Insulation comes in three different main colors, but the difference between them is not clear to most customers. You will find pink, yellow, or green fiberglass insulation on the market, and you will naturally wonder if one is better or worse than the other. If you choose to use different types of insulation but fiberglass, you might find it in other colors as well such as gray, purple, or white.
The only difference between pink, yellow and green fiberglass insulation is their color. The color of your insulation doesn’t alter its heat resistance (R-value). All fiberglass insulation irrespective of its color offers the same amount of insulation.
Then why do they have different colors? The color of the insulation is representative of the type of binding used to create the final product. Also, this color acts as a trademark for a manufacturer since different insulation producers will use different binding agents. You can also use color to identify the type of insulation.
What is the difference between different color insulation
One of the most popular types of insulation on the market today is fiberglass insulation. You can use fiberglass in different levels of thickness and forms. But in its initial form, fiberglass is clear in color.
The manufacturers will bind the strands of fiberglass together by using a binding agent. This binding agent is a type of resin that can come in different colors. The color of the resin used by the manufacturer will ultimately establish the color of the insulation too. Most resin is pink, yellow, and green.
The same rule applies when it comes to colors of other types of insulation, such as Polystyrene. Most often, the color of the insulation will give away its producer.
Pink, yellow or green insulation: what should you choose?
When it comes to the ability to insulate, all types of insulation made of fiberglass will be just as good, regardless of their color. The thickness of the insulation is what defines its efficiency, rather than the color. You will need to install them in the same way as well. You can choose to blow in the insulation or use insulation panels of different sizes and thickness levels. Generally, insulation panels are a lot easier to work with for beginners and this is why they tend to be more popular as well.
So, when you choose the color of insulation you want, you will essentially be choosing the manufacturer. Certain insulation producers have a monopoly over a certain color. For instance, Owens Corning is producing pink fiberglass insulation while if you want green fiberglass insulation you have to go to Johns Manville.
Yellow insulation, on the other hand, is not owned by any company as a trademark, and it is the most common color of insulation because of that. You can find yellow insulation produced by different manufacturers, and it will work just the same as any other insulation color. There is no difference in terms of quality between yellow fiberglass insulation and other colors of fiberglass insulation, other than the aesthetic aspect.
People choose the color that goes best with their personal preferences and not the color that they think offers a higher resistance of quality to the insulation.
Final thoughts
As you see, considering that the color of your insulation is not an indication of its quality, it will be up to your preference which type of insulation you choose. The only thing you have to take into account is the fact that gray insulation is not fiberglass, and its color is an indication of this fact. Getting familiar with what color of the insulation is made by different manufacturers will also help you choose easier which one you want for your project.
I recommend choosing the manufacturer that you find most reliable before you pay any attention to the color of the insulation. If you trust the producer and you know they create high-quality products, the color of your insulation will become irrelevant.
