How Much Attic Insulation Do You Need

The thicker the better.

How much attic insulation do you need.

It is not uncommon to see 15 to 20 of insulation in a well insulated attic. According to home advisor insulating your attic can cost between 1700 to. How well a particular insulation works is expressed by the r value which ranges from 2 0 to 8 0 per inch of insulation. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it.

This range varies from a low of 30 for homes with heat pumps or natural gas furnaces in zone 3 i e. The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home. No matter what kind of insulation you currently have in your attic one quick way to determine if you need more is to look across the span of your attic. Keep reading for the details.

Having the correct amount of attic insulation can help you maintain a comfortable temperature throughout your home and help save money on your energy bills plus prevent major issues like ice dams in the winter. The insulation in your attic should be at least 12 thick. Deciding how much insulation your attic needs is a matter of knowing the r value of your insulation material and the total r value you need your attic to meet then purchasing enough material to make the equation work. Use our roll insulation calculator to estimate the amount of wall insulation crawlspace insulation or attic insulation you need for your project.

How much insulation in attic for zones 1 4. If you want a customized reading the united states department of energy provides this how much insulation do i need calculator additionally all of the specific residential prescriptive requirements for your county and state can be found on the government s energy codes website. The higher the r value the better job the insulation does at preventing the transfer of heat. Insulation level are specified by r value.

The zone you live in will determine how much insulation you need in your attic. Having enough insulation in your attic is one of the best ways to save energy on both heating and cooling your home. Most of ga al ar sc ok etc to a high of 49 for zones 6 8 i e. How much insulation do i need in my attic.

We ve rounded up all the most important know how about attic insulation costs products prep work and installation right here. If you think you re among the 90 of us homes that are under insulated 1 performing a simple insulation inspection will help you determine your insulation needs. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. If your attic insulation is only a few inches thick or if you can see the ceiling joists you re wasting money on your heating and cooling bills.