RAM INSULATION VACUUM BAGS

The Contractor's Field Guide

Fiberglass vs. Cellulose Insulation Removal: What Every Contractor Needs to Know

If you've spent any time removing old insulation, you already know that not all jobs are the same. The type of insulation in that attic — fiberglass or cellulose — changes everything: your gear, your vacuum setup, how your bags perform, and how long the job takes.

This guide breaks down the key differences between removing fiberglass and cellulose insulation so you can show up prepared, protect your crew, and get the job done right.

 

What Are You Dealing With? Know the Material First

Before you roll out the vacuum hose, know what's up there.

Fiberglass insulation is made from extremely fine glass fibers. It comes in two forms:

• Batts or rolls — the pink or yellow blanket-style insulation stapled between joists
• Blown-in or loose-fill — light, fluffy glass fibers blown into attic floors

 

Cellulose insulation is made from recycled paper and cardboard, treated with fire retardants. It's always blown-in and looks like gray or brown fluff. It's denser and heavier than fiberglass.

 

Quick ID tip: if it's pink or yellow and stringy, it's fiberglass. If it's gray and looks like shredded newspaper, it's cellulose.

 

Health and Safety: Gear Up Differently for Each

Fiberglass

Fiberglass fibers are microscopic and sharp. When disturbed during removal, they become airborne almost instantly. Those fibers cause:

• Skin irritation and itching on contact
• Eye irritation — even brief exposure without goggles can be painful
• Respiratory issues — inhaling glass fibers is a serious long-term health risk

 

Required PPE for fiberglass removal:

• Full-face respirator rated N95 or P100 — not just a dust mask
• Safety goggles — sealed, not vented
• Disposable coveralls — full body, including hood
• Gloves — the fibers will work through fabric quickly, so nitrile over thin gloves helps

 

RAM Pro Tip — Fiberglass With fiberglass, bag quality matters enormously. The sharp glass fibers will find any weak point in a cheap bag and tear through it. RAM bags use heavy-duty woven and non-woven polypropylene with low-dust filtration specifically designed to handle the abrasion from blown fiberglass. Don't cut corners on bags for a fiberglass job.

 

 

Cellulose

Cellulose is generally easier on the body than fiberglass — it won't pierce your skin or cause the same level of irritation. But it's not risk-free:

• The fine paper dust is an irritant and can trigger respiratory issues
• Old cellulose may contain mold if the attic has had any moisture intrusion — this is the bigger concern
• Borate and fire retardant treatments can cause irritation with prolonged exposure

 

Required PPE for cellulose removal:

• N95 respirator at minimum — P100 if mold is suspected
• Safety goggles
• Disposable coveralls — cellulose dust gets everywhere
• Gloves

 

Watch Out — Wet Cellulose If the cellulose has ever gotten wet, treat the job like a mold remediation. Wet cellulose clumps, compacts unevenly, and can harbor serious mold growth. Use a P100 respirator and consider an air scrubber in the work area. Wet cellulose is also significantly heavier — expect slower vacuum flow and heavier bags.

 

 

Vacuum Setup and Equipment Differences

Both materials require a dedicated insulation removal vacuum — a standard shop vac won't cut it. But your setup should be tuned to the material.

 

For fiberglass: Go with higher horsepower. We recommend 15–23 HP for fiberglass removal. The fibers are lightweight but require strong sustained suction to keep them moving through the hose without clumping. Fiberglass also increases filter wear, so check your vacuum filter more frequently.

For cellulose: 10–23 HP works, but the real challenge is weight and density. Cellulose is significantly heavier per cubic foot than fiberglass. This means your bags fill faster by weight, your vacuum works harder, and you'll be hauling out more material by mass.

 

How Your Bags Perform Differently

This is where the rubber meets the road — or more accurately, where the insulation meets the bag.

 

Fiberglass bags: Durability is everything. Fiberglass fibers are abrasive and will punch through a thin or low-quality bag. You need tear-resistant woven polypropylene and filtration that captures fine particles. A blown-out bag mid-job means cleanup, rebagging, and potential exposure for anyone nearby.

Cellulose bags: The challenge is weight. Cellulose compacts densely, and large bags can get extremely heavy. Be mindful of how full you let them get — an overfilled 840 cubic foot bag of cellulose is a two-person lift. Plan your bag size based on how far you have to carry them out.

 

Factor	Fiberglass	Cellulose
Material	Pink/yellow fiber batts or blown	Gray/brown fluffy blown material
Dust level	High — fine glass fibers	Moderate — cellulose dust
Health risk	Skin/eye irritation, lung risk	Mild irritant, mold risk if wet
Bag durability needed	Very high — fibers are sharp	Moderate — but heavy material
Vacuum horsepower	15–23 HP recommended	10–23 HP works well
Compaction in bag	Compresses well	Dense and heavy when compacted
DIY difficulty	Moderate to hard	Moderate

 

 

Job Site Setup Tips

A few best practices that apply to both material types but are especially important given the differences:

 

Seal the work area. Both materials create airborne particles. Tape plastic sheeting over attic openings and HVAC returns before starting. Fiberglass in particular will circulate through a home's duct system if given the chance.

Lighting matters. Both materials can obscure each other and structural elements in dim attics. Use a headlamp with your hood and consider a standalone LED work light.

Stage your bags at the access point. Whether you're pulling through a scuttle hole or a full attic hatch, position bags close to minimize the distance you're dragging them across joists.

Bag size selection. RAM bags range from 75 to 840 cubic feet. For cellulose jobs, consider mid-size bags (100–200 cu ft) so they don't get too heavy to manage. For fiberglass, larger bags are practical because the material is much lighter per cubic foot.

 

The Bottom Line

Fiberglass and cellulose are different animals. Fiberglass demands tougher bags and rigorous respiratory protection because of those fine glass fibers. Cellulose demands attention to weight management and mold awareness, especially in older homes.

The common thread: both jobs require the right vacuum bags to avoid blown-out, messy, costly failures mid-project. RAM bags are built for both — with the tear resistance fiberglass demands and the capacity and strength cellulose requires.

 

Not sure which bag is right for your job? Use our free Insulation Bag Calculator at ramvacbags.com or call us at 404-354-6268. We're a small business and real people answer the phone — 24/7.

 

 

About RAM Insulation Vacuum Bags

RAM Insulation Vacuum Bags has been supplying professional contractors and homeowners with the strongest insulation vacuum bags on the market since 2014. Family owned and operated out of Roswell, GA. Free same-day shipping on qualifying orders.