What Does the R-Value of Insulation Mean?

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What Does the R-Value of Insulation Mean?

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The R-value of insulation is its ability to
resist the transfer of heat through the
insulation. Heat transfer is the loss of warm air
from inside the home to the exterior.

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It also implies the transfer of heat during the
warm summer months from outside into the home.
So, insulation with high R-values resist heat
transfer much better than insulation with low
R-value.

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To give you a good comparison, the attic
insulation in newly built homes have an average
R-value rating of 44, while concrete blocks used
around the foundation have an R-value of 1. This
is why it is common to add spray foam insulation
in between the openings found in concrete blocks.

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The R-value is directly related to the thickness
of the insulation and the air density. For
example, regular fibreglass insulation must be
twelve inches deep in order to achieve around an
Rvalue of 38.

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On the other hand, loose cellulose insulation
only needs to be about 10 inches deep to have the
same R-value. Now that you know what the R-value
means, it is important to keep in mind different
areas of your home have different minimum
recommended R-values.

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Crawlspaces R-19Exterior Sidewalls
R-18Basement R-19Attic R-44

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Depending on when your home was built it may lack
these minimum values. Adding insulation to
exterior sidewalls, crawlspaces, and basements
can be difficult and challenging.

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Yet, increasing the amount of insulation in your
attic is fairly easy because you are essentially
topping off the existing insulation.

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Topping off your attic insulation and
increasing the R-value to at least R-44 could
potentially reduce your homes heating costs this
winter by as much as 20.

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Plus, the additional insulation will help keep
your home cooler in the summer and could save you
as much as 10 off summertime cooling costs.

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TIP If you have an electric furnace or
electric baseboard heating, it is recommended to
increase attic insulation to a minimum of R-49.
This is because electric types of home heating
tend to be less energy efficient and can cost
more, compared to natural gas heating.

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Bonus TIP For maximum savings on heating and
energy bills we recommend topping off attic
insulation to an Rvalue of R-60.

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How to Calculate Your Current R-Value in Your
Attic The easiest way to get an idea of the
current R-value rating for your existing attic
insulation is to measure it with a tape measure.

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Carefully push the end of the tape measure down
without disturbing the insulation as best as
possible, until you hit the baseboard underneath.

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TIP You will want to wear gloves, a facemask,
and protective goggles when measuring the depth
of fibreglass insulation because fibreglass can
irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory system.

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For both fiberglass and cellulose insulation,
every inch of insulation is approximately equal
to an R-value of 3.5. So if you have 10 inches of
insulation in your attic, it roughly has an
Rvalue of R-35, which is under the minimum
recommended amount.

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If you need assistance in determining the R-value
of your attic insulation or want to have it
topped off before it gets really cold, please
feel free to contact Logik Roofing at
905.424.7469 today! Source- http//www.logikroo
fing.com/r-value-insulation-mean/

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