Why don't more builders use cellulose
insulation in attics? One obvious
reason is that cellulose is generally
less available than loose-fill
fiberglass. Also, it's kind of dull
looking compared to fluffy pink or
silky white fiberglass. (After all, it is
just a pile of gray-colored ground-up
newspaper.) But cellulose has higher
R-value per inch, better resistance to
air leakage, and typically a lower
price than fiberglass. Although I
don't think either material is necessarily
the "insulation of choice," I
suspect that many builders are hesitant
to use cellulose because of misinformation
or unfounded concerns
over material properties such as
flammability, corrosiveness, and settling.
The most fantastic objection to
cellulose I've ever heard was at a
builders' workshop in Wisconsin last
winter. One