Fitting proper insulation in your home is vital if you're to keep heat inside once the temperatures start to plummet outside, and there are several different types that you can choose between. Fibreglass is probably the most common material, though cellulose is also a popular option. They do essentially the same job, but each option presents its own pros and cons.

To help yourself choose the right insulation option to meet your needs, just ask yourself the following questions.

1. Is Environmentally-Friendliness an Issue?

If you're looking to go eco-friendly with your insulation, cellulose is going to come out ahead. Cellulose is made using discarded paper products, and it has the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled content out of all insulation materials, coming in at an average of 75 per cent compared to just 35 per cent with fibreglass. Additionally, it takes an estimated 10 times more energy to create fibreglass insulation compared to cellulose. This obviously won't be a major concern for all property owners, but it's still a factor worth keeping in mind.

2. How Important is Cost?

If you're hoping to keep your costs down, both cellulose and fibreglass make sense for insulation. These materials tend to be the least expensive, which partly explains their popularity, so either will make a cost-effective choice. That said, fibreglass does tend to be cheaper. It also tends to be less expensive to install.

3. How Much Insulation Do You Need?

Many parts of Australia never see the temperatures drop too low, in which case either fibreglass or cellulose will be fine. However, people in parts of the country that tend to see temperatures regularly fall below freezing should consider cellulose more seriously. It offers slightly stronger thermal performance since it boasts a better resistance to air flow, and its insulating properties actually improve during cold weather. It's also thinner than fibreglass, making it easy to fit into difficult corners or around pipes to reduce any air pockets.

4. How Often Can You Change Insulation?

Cellulose might be better for use in colder areas, but you're likely to have to change it more often than fibreglass. This is because cellulose absorbs moisture more easily than fibreglass, which is obviously going to reduce efficiency in the long-term. It can also sag over time, making it less able to properly perform its role. You won't need to be changing your cellulose insulation every year, but you will need to keep an eye on things and accept that it might not last quite as long as fibreglass. This will be worth it if you're living somewhere extremely cold; for homes in, for example, Darwin or along the Gold Coast, it probably won't be.