What do insulation ratings mean

By: Amanda Ringler on January 31st, Why does researching home insulation have to be so complicated? Why are there so many numbers?

What do they mean? Is a higher R-Value better or is there something that supersedes that measurement? Those are a lot of questions and they are all ones I have asked myself as the content manager here at RetroFoam of Michigan. Luckily I have picked the brain of our Professor of Foam and scoured the Internet so I can finally and definitively answer what is the highest R-Value insulation, what impacts insulation R-Value, and is a higher R-Value really better?

Have you ever sat on a cold bench and had the air sucked right out of your lungs from the shock? Eventually, your body heat warms the spot where you are sitting as you get colder as well. This is heat loss through conduction in a nutshell. Keep in mind, there is a range because different brands may have a different R-Value.

Insulation sheets come in various different materials and structures, including foil, bulk, foam and more. The sheets themselves are not created equally. Each sheet is created with different R value ratings. Basically, R values range from 1. Within the R value of insulation, there are three kinds of R values that are commonly used to more specifically measure heat flow resistance variables:.

Any insulation that carries a higher R value is going to be more effective than that with a lower R value, but the truth is that a higher R value is not always required for every home.

To appreciate this better, the BCA Building Code of Australia has within in it energy efficiency provisions for new homes, with requirements for certain R values.

For example, homes in climates that are extremely hot and humid only require R values of 3 or 4, while homes in freezing, alpine climates require a minimum R value of 6. While the R value of 7 is more effective than the R value of 3, If you live in a home that is in a very hot climate, it would potentially be wasteful, unnecessarily expensive, and counterproductive to install insulation with an R value rating of 7.

When manufacturers produce insulation, they do so with specific R values. So when you are buying insulation, consult your supplier to get more detailed information on what exact R value each insulation carries. How heat flows through walls. What is R-Value? Where to insulate in your home. Why should you insulate your home? Thermal insulation for new homes. Acoustic insulation for new homes. Condensation control for new homes. Fire protection for homes in bushfire zones.

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Don't overlook the underfloor. Victoria sets the standard in energy efficiency for renters. Acoustic Solution Range. Heat flow can also move indirectly through interior ceilings, walls, and floors--wherever there is a difference in temperature.

During the cooling season, heat flows from the outdoors to the interior of a house. To maintain comfort, the heat lost in the winter must be replaced by your heating system and the heat gained in the summer must be removed by your cooling system. Properly insulating your home will decrease this heat flow by providing an effective resistance to the flow of heat.

The R-value depends on the type of insulation, its thickness, and its density. The R-value of most insulations also depends on temperature, aging, and moisture accumulation.

When calculating the R-value of a multilayered installation, add the R-values of the individual layers. Installing more insulation in your home increases the R-value and the resistance to heat flow. In general, increased insulation thickness will proportionally increase the R-value. However, as the installed thickness increases for loose-fill insulation, the settled density of the product increases due to compression of the insulation under its own weight. Because of this compression, loose-fill insulation R-value does not change proportionately with thickness.