Insulation R-Values

The insulation in your home may not always be top of mind as a homeowner, but it is an important part of helping your home stay energy-efficient and comfortable. Not to mention that insulation helps lower the cost of heating and cooling your home by keeping the hot or cool air where it belongs…inside the house! The secret to choosing the insulation that fits your situation best is to evaluate which R-value is right for you. The “R” stands for resistance to heat flow. A higher R-value means greater insulating power. So, if you’re looking at insulation with an R-value of 38 from Option A and insulation with an R-value of 38 from Option B, you’ll know the two products offer the same level of insulation. This is true even if they are different kinds of insulation — for instance, if one is blanket insulation, which comes in rolls and the other is loose-fill insulation, which comes as loose fibers or fiber pellets and requires special equipment to blow it into a space. Several factors affect the R-value your home needs: • Where you live: you’ll need insulation with a higher R-value if you live in a cold climate like the Northeast than if you live in a warm climate like Texas. • How your home is constructed and where the insulation will be: is it a single-level or multi-level structure? Do you have cathedral ceilings? Is your home built on a slab or pier and beam? Each of these factors helps determine the level of insulation your home needs. • How you heat and cool your home: whether you have a furnace, central air conditioner, or a heat pump can make a difference in your insulation decisions. It’s more efficient to use insulation with higher R-values in the attic and in rooms with cathedral ceilings than in wood frame walls, basements, or crawl spaces with walls. A good way to see where energy is being wasted in your home is to do a home energy audit, which involves: looking at your heating system, insulation, windows, doors, and other parts of your home to determine where you might be losing energy. A more thorough audit from a professional will provide you with specific recommendations on how to make your house more energy efficient. Choosing the right insulation for your home can increase your energy efficiency and help you save money each month on your energy bill. Call Spencer Air Conditioning and Heating today at (972) 446- COOL (2665) or find out more at spencerairconditioning.com.