Fiberglass insulation's definitely a pain—been there myself. But honestly, cellulose isn't always the magic bullet everyone says it is. Sure, it's easier on your skin, but it can settle over time and lose some of its insulating power. I've seen friends end up topping it off after just a few years, which kinda defeats the purpose of saving money upfront.
Personally, I went with spray foam in my attic. Yeah, it's pricier at first, but the difference in comfort and energy bills has been noticeable enough to justify it. Plus, no itchy nightmares or constant worries about ventilation issues. Just something to think about if you're still weighing options.
Either way, glad you got through that itchy mess—nothing worse than fiberglass fibers stuck in your clothes and skin for days...
Did you have any issues with odors lingering after the spray foam install? I went the spray foam route a couple years ago, and while it definitely solved the itchy fiberglass problem, I had this weird chemical smell hanging around for weeks. Eventually it faded, but it was pretty annoying at first. Curious if anyone else ran into that or if it was just my luck...
"I had this weird chemical smell hanging around for weeks. Eventually it faded, but it was pretty annoying at first."
Yeah, I totally get what you're saying. We just finished building our first custom home last year and went with spray foam insulation too. Here's my quick rundown on the smell situation:
- Definitely noticed a chemical odor right after installation. It wasn't overpowering, but it was noticeable enough to make me wonder if we'd made a mistake.
- The installers warned us about it beforehand, saying it was normal and would fade within a few days to a week. Ours stuck around closer to two weeks, though.
- Opening windows and running fans helped speed things up a bit. We also ran an air purifier in the main living areas, which seemed to help (or maybe it was just psychological, who knows...).
- Honestly, after dealing with itchy fiberglass in our old place, I'd take a temporary chemical smell any day. That pink stuff was the absolute worst—felt like I was itchy just looking at it.
- Now, a year later, zero smell issues. The attic feels clean, dry, and comfortable. No regrets here.
Sounds like your experience was pretty similar, just maybe a bit longer-lasting. Could've been differences in ventilation or humidity levels at the time of install. Either way, glad it eventually cleared up for you too.
Yeah, I hear you on the fiberglass insulation—it's like the attic equivalent of glitter. Once it's there, you're never fully rid of it. We switched to spray foam a couple years back too, and honestly, even with that initial chemical smell, I'd never go back to the itchy pink nightmare.
Our smell lasted about two weeks as well, maybe a bit longer in some corners of the house. I remember being pretty concerned at first because it was stronger than I'd expected. The installers reassured us it was normal and recommended keeping windows cracked open and fans running. We did all that, but what really seemed to help was cranking up our HVAC system for a few days straight. I think circulating air through the ducts helped clear things out faster.
One thing I've noticed since switching is how much more comfortable our attic space is year-round. Before, going up there in summer felt like stepping into an oven, and winter wasn't much better—freezing cold drafts everywhere. Now it's surprisingly stable temperature-wise, which has made a noticeable difference in our energy bills too.
I do wonder if humidity or weather conditions during installation might affect how long that smell sticks around. Our install happened during a particularly humid stretch of summer weather, so maybe that's why ours lingered longer than expected? Either way, it's reassuring to hear others had similar experiences and that it eventually fades completely.
Funny side note: when we were removing the old fiberglass insulation ourselves (never again...), my wife wore one of those disposable hazmat suits from Home Depot. She looked like she was prepping for some kind of alien invasion movie scene—still ended up itchy afterward though!
- Totally agree about fiberglass insulation being the attic glitter—perfect analogy. I swear, I still find random bits of it stuck to stuff years later. Spray foam was a game changer for us too, even with that initial chemical funk.
- Our smell lasted around two weeks as well, but I think you're onto something with the humidity factor. We had ours installed during a dry spell in early fall, and the smell seemed to clear out pretty quickly compared to what others have described. Humidity probably slows down the curing process or something?
- Good tip about running the HVAC system full blast. Wish I'd thought of that at the time...we just kept windows open and fans going, but it felt like forever before the smell faded completely.
- One thing I noticed after switching was how much quieter our house became. Didn't expect that at all, but apparently spray foam helps dampen sound too? Bonus points for peace and quiet.
- Your wife's hazmat suit story cracked me up—been there, done that! My brother-in-law helped me remove our old insulation, and he showed up wearing swimming goggles and dishwashing gloves. Looked ridiculous but somehow managed to avoid most of the itchiness. Meanwhile, I was itchy for days afterward despite my fancy protective gear.
- Anyway, glad to hear your attic is more comfortable now. It's amazing how much difference proper insulation makes in energy bills and overall comfort. Definitely worth the initial hassle and smell.
