The first thing you’ll want to do is climb up into the attic to see how much insulation is there. Take a ruler to measure the thickness of the insulation, and then multiply that number by the R-value per inch of the type of insulation used, which can easily be found on the web. This will give you your R-value. The higher the number, the better. Next, do a search for the recommended amount of insulation for the region in which you live (the Department of Energy is a good place to start looking), and subtract the amount you do have from that number, which will tell you just how much more insulation you need to install. Make sure you also know the measurements of the area you are covering before heading out to buy your supplies.

There are many different types of insulation, such as fiberglass, cellulose, and polystyrene board, just to name a few. With these types of insulation, some come in loose-fill, while others might be in rolls. You can add the same type of insulation that you already have, or you can choose another type. Either way is still effective. Your local hardware or home improvement store should have the materials needed for insulation, including blowers that can be rented for the loose-fill type. When installing, make sure you do not block air flow in the eaves or cover up recessed lighting. Be sure to read any instructions that come with the insulation, as well. If you are not the do-it-yourself type of homeowner, there are also many companies that can do it for you. Regardless of which route you take, the time and money spent now on insulating your attic will come back to you in the form of savings on your gas and electric bills.

If you have an older home, you might need to check that you don’t have asbestos attic insulation. You will need to carefully remove it because of it’s negative health effects.

Not only is insulating your attic good for your budget and your wallet, it also is good for the environment. Saving energy and using your heating and air conditioning systems less reduces carbon offsets. The less carbon that is released into the atmosphere, the better. So, please, take the time to ensure that your attic is well-insulated and is helping to keep hot air in the house in the winter and cold air in the house in the summer. Your wallet and the environment will thank you.

Although basic common sense would seem to dictate that the thicker an insulation product, the better it will be at the job of insulating a home. Unfortunately, this is a case where common sense is incorrect. Insulation with a higher r-value doesn’t necessarily mean that it is thicker than products with lower r-values. In fact, it’s probably thinner than lower-rated insulation products. Actually, if two products are different in thickness, if they have identical r-value ratings, then they will probably be equally good at resisting heat. The facts of insulation r-value is sometimes completely against common sense.

Unfortunately, not all facts of insulation r-value products are necessarily positive. The way that testing is done on insulation in order to determine its r-value is by testing the product in an environment with a stable temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, where there is no air movement at all. Obviously, we use insulation in rooms and homes where the problem is that we have too much air movement and temperature isn’t always an ideal 70 degrees. Sometimes the insulation’s r-value isn’t always a truly accurate indicator of how well it resists heat flow.

In North America, an insulation rating of R-12 is the recommended level. There are many interesting facts of insulation r-value and how they are created and used. It may seem obvious, but the r-value of certain types of housing insulation is dramatically lowered if there are air or water leaks. Here’s one of the interesting facts of insulation r-value: Insulation one inch thick is actually the equivalent of having 30 inches of concrete. That’s how effective true insulation products are at resisting heat flow.

However, there are three main types of insulation and each one is made from a different material. House insulation r-value in blown-in-cellulose is actually 3.70 per inch. Another material widely used for insulation is fiberglass and it has a rating at 3.14 per inch. Finally, one of the best materials is expanded polystyrene which is at 4.00 per inch.

The goal is to protect your home and keep the air inside stable and comfortable no matter what the weather outside is like. Learning the facts about insulation r-value will help you when deciding what type of insulation you want to have installed into your home. It may cost you more money up front to buy better insulation, but you’ll definitely save money in the long run when you realize that the insulation is doing its job. In the end, learning the facts about r-value will help you save a lot of money.

Read More:

1. How to Lay Attic Insulation