John Meeks Explains Cellulose vs. Fiberglass

John Meeks of Apple Blossom Insulation explains why fiberglass is bad and cellulose is good

Category:

Education

Tags:

• fiberglass
• cellulose
• insulation
• efficiency
• sustainability
• apple blossom insulation
• apple blossom insulators

[imaginaryfriendship]

Leave the wool on the sheep.

[divb]

Don't be confused, this is synthetic wool - from robot sheep.

[spblackey]

This is somewhat misleading. With the two insulations sharing the same pressurized space underneath, the air is going to flow to the side that allows air to pass more easily (in this case, the fiberglass.) Because the air is taking the path of least resistance, it makes the cellulose look impervious to air. I don't know if it is, or isn't - I just am saying I would like to see two separate fans and spaces below the insulation.

[drumrkane]

To everyone that's commenting on having separate fans/cavities for the two products, etc...it would seem that the very fact that the fiberglass is offering the past of least resistance would make the other tests pointless. no?

[monkeyyymannn]

I believe that cellulose has better insulating qualities than fiberglass, based on various research.

HOWEVER, this video should have been split into 2 tests:

1) Air resistance (as shown with ping pong ball).

2) Heat resistance (turn fan OFF)

The video does not conclusively prove to me that fiberglass is more heat-conductive, since fan is blowing hot air from cabinet through path of least resistance (fiberglass). A more convincing test would be to let heat flow naturally from bulbs.

[roweaz]

I think that is the point. Cellulose provides more resistance to air movement and thus loss due to convection. This wasn't a test about "perfect condition" R value, but about why cellulose is likely to perform better in your home than fiberglass.

[malkooth]

Isn't cellulose the material the feed mold? 

[spblackey]

@CobraNuke That was exactly my complaint. It's not an objective comparison, it's a well-crafted marketing tool. (It makes the fiberglass look very bad and the cellulose look very good.) The cellulose isn't challenged at all because it's all going through the fiberglass. That said, I blew cellulose into my attic a month ago.

[CobraNuke]

@spblackey The pressure is the same below both regions of insulation. The airflow is following the path of least resistance - through the less effective restriction to airflow. If there were two different fans, you would have to take into account the potential difference in pressure in the compartments due to differences in the fans. They did this the right way.

[spblackey]

Same thing for the temperature differences - if the air is all going to the path of least resistance, it's also taking the heat with it.

[coast2co]

True about fiberglass batt but he is misleading. Fact to install fiberglass in Blown in Blanket system the same is true of fiberglass as with cellulose.

[iagiahs]

Not a good test, becouse air presure is difrent, you should put 2 funs in separate case.