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Recommended Levels of Insulation

Aladdin Insulation recommends following the Department of Energy’s recommendation on what R-Value is right for your home.  Here in Atlanta, Ga are recommended best R-Value is R-60.  Too many insulation companies are confusing today’s homeowners by charging too little or too much for attic insulation. Level the playing field by raising the bar and requiring the right amount of insulation or your home in the first place. After reieving estimates for the right amount of insulation for your home now your ready to look at the differences between the companies such as warranties, licensing, experience, and other services they may be offering such as Air Sealing.

Insulation levels are specified by R-Value. R-Value is a measure of insulation’s ability to resist heat traveling through it. The higher the R-Value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost-effective for different climates and locations in the home.

US map showing recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood-framed buildings

Zone Add Insulation to Attic Floor
Uninsulated Attic Existing 3–4 Inches of Insulation
1 R30 to R49 R25 to R30 R13
2 R30 to R60 R25 to R38 R13 to R19
3 R30 to R60 R25 to R38 R19 to R25
4 R38 to R60 R38 R25 to R30
5 to 8 R49 to R60 R38 to R49 R25 to R30
Wall Insulation: Whenever exterior siding is removed on anUninsulated wood-frame wall:

  • Drill holes in the sheathing and blow insulation into the empty wall cavity before installing the new siding, and
  • Zones 3–4: Add R5 insulative wall sheathing beneath the new siding
  • Zones 5–8: Add R5 to R6 insulative wall sheathing beneath the new siding.

Insulated wood-frame wall:

  • For Zones 4 to 8: Add R5 insulative sheathing before installing the new siding.