Monday, July 30, 2012

Recommended Levels of Insulation

Insulation level are specified by R-Value. R-Value is a measure of insulation’s ability to resist heat traveling through it. The higher the R-Value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost-effective for different climates and locations in the home.

ZoneAdd Insulation to AtticFloor
Uninsulated AtticExisting 3–4 Inches of Insulation
1R30 to R49R25 to R30R13
2R30 to R60R25 to R38R13 to R19
3R30 to R60R25 to R38R19 to R25
4R38 to R60R38R25 to R30
5 to 8R49 to R60R38 to R49R25 to R30
Wall Insulation: Whenever exterior siding is removed on an
Uninsulated wood-frame wall:
  • Drill holes in the sheathing and blow insulation into the empty wall cavity before installing the new siding, and
  • Zones 3–4: Add R5 insulative wall sheathing beneath the new siding
  • Zones 5–8: Add R5 to R6 insulative wall sheathing beneath the new siding.
Insulated wood-frame wall:
  • For Zones 4 to 8: Add R5 insulative sheathing before installing the new siding.
Visit Sandium.Com for more information on proper insulation on your home.

Original article from Energy Star

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