Florida Attic Insulation R Value

Existing 3 4 inches of insulation.

Florida attic insulation r value.

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. Different materials respond to weather conditions differently. 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. 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.

Insulating power or r value is only one factor to consider when building or improving a home to keep it comfortable. The higher the r value the better it insulates. Recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood framed buildings. Maximum 20 of conditioned floor area.

The r value your home s attic needs depends on where you live. 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. Must be inside conditioned space tested to q n 0 03 by a class 1 bers. Foam in place insulation can be injected into walls to reduce air leakage and improve r value.

Energystar recommends an r value of r 38 for most homes. Ceiling insulation must be much higher at r 30 and a raised floor must be at least r 13. Achieving greater r values in exterior walls. That translates to about 12 inches of insulation.

R values given in table 402 1 1 frame walls r 13 block walls interior insulation r 7 8 exterior insulation r 6 ceilings. The florida building code identifies two distinct climate zones. Climate zone 1 consists of the following south florida counties. Add insulation to attic.

Energy star s map of recommended home insulation shows that the majority of florida is within zone 2. Broward collier hendry lee miami dade monroe and palm beach and require a minimum r 30 attic insulation. Typically current best home building practices indicate an r 30 to r 38 for attic insulation. For block walls interior insulation must meet or exceed r 7 8 and exterior insulation must be r 6.

The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. You can see on home depot s website how many inches translates to a certain r value. Typical recommendations for exterior walls are r 13 to r 23 while r 30 r 38 and r 49 are common for ceilings and attic spaces. You can achieve better thermal performance in your attic by adding an additional layer of insulation.

Framed wall insulation must meet or exceed r 13.