Insulation R-Values Above & Beyond Code

DOE Releases New R-Value Recommendations

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently released its new R-value recommendations for new and existing homes. Please see the tables below. The insulation recommendations for attics, cathedral ceilings, walls and floors have been increased overall and generally exceed those required by most building codes. NAIMA, along with others, worked with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop these recommendations for DOE.

New vs. Old

DOE's new range recommendations are based on comparing future energy savings to the current cost of installing insulations. The Department of Energy lists the following reasons for providing a range of recommendations:

Energy costs vary greatly over each zone
Installed insulation costs vary greatly over each zone
Heating and cooling equipment efficiency varies from house to house
Our best estimate of future energy costs may not be exactly correct. ¹

NAIMA Promotion of New Recommendations

NAIMA's websites and literature pieces will be updated to reflect the new DOE R-value recommendations. NAIMA staff is working on ways to promote these R-values from a "best practices" standpoint. We are also working with state energy offices, utilities and regional energy efficiency groups to raise consumer awareness regarding the importance of insulation.

DOE's Recommendations

New Wood-Framed Houses

Existing Wood-Framed Houses

References: 1. DOE/CE-0180 2008, Insulation Fact Sheet.

For additional information, or to offer feedback, please email: Kate Offringa