Don’t Waste. Insulate!

April 1, 2018

Properly insulating your home reduces heating and cooling costs, and improves comfort.
R-values measure a material’s resistance to conductive heat flow. The higher the R-value rating, the greater the effectiveness of the insulation. Below are recommended R-values for areas of the

home that should be insulated.

*Recommendations on R-values are subject to regional climate conditions.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy

1. Ductwork

Whether it’s made of metal or plastic (PVC), insulated ductwork protects your investment in conditioned air year-round. Minimal R-values of 4.3 are recommended for blanket-style wraps secured with tape. Insulated ductwork rated at R-6 is also available.

2. Exterior Walls

There are multiple options for insulating exterior walls. Rock wool or fiberglass batts of R-13 to R-20 value are preferred behind drywall, but each inch of blown-in polyurethane foam insulation provides an R-value of 3.9.

3. Beneath Living Space

Whether your home has a full basement, a crawl space or an attached garage, having an insulation value of R-19 under the living space floor will help increase comfort year-round.

4. Slab Foundation

Properly installed foam boards around the exterior edge of the slab of an existing home can reduce heating bills by 10 percent or more.