Best Insulation Types
Hello, everyone. I’m Caleb with Dansie Design Build, and today we just finished the insulation installation on this basement finish that we’re doing here in Draper, Utah. Today I want to show you the two types of insulation we used in this project — cellulose vs. fiberglass insulation — and why they’re my favorites for most applications in basement finishing.
Fiberglass Batt Insulation for the Walls
All right, so we’re in the kitchen of this basement finish that we’re doing, and this is an exterior wall here with fiberglass batt insulation in the wall.
Fiberglass Insulation Pros
The pros of this type of insulation are:
- The speed of installation is quick.
- It doesn’t make a huge mess.
Fiberglass Insulation Cons
The downsides are that it’s pretty itchy when you’re installing it, and the glass fibers come off and into the air when installing it. It can also be bad for your lungs if you don’t have a mask. It’s more of an installation issue that I don’t like.
Also, it is not great for sound transmission or soundproofing. But for thermal and heat maintenance, like keeping your house warm or cool, it does a pretty good job.
Blown-In Cellulose Insulation for the Ceiling
All right, now we’re in the basement’s bedroom and using a different type of insulation in the ceilings. So we still have the fiberglass batts in the walls. In the ceiling, we’re using blown-in cellulose insulation.
Cellulose Insulation Pros
I like it because it creates an awesome sound-dampening space between the main part of the house and the basement. So it will help with any percussive sounds coming through and absorbing those. This material is a shredded newspaper product with an anti-flammable chemical added so it won’t light on fire and become a fire hazard.
Cellulose Insulation Cons
One of the things I don’t like about it is that it will be messy on installation day. You wouldn’t want to use this in any mechanical rooms or anywhere that won’t be finished, so you don’t have to work with it again once it’s behind the drywall. And once it is behind the drywall, you’ll never see it anymore, and it will do an awesome job with sound transmission.
Need Basement Finishing Help?
So if you’re looking for help finishing your basement or doing project designs, you can reach us on our website and request a project consultation there. We’d love to talk to you and help you with your project.
Thanks, and we’ll talk to you later.
