You can find high r value insulation produced in both fiberglass and blown cellulose.
Blown cellulose insulation vs blown fiberglass insulation attic.
More consistent pricing from cellulose manufacturers than fiberglass.
The two main least expensive and most commonly used residential insulation materials is cellulose and fibreglass.
Cellulose resists blowing when installed fiberglass tends to blow around stick to the attic ceiling and drift.
With that said most homeowners agree that blown cellulose is slightly more efficient due to the face that it blocks more air than fiberglass.
Cellulose is easier to keep out of bird blocks and air conditioner condensate pans.
Unless you opt for spray foam then the insulation choices normally come down to cellulose and fibreglass.
You can get to the same place with either material.
According to research done at the oak ridge national lab fiberglass loses up to 50 of its r value in very cold conditions.
Assuming your current attic insulation is made from fiberglass and has a value of r 13 you d have to add roughly 10 inches of additional fiberglass to hit r 38.
The higher the r value the more efficient it is.
At 3 5 per inch of material the r value of blown in cellulose is 23 better per inch than fiberglass batts.
Making cellulose a better choice for homes in northern climates.
Or 7 inches of cellulose.
Installation costs for blown in insulation costs around 2 a square foot where installation costs for batts is around 1 a square foot.
So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these insulation materials.
Fiberglass batts however are less expensive costing on average 0 30 to 0 40 a square foot for 6 inches of insulation.