How Much R Value Do I Need In My Attic

Add insulation to attic.
How much r value do i need in my attic. See the department of energy s doe ranges for recommended levels of insulation below. The short answer is as much as you can get and a good rule of thumb is to have a r value of 38 in your attic. Energystar gov for homes in the boise idaho area the insulation r value climate zone is 5. For example if you have a type of insulation that has an r value of r 5 per inch of thickness you will need a depth of 6 inches of this insulation installed in your attic to reach r 30 if you live in zones 2 or 3.
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. R value of insulation by type. You will need a. Things needed dust mask.
To determine the r value of the insulation in your attic you need to know the r value of the type of insulation in your home and the thickness of the insulation. There are two factors to consider when planning to insulate your attic. This will allow you to add the needed insulation. If you look at the chart above you can see that the attic should achieve an r value between r38 and r60 depending on the current insulation levels.
These r values are a sum meaning this should be the total r value once you add up the entire depth of insulation. How much attic insulation do i need. Where you live different climates require different insulation r values. 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.
I ll keep in mind to have a minimum of r 49 in my attic since my house is located in a place with cold weather brrr brrr and brrr. I ll also make sure to have an r 25 rating for my floor insulation. Existing 3 4 inches of insulation. 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.
Here are the r values per inch of the most common types of insulation.