Florida Attic Insulation R Value
The higher the r value the better it insulates.
Florida attic insulation r value. Typically current best home building practices indicate an r 30 to r 38 for attic insulation. That translates to about 12 inches of insulation. Existing 3 4 inches of insulation. Recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood framed buildings.
R values given in table 402 1 1 frame walls r 13 block walls interior insulation r 7 8 exterior insulation r 6 ceilings. Foam insulation r values range from r 4 to r 6 5 per inch of thickness 2 54 cm which is up to 2 times greater than most other insulating materials of the same thickness. Add insulation to attic. Energystar recommends an r value of r 38 for most homes.
Energy star s map of recommended home insulation shows that the majority of florida is within zone 2. Yes generally a higher r value means a more effective insulator but the highest r value possible may not be necessarily right for your project. 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. Must be inside conditioned space tested to q n 0 03 by a class 1 bers.
Maximum 20 of conditioned floor area. Insulating power or r value is only one factor to consider when building or improving a home to keep it comfortable. The florida building code identifies two distinct climate zones. 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.
The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. The r value your home s attic needs depends on where you live. You can achieve better thermal performance in your attic by adding an additional layer of insulation. Achieving greater r values in exterior walls.
Different materials respond to weather conditions differently. You can see on home depot s website how many inches translates to a certain r value. For block walls interior insulation must meet or exceed r 7 8 and exterior insulation must be r 6. Blown fiberglass installed in the attic has an r value of 2 2 per inch so 12 inches of it would give you an r value of 26 4 in your attic installation project.
Climate zone 1 consists of the following south florida counties. Foam in place insulation can be injected into walls to reduce air leakage and improve r value. Raised r 13 sog r 0 windows. What r value is best for my home.
Broward collier hendry lee miami dade monroe and palm beach and require a minimum r 30 attic insulation.