How Much Attic Insulation Do I Need In Florida

Broward collier hendry lee miami dade monroe and palm beach and require a minimum r 30 attic insulation.

How much attic insulation do i need in florida. Square footage of your attic. Contractor or insulation installer s fee. Most insulation you buy will have a sq ft number for easy reference. The main factors that impact the cost are.

Inspecting your attic insulation. You may also need to add insulation to your crawl space. Homes should have between r 22 and r 49 insulation in the attic. The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home.

Energy star s map of recommended home insulation shows that the majority of florida is within zone 2. Would adding insulation there affect heating and cooling costs. October 12 2016 by cindy hastings. Where on that scale you lie depends on your home and the heating system you use electric furnaces need more in home insulation.

Climate zone 1 consists of the following south florida counties. This zone has a recommended r value of 30 to 60 for an uninsulated attic r25 to r38 for an attic with existing insulation and r13 to r19 for the floor. For block walls interior insulation must meet or exceed r 7 8 and exterior insulation must be r 6. Residential requirements for insulation are divided by the location in the home.

Insulation requirements in florida. Your attic should have a certain amount of insulation in it and the recommended level of insulation for your attic is dependent on where you live. Homeowners are always looking to save money on heating and cooling costs. Can i have too much insulation.

The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. First things first you need to go up into your attic inspect the condition of the insulation and calculate the current level of insulation. If your attic has enough insulation and your home still feels drafty and cold in the winter or too warm in the summer chances are you need to add insulation to the exterior walls as well. Let s say you measured your attic and you realize your attic has about 9 inches r 30 of insulation and your attic is about 40 sq feet you d need at least 3 inches of extra insulation that covers 40 sq ft to get an r value of r 38.

Framed wall insulation must meet or exceed r 13. According to home advisor insulating your attic can cost between 1700 to 2100. Insulation level are specified by r value. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it.

All other florida counties are considered to be in climate zone 2 and require a minimum r 38. Insulating the attic above a home is one step to ensure these costs are kept low but what about the attic over a garage. Do i need to insulate the attic area over my garage. You want your insulation to reach an r value of around 38 49 here in florida to be effective.