Recommended
R-Values
The United States Department of
Energy has ZIP-Code Insulation Calculator that
enables you to determine the recommended R-value
for your part of the country.
You will need various R-values for the different
areas in your home, as each one plays its own
part in helping to keep your home comfortable.
For example, if you have a home in the Midwest
the recommended R-value for your attic is R-38
to R-44 while the recommended R-value for your
basement is only R-10 to R-19. Your crawlspace
will need an R-value of R-19 while your
sidewalls need anywhere from R-11 to R-18.
The United States Department of Energy has
ZIP-Code Insulation Calculator that enables you
to determine the recommended R-value for your
part of the country.
Adding insulation to your attic will give you
the most bang for your buck. You can save up to
20 percent on your heating and cooling costs by
simply upgrading your attic insulation from
three inches to twelve inches.
Upgrading the insulation in your attic is even
more important if you use electricity to heat
your home. Electric heat is both less energy
efficient and more expensive than other forms of
heating, so much so that the U.S. Department of
Energy gives a recommendation of R-49 for homes
that are heated using electricity.
You can lower your home energy costs by an
additional ten percent by upgrading your
sidewall insulation, although this is more
challenging than adding attic insulation. One
great method used to add sidewall insulation to
an existing home is to cut small holes in the
exterior siding and blow in loose fill
insulation. If you are remodeling your home by
replacing your exterior siding you may want to
consider adding rigid foam insulation on top of
the sheathing.
Another way to lower your energy costs by five
to ten percent is to add insulation to your
basement and foundation. You can also insulate
the walls of your crawlspace to give you even
more energy efficiency.
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