Best R Value Insulation For Attic

You will need a higher r value of insulation if you live in the northeast than if you live in southern california.

Best r value insulation for attic. You only need four inches of r 3 5 cellulose in a wall cavity to exceed the recommended insulation level of r 13 for walls located in zone 4. Cavity wall insulation technique determining what is the best house insulation polyurethane foam has the highest r value 6 5 inch thickness of all the spray in insulation but it is also the most expensive. It is manufactured from recycled paper. 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.

In particularly cold climates you might go up to r 60. There are many ways to retrofit a home with fiberglass and. Achieving greater r values in exterior walls. Therefore it needs to be fireproof.

Recycled glass or sand that s melted and spun into fibers. Where you live different climates require different insulation r values. Loose fill cellulose is rated between r 3 2 and r 3 9 per inch making it one of the least efficient insulation materials available. Recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood framed buildings.

But newer homes in central and southern arizona are insulated to ratings of r 30 to r 38 while newer homes in northern arizona generally have attic insulation at r 60 because of colder winters. If you put an air permeable insulation material over a hole in your ceiling you may have comfort indoor air quality durability and efficiency problems. You can achieve better thermal performance in your attic by adding an additional layer of insulation. Here are the most common insulation materials listed in order of lowest to highest r value.

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. In general an attic s r value should be between r 30 and r 49. Before you ever get insulation anywhere near the attic though make sure that you get the air leakage sites sealed up. Let s say the insulation you ve selected has an r value of three per inch and.

Add insulation to attic. However cellulose is inexpensive environmentally friendly and easy to install behind finished walls. Lighter in weight than cellulose or mineral wool but it settles more than those materials so you ve got to put in a thicker layer to get the protection you need. Cellulose has an r value of 3 5 inch thickness.