Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - attic insulation R-value
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dan619fan
03-28-05, 04:26 PM
We are building a new home and we do not know what R-value insulation to use in our attic. We live in forest county Pa .some people say r-38 others say r-49, what should i use.
resercon
03-28-05, 05:15 PM
http://www.ornl.gov/~roofs/Zip/ZipHome.html
Your just enter the first 3 numbers of your zip code and it will give you the recommendations for insulation in your area. If you know the type of heating fuel, it will also give you those recommendations. The recommendations for an electric heated home is higher than for a natural gas heated home.
Keep in mind that these are recommendations which usually exceed local code requirements. You should checked with your local building department on their requirements.
Your just enter the first 3 numbers of your zip code and it will give you the recommendations for insulation in your area. If you know the type of heating fuel, it will also give you those recommendations. The recommendations for an electric heated home is higher than for a natural gas heated home.
Keep in mind that these are recommendations which usually exceed local code requirements. You should checked with your local building department on their requirements.
Ed Imeduc
03-28-05, 05:44 PM
resercon
Good www. there. I know when we first started with electric heat had to put more insulation in. That was cause the cost of electric was higher. Now its lower. So now and back then I still look at it, a btu is a btu if it comes from electric, oil or gas. So you need so many Btu's for the home with so much insulation in it no mater what you use for heat. Might go http://www.warmair.net and compare fuel cost for where you are.
Do put a lot of insulation in for sure.
ED ;)
Good www. there. I know when we first started with electric heat had to put more insulation in. That was cause the cost of electric was higher. Now its lower. So now and back then I still look at it, a btu is a btu if it comes from electric, oil or gas. So you need so many Btu's for the home with so much insulation in it no mater what you use for heat. Might go http://www.warmair.net and compare fuel cost for where you are.
Do put a lot of insulation in for sure.
ED ;)
grover
03-28-05, 06:55 PM
The 2003 International Residential Code (IRC) chapter 11 puts Forest County in climate zone 15, and requires at a minimum R-49 ceilings, R-21 walls & floors, R-20 for crawlspace walls and R-11 for basement walls. Or if you're on a slab, it requires R-13 perimeter insulation to a depth/distance of 4'. Feel free to exceed those values, though!
PA varies greatly- there are only a few counties in climate zone 15; most are 12 & 13 which only require R-38 ceilings, which is probably where the confusion lies. (Lower=warmer)
PA varies greatly- there are only a few counties in climate zone 15; most are 12 & 13 which only require R-38 ceilings, which is probably where the confusion lies. (Lower=warmer)