Logan Voss
If you’re considering insulating your home, you should first understand why the R-value is important in insulation and how you can use it to understand your insulation options. Keep reading to familiarize yourself with R-value and how it affects your insulation choice.
Dictates Heat Transfer
If you’re not already familiar with R-value, it’s defined as the measure of a material’s thermal resistance. In the case of insulation, this means how well the material will prevent the transfer of heat. R-value essentially determines the effectiveness of an insulation material. So when you’re choosing a material for your insulation, the R-value is an extremely important factor. You want to choose a material that will be the most effective at preventing heat transfer in the hot and cold months.
Not all insulation materials have the same R-value. In fact, even closed-cell spray foam and open-cell spray foam have different R-values.
Affects Eco-Friendliness
Having effective insulation with a high R-value can influence your home’s overall eco-friendliness. This is because the more heat your insulation keeps out in the summer or traps in the winter, the less reliant you’ll be on your thermostat and HVAC unit. Many people compare an insulation’s R-value when determining which material will save them the most on their energy bills.
Helps You Choose the Right Insulation
As we mentioned, many homebuyers consider an insulation’s R-value as one of the factors that help them make their purchase. Because of this, manufacturers often price insulation based on R-value as one of the pricing factors. A high R-value may be best for your home, especially if you live in an area with extreme summer and winter weather, but make sure to compare the cost and your budget.
In conclusion, if you’re considering a certain type insulation for your home, make sure you investigate its effectiveness through its R-value. Hopefully this sheds some light on why the R-value is important in insulation choice.
