-in dense pack insulation provides better thermal insulation. Blown-in insulation is often used in place of batts for a number of reasons:
It’s easier and faster to install than batt insulation.
Because it’s a continuous layer with no seams, blown-in insulation provides up to 25% better efficiency than batt insulation strips.
Blown-in insulation can be installed for different R-values (thermal resistance values) without the limits of batts.
Air Sealing Ensures Insulation Performance
An important step to take prior to installing new dense pack cellulose insulation is perform air sealing in the attic area and walls. The average home has hundreds of air leaks through gaps, cracks and wires, lighting fixtures or plumbing that pass through walls and ceilings. These gaps allow outside air to infiltrate into your home and can add up to the equivalent of leaving a window wide open all year long! If not sealed, outside air can still seep through insulation, reducing its thermal barrier qualities and affecting your home’s indoor air quality.
Fast & Easy Insulation Installation
Once the Fred F. Collis & Sons insulation team has prepared your attic area with meticulous air sealing, the insulation will be blown into the area. Just as we have in hundreds of homes In the Rome, NY area, we’ll set up the equipment to blow the shreds of cellulose insulation into the attic using an oversized hose. The dense-pack application process holds the insulation in place and keeps air pockets from forming. Because the cellulose insulation is blown in, it can fill difficult-to-reach areas like attic knee walls, walls, and floors, making it the perfect choice for retrofit insulation upgrades.
Expert Installation by Experienced Professionals
When you’re upgrading your insulation with blown-in cellulose, it’s important that the installation is done correctly and following industry standards. Professional installation is one of the top reasons why your Rome, NY neighbors select Fred F. Collis & Sons for blown-in insulation upgrades. Our trained technicians are prompt, courteous, and make sure that your home’s insulation is applied to save energy and money for years to come!