What Are R-Values for Insulation?

What Are R-Values for Insulation
February 28, 2022

Insulation is rated by its thermal resistance or R-value. The R-value of insulation helps you find the right level of insulation for a home or business. Having too much insulation wastes money, but having too little can lead to heat loss in your home, increase your heating bills and make your home temperatures low. Learning a few home insulation basics can help you understand how insulation is rated.

What Is an R-Rating for Insulation?

R-values measure insulation’s efficiency in resisting heat transfer. The higher the R-value, the greater its ability to withstand heat.

How Suggested R-Values Differ by Area

The farther north you go, the higher the R-value recommended for insulation. For instance, a high R-value is essential in an attic, where cold air can seep in during the winter and reduce temperatures in the entire house. You could see the R-value of insulation in the attic in a cold climate as high as R-30. Floors are usually about half that, and walls can have an even lower R-value.

Why the differences? You want the highest R-values in the place where you’re most likely to lose heat, which means the roof rather than the lower floors or basement. Heat generally moves vertically rather than horizontally. So, putting a high R-value insulation in the attic provides better protection in the place where you need it the most.

Do R-Ratings Apply to All Insulation?

All types of insulation fall under the R-rating system, including everything from fiberglass to foam. You can mix different kinds of insulation in your home, but a professional may need to guide you to the right R-rating if you do this.

R-Ratings For Insulation

Deciding What Type of Insulation to Use in a Home

How can you determine what insulation to use in your house? We recommend speaking to a professional, such as an employee at Soundproof Cow, who can analyze your home situation and provide ideas tailored to your needs. If you live in a warmer climate, you may not need insulation at all in your walls, though you still probably need it in your attic.

Contact Soundproof Cow to Learn More

Soundproof Cow offers many home soudproofing insulation options you can explore to find the right fit for your house. Reach out to us to ask questions about R-values or our services.


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About Ryan Yaukey

Soundproof Cow Representative

Ryan has been with Soundproofcow.com since 2013 working on many different types of commercial projects. He specializes in custom applications required by specific building codes and architects. He started in the construction industry building houses. These projects taught him how to construct a home based on standard building codes in Pennsylvania. While on college breaks, he worked on electrical, plumbing, drywall repair, and all types of property maintenance. These skills allow him to remodel portions of his own properties, as well as assist contractors, architects, and homeowners complete their soundproofing renovations successfully. In the beginning if his career at soundproofcow.com he specialized in working with flooring contractors. This experience made him very familiar with STC and IIC ratings for a variety of assemblies. These IIC-rated assemblies determine how much impact sounds transfer in condos and multicomplex facilities which can be a major nuisance. Knowledge of these ratings as well as all types of soundproofing products, have given Ryan the ability to fix customers’ noise issues. His research on all types of soundproofing and sound absorption products foreign and domestic allow him to procure and customize the correct products for a client’s specific need. Please reach out with any questions regarding soundproofing, sound absorption or the application of materials.

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