Which is better styrofoam or insulation?

Rigid foam insulation packs in more R-value per cubic inch than fiberglass insulation does. If conserving energy is your main goal and there are no other influencing factors such as moisture, rigid foam may be your first choice.

thespruce.com - Rigid Foam vs. Fiberglass Insulation Comparison Guide - The Spruce

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Home improvement stores carry two major classes of insulation: fiberglass and rigid foam. Both are designed for residential use. While there is some overlap of applications, overall one is not better than the other, but each tends to have its own best areas of use. For example, rigid foam is commonly used for basement wall insulation because it resists the moisture given off by basement masonry walls. Fiberglass batts are typically used to insulate between wall studs, floor and ceiling joists, and roof rafters. If you need insulation for a home renovation project and need to choose between foam board vs. fiberglass insulation, read on for more information.

Rigid Foam Insulation 4-by-8-foot sheets

1/4 to 2 inches thick

Polystyrene or polyisocyanurate Fiberglass Insulation Rolls or batts from 24 to 40 feet

3-1/2 to 12 inches thick

Spun fiberglass

Fiberglass-vs-rigid-foam-insulation-3860844_color-14259d25e73746be913a81ddc6ad0ab7.jpg

The Spruce / Michela Buttignol

Rigid Foam vs. Fiberglass Insulation: Major Differences

Rigid Foam Insulation

Rigid foam insulation consists of panels sold in 4-by-8-foot sheets in a variety of thicknesses from 1/4 to 2 inches. It is also sold in large bundled panels, joined at the ends accordion-style for use as an exterior sheathing material.

Rigid foam insulation uses one of three materials:

High-quality, green-friendly polyisocyanurate

Extruded polystyrene

Expanded polystyrene

Rigid foam performs well when subjected to moisture and it does not change dimensions, split, or crack. While spray-foam insulation injected into wall cavities does dry to a rigid state, this is not considered rigid foam insulation. However, you can use rigid foam board instead of spray or fiberglass insulation where it makes sense, such as in wall cavities that may risk becoming wet or moist.

Fiberglass Insulation

Fiberglass insulation consists of tightly packed long rolls or individual batts (single unrolled pieces) of spun fiberglass fibers. In contrast to rigid foam, fiberglass is soft and flexible. The millions of air pockets in fiberglass insulation provide a superior thermal barrier but fiberglass can also trap moisture, leading to mold and mildew growth. Fiberglass should never be used when moisture is even remotely present. Fiberglass insulation is typically sold in batts or rolls that are designed to fit standard wall and ceiling cavities with framing members spaced 16 or 24 inches apart, on-center. The thicknesses of the batts range from 3 1/2 to 12 inches. Fiberglass insulation can be sold in rolls ranging from 24 to 40 feet, or in bundled batts, usually about 93 inches long. Fiberglass insulation rolls or batts may be faced with paper to simplify attachment to framing members. Unfaced batts or rolls are the better choices for laying as an insulating blanket.

1:49 Click Play to Learn About Fiberglass and Rigid Foam Insulation

Applications

Rigid Foam Insulation

Exterior Continuous Insulation : Rigid foam can be used as sheathing—a continuous layer of insulation on wall exteriors attached before the installation of house wrap and siding. : Rigid foam can be used as sheathing—a continuous layer of insulation on wall exteriors attached before the installation of house wrap and siding. Basements : Indoors, rigid foam board is better than fiberglass insulation for basements. It's the material of choice on walls where the insulation will be touching masonry. Mostly, this means the exterior walls in basement build-outs, except for daylight-facing walls, as found in walk-out basements. Rigid foam stands up to moisture better than fiberglass. : Indoors, rigid foam board is better than fiberglass insulation for basements. It's the material of choice on walls where the insulation will be touching masonry. Mostly, this means the exterior walls in basement build-outs, except for daylight-facing walls, as found in walk-out basements. Rigid foam stands up to moisture better than fiberglass. Garages : Rigid foam is best used to insulate garage doors and garage floors. But you can use either type of insulation for garage walls. : Rigid foam is best used to insulate garage doors and garage floors. But you can use either type of insulation for garage walls. Radiant Heat Floors : Rigid foam is used as a thermal barrier underneath radiant floor heating systems.

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: Rigid foam is used as a thermal barrier underneath radiant floor heating systems. Rim Joists : Rim joists around the edge of a foundation can be insulated with rigid foam blocks cut to fill the space and caulked in place. There are instances where you can use both types of insulation together; if concrete blocks have open cavities, they should be first stuffed with loosely packed fiberglass insulation. : Rim joists around the edge of a foundation can be insulated with rigid foam blocks cut to fill the space and caulked in place. There are instances where you can use both types of insulation together; if concrete blocks have open cavities, they should be first stuffed with loosely packed fiberglass insulation. Other Uses: Rigid foam can provide soundproofing to interior walls or sequester interior spaces that are not climate controlled. Rigid foam can be used to build temporary privacy walls in shared apartments or dormitories.

The Spruce / Jason Donnelly

Fiberglass Insulation

Exterior Walls : Rolled fiberglass insulation's main purpose is to fill the cavities of above-grade (non-basement) exterior walls when those walls are accessible from the inside. During new construction or major remodeling projects when wall surfaces are not yet installed, faced fiberglass batts are the insulation of choice. On walls with finished surfaces, blow-in cellulose insulation or spray foam is more commonly used to add insulation. : Rolled fiberglass insulation's main purpose is to fill the cavities of above-grade (non-basement) exterior walls when those walls are accessible from the inside. During new construction or major remodeling projects when wall surfaces are not yet installed, faced fiberglass batts are the insulation of choice. On walls with finished surfaces, blow-in cellulose insulation or spray foam is more commonly used to add insulation. Attics : Thick batts or rolls of fiberglass do an outstanding job of insulating the attic by preventing heat loss through the ceiling and roof. Faced batts are often installed between joists, or an attic blanket of unfaced batts can be laid across the tops of joists. For maximum insulation value, both joist cavity insulation and an attic blanket can be used. Blow-in cellulose insulation is an alternative to fiberglass, and it can also be used to add insulation over the top of fiberglass insulation. : Thick batts or rolls of fiberglass do an outstanding job of insulating the attic by preventing heat loss through the ceiling and roof. Faced batts are often installed between joists, or an attic blanket of unfaced batts can be laid across the tops of joists. For maximum insulation value, both joist cavity insulation and an attic blanket can be used. Blow-in cellulose insulation is an alternative to fiberglass, and it can also be used to add insulation over the top of fiberglass insulation. Floors : Joist cavities above unheated crawl spaces or unheated basements are often insulated with fiberglass batts. Between two- or three-story homes, fiberglass insulation in the floors will deaden sound transmission. : Joist cavities above unheated crawl spaces or unheated basements are often insulated with fiberglass batts. Between two- or three-story homes, fiberglass insulation in the floors will deaden sound transmission. Rim Joists : The joist spaces above foundations can be filled with loosely packed fiberglass insulation to prevent heat loss. This is sometimes done in conjunction with rigid foam, with fiberglass used to fill the void spaces at the top of concrete block walls, and blocks of rigid foam then used to block off the joist cavities above the foundation walls. : The joist spaces above foundations can be filled with loosely packed fiberglass insulation to prevent heat loss. This is sometimes done in conjunction with rigid foam, with fiberglass used to fill the void spaces at the top of concrete block walls, and blocks of rigid foam then used to block off the joist cavities above the foundation walls. Other Uses: Loosely packed fiberglass is often used to fill in small gaps around window and door frames, or the spaces where pipes and wires penetrate through exterior walls. Spray foam is also used for this purpose.

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The Spruce / Jason Donnelly

R-Values

Insulating properties of various building materials are measured by R-value—a measurement of the thermal resistance of the material. Higher R-values indicate better insulating values. With both rigid foam and fiberglass, the R-values are mostly determined by the thickness of the insulating material. Rigid foam insulation packs in more R-value per cubic inch than fiberglass insulation does. If conserving energy is your main goal and there are no other influencing factors such as moisture, rigid foam may be your first choice.

Rigid Foam Insulation

Rigid foam R-values range from R-1 for 1/4-inch thick sheathing panels to R-15 for 3-inch thick panels. R-value is not entirely a function of the thickness of the material, as the facing material and type of foam used will affect the R-value of the material.

Fiberglass Insulation

Fiberglass R-values range from R-11 to R-38 for the most commonly available thicknesses:

3 1/2 inches: R-11

3 5/8 inches: R-13

3 1/2 inches (high density): R-15

6 to 6 1/4 inches: R-19

5 1/4 (high density): R-21

8 to 8 1/2 inches: R-25

9 1/2 inches: R-30

12 inches: R-38

Foam Board vs. Fiberglass Insulation Cost

Fiberglass insulation is less than half the price of rigid foam board insulation when calculated by R-value per square foot. For example, insulating a 10-square-foot wall area to R-15 costs about $3.40 to $4.00 with fiberglass insulation. A comparable R-value for rigid foam costs roughly $10. There is also less waste with fiberglass insulation. As the rigid foam is cut to size, it produces small pieces and thin sections that are virtually unusable. Fiberglass insulation can be torn off and tucked into small areas, so very little of it goes to waste.

Ease of Installation

Both rigid foam and fiberglass have pros and cons when it comes to installation. Rigid foam's main advantage is that it is a clean, irritant-free product. The advantage of fiberglass is that it is flexible enough to mold around obstructions.

Rigid Foam Insulation

Rigid foam can be cut with a fine saw or sliced and snapped like drywall with a utility knife. Foam does not require you to fully suit up and protect yourself against fibers as you do with fiberglass, though you should always wear a dust mask. The stiffness of rigid foam means that it will not accommodate obstructions in the wall, such as wires, outlets, junction boxes, and bracing. The foam must be carefully cut to fit around such obstructions. Because it is difficult to get a tight seal with rigid foam, expandable foam or caulking may be necessary to fill thin gaps between the foam and framing members. Foil-faced foam board insulation (polyisocyanurate) is a vapor barrier and does not require an additional vapor barrier. Rigid foam board insulation without foil may require a vapor barrier.

Fiberglass Insulation

thespruce.com - Rigid Foam vs. Fiberglass Insulation Comparison Guide - The Spruce

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