How many inches of insulation should be in my attic? Can you put too much insulation in an attic? How do I calculate how much insulation I need?
We will be discussing all these in this guide.
How Much Attic Insulation Do I Need?
Attic insulation does a lot of good for your home.
Benefits range from controlling air leakage, reducing energy costs, better air quality, creating useful space, better temperature control, and preventing winter ice dams.
Pest issues are also prevented in addition to structural damage.
These and many other reasons make attic insulation necessary. However, what we seek to find out is how much insulation is needed in an attic. Can attic insulation be considered too much or too little?
Our discussion will be centered on finding answers to these types of questions.
A Brief Background on Temperature Zones
To better understand the type or degree of insulation needed, you’ll need to have an understanding of the different temperature zones.
The United States (contiguous) has about 9 temperature zones while the tropical climate of Hawaii sums it up to about 10.
Now, temperature zones mostly have to do with the amount of sunlight received by a region. This determines the typical temperature ranges around such locations.
Connecting this with our topic, it’s easy to see why the degree of attic insulation is important.
Some locations or temperature zones require more insulation than others and vice versa. With this introduction, you’ll need to read on for further details on how temperature zones impact the type of insulation provided.
How much insulation do you need in your attic? This will be discussed shortly.
How Thick Should Attic Insulation Be And Energy Costs
Over the last decade, energy costs have skyrocketed, thus increasing the need for better energy conservation practices.
For example, older homes are largely considered under-insulated compared to newer constructions where considerations like high energy costs influence the types of insulation provided.
With higher energy bills, it’s natural for homeowners to want to better insulate their homes. This ensures that energy costs are largely minimized.
However, this isn’t the primary determinant for the degree of insulation provided. For a better understanding, we’ll have to go back to the temperature zone explanation.
How Much Insulation In Attic: Temperature Zones
Due to varying climatic conditions, it becomes necessary to provide appropriate insulation that fits the climate of the area. Speaking of the degree of insulation, this is measured by the insulation thickness.
-
Attic Insulation R-Value
You can easily find out what your current level of insulation is by measuring with a ruler.
Of course, measurement is done in inches. A term you need to be conversant with is the R-value which is also known as the resistance value. The resistance value is a measure of insulation’s capacity to resist heat traveling through it.
So, the higher R-value your insulation has, the better its thermal performance becomes.
-
Temperature Zones
Zone 1 climatic conditions are considered the coldest with temperatures between -60 to -50 degrees F.
Zone 2 locations are those measuring -50 to -40 degrees F, while Zone 3 locations have temperatures measuring between -40 to -30 degrees F.
If you live in a Zone 4 temperature zone, you’re likely to have temperatures within the ranges of -30 to -20. This slightly differs from temperatures in Zone 5 locations which measure anywhere from -20 to -10 degrees F.
Zone 6 climatic conditions range between -10 and 0.
Temperatures get warmer for locations within the Zone 7 belt with measurements between 0 to 10 degrees F. Most locations within the United States are covered by these temperature zones.
As such, we won’t be going further to discuss the other zones.
Connecting Temperature Zones to Degree of Attic Insulation
Our discussion so far has highlighted the differences in temperature zones and the variations involved. We’ve also talked about insulation degrees.
In this section, we’ll be making the vital connection between temperature zones and the extent of attic insulation necessary.
i. Degree of Attic Insulation Ideal for Temperature Zones 1 to 3
This is where we get into details highlighting the degree of insulation best suited for temperature zones 1 through 3.
If you live within a zone 1 location or area, the average minimum attic insulation thickness would be 9 inches with an R-value of 30. Thickness is measured from the surface floor to the top of the fill.
The average recommended level for such insulation is 14 inches with an R-value of 49. The requirements are different for persons living in Zone 2 locations.
For such areas, the average minimum attic insulation thickness will be 9 inches with an R-value of 30. However, the average recommended thickness is 17 inches with an R-value of 60.
For Zone 3 climatic locations, the average minimum insulation thickness for the attic is 9 with an R-value of 30 while the average recommended insulation thickness is about 17 inches with an R-value of 60.
ii. Degree of Attic Insulation Ideal for Temperature Zones 4 to 7
For Zone for locations, the average minimum attic insulation thickness is 11 inches with an R-value of 38. However, the average recommended level is 17 inches of R-value 60.
Zone 5 climatic conditions require an average minimum attic insulation thickness of 11 inches with an R-value of 38. The average recommended level is 17 inches of R-value 60.
For homeowners living in temperature 6, an average minimum requirement for attic thickness is 14 inches with an R-value of 49. The average recommended level is 17 inches of R-value 60.
Lastly, Zone 7 climatic regions need an average minimum attic insulation thickness of 14 inches with an R-value of 49. The average recommended level is 17 inches of R-value 60.
It’s not a Complicated Process to Figure out Insulation Thickness
How much insulation should be in my attic?
If you’ve read to this point, you’ll discover that figuring out an ideal insulation thickness for your attic isn’t a complicated process. You only need to know certain things about your climatic condition which is revealed by temperature zone.
There are documented insulation thickness variations that fit each zone you live in. Also important is the R-value of such insulation. With such details, you shouldn’t have a problem figuring out what needs to be done.
Determining the insulation thickness most ideal for your attic is very important.
However, you must have a professional provide all your insulation needs. It can be confusing when performed through DIY methods as there might be mistakes that could later become problematic.
Now that you’re able to figure out the amount of insulation most ideal for your attic, it’s necessary to ensure the process is professionally executed.
You end up having a home that isn’t under-insulated or over-insulated. That’s as far as we’ll go.