R Value Insulation In The Attic

Insulation is identified and labeled by r value.

R value insulation in the attic.

Depending on where you live and the part of your home you re insulating walls crawlspace attic etc you ll need a different r value. Achieving greater r values in exterior walls in exterior walls add insulating sheathing to achieve a greater r value in your wall system. While some ceilings in the southwestern part of the united states require a minimum of r 19 insulation most attics or ceiling areas require a minimum of r 38 in the ceiling. Department of energy recommends r 49 attic insulation.

Depending on where you live it s recommended that attics have a minimum r value of r 30 in warm climates to r 60 in cold climates. R stands for resistance to heat flow. In general an attic s r value should be between r 30 and r 49. Recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood framed buildings.

An r value is a measure of a given material s thermal resistance or its ability to inhibit warm air movement toward colder spaces. Existing 3 4 inches of insulation. Often manufacturers stamp r values on the paper side of. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. You can achieve better thermal performance in your attic by adding an additional layer of insulation. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type. Typical recommendations for exterior walls are r 13 to r 23 while r 30 r 38 and r 49 are common for ceilings and attic spaces.

R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat flow. In particularly cold climates you might go up to r 60. Let s say the insulation you ve selected has an r value of three per inch and. The higher the insulation r value the greater the insulating power.

Add the right kind of insulation. In the baltimore area the u s. Recommended insulation by climate by dividing the recommended r value for your area by the r value of your particular type of insulation you find that an attic should have on average.