Here s what you need to know about insulation requirements in florida.
Best type of attic insulation in florida.
Framed wall insulation must meet or exceed r 13.
Typically current best home building practices indicate an r 30 to r 38 for attic insulation.
That s because blown insulation is great at filling the gaps and giving you a good complete layer of insulation.
Batts are the most common type of insulation which consist of blankets of interwoven fiberglass or cotton.
Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material.
Insulation requirements in florida.
Notice how you don t see any of the ceiling framing down at the ceiling level.
In general an attic s r value should be between r 30 and r 49.
According to the florida department of agriculture and consumer services attic insulation is the most important location and best return on investment okay but why.
Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product.
Broward collier hendry lee miami dade monroe and palm beach and require a minimum r 30 attic insulation.
For block walls interior insulation must meet or exceed r 7 8 and exterior insulation must be r 6.
For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices.
Batts fiberglass or cotton.
The type of insulation you choose for your attic greatly affects what you ll end up paying.
Homes should have between r 22 and r 49.
The florida building code identifies two distinct climate zones.
Let s say you measured your attic and you realize your attic has about 9 inches r 30 of insulation and your attic is about 40 sq feet you d need at least 3 inches of extra insulation that covers 40 sq ft to get an r value of r 38.
Why should you care about insulation for attics.
Residential requirements for insulation are divided by the location in the home.
Is the most popular insulation in south florida for retrofit homes.
The installation is fast has good fire performance is effective and affordable the disadvantage is that the effectiveness of the insulation or r value degrades faster than any other type of.
The third major type of insulation is spray foam.
Let s look at 3 of the most common types of insulation.
To find out if you have enough attic insulation measure the thickness of the insulation.
Your home s r value score will guide you toward the type of insulation you need.
If it is less than r 22 7 inches of fiber glass or rock wool or 6 inches of cellulose you could probably benefit by adding more.
Adding insulation to the attic is relatively easy and very cost effective.
Heat rises which means it ends up in the attic.
You also don t see any gaps that allow you to see all the way down to the ceiling drywall.
Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation.
The more common types of insulation for this method are.