What is Attic Insulation R-Value?

So you are researching getting new insulation in your Tampa home and you keep hearing about R-Value. What is R-Value? How much insulation do you really need in your attic? What can I expect to save with higher R-Value insulation? We'll dig into all of this in this article!

What is R-Value? Well, R-Value is the rating system used by insulation manufacturers to display how well their insulation insulates from heat and cold with a material thickness of one inch. What that means to you is the bigger the R-Value number, the easier it is for your insulation to stop the transfer of cold or heat.

Stopping this transfer of heat is especially important in our area since attic insulation in Florida has to keep the heat in your attic and not in your living space. In the summer attic temperatures can climb to 140 degrees+ so having insulation with a high R-Value in the attic helps keep your home cool, your electric bills lower, and extends the life of your air conditioning system.

In Florida, the Department of Energy recommends R-38 for your attic. Code is only R-30 in our area so that means even if you have a new home, it's likely underinsulated according to Department of Energy standards. That R-30 code is also relatively new compared to many of the homes in the area. It is not uncommon for us to estimate new insulation and find that the home has little or even no insulation in the attic.

Homeowners with no insulation in the attic often call us after having their air conditioning company out and asking why their air conditioning unit won't stop running only to find out that the problem is not their AC unit but, the problem is the lack of insulation in their attic.

Overall savings is dependent on how much insulation you had prior to our install, however, if your AC unit is running non-stop now, after new insulation you could see up to a 40% savings on your electric bill alone not to mention the extended life of your air conditioning system.

Having the proper R-Value in your attic is extremely important. If you think you may need new insulation contact us today and we can give you an estimate. Remember, insulation is the only home improvement that will pay for itself over and over again in savings on your electric bill for years to come!