What is better r19 or r30 insulation?

Category: home and garden indoor environmental quality
4.9/5 (867 Views . 36 Votes)
The bigger the R value, the better the insulation is at slowing down the heat transfer. So R19 is better insulation than R13, and R30 is better than R19. The larger the R value, the better the insulation value. The depth of the 2x4 is 3.5 inches, which will accommodate R11 or R13 insulation.



Beside this, how many inches of insulation is r30?

In temperate coastal areas such as Zone 3, attic insulation of at least R30 up to a maximum of R60 is recommended. For loose-fill cellulose, this translates to a total depth ranging from 8 inches up to 16 inches.

Likewise, is r19 good insulation? R-19. Although the U.S. Department of Energy rates R-13 insulation as "good" for use in walls in southern areas of the country, it rates R-19 insulation higher, designating it as "great." That is because R-19 insulation provides more thermal insulation than R-13 does.

Hereof, is r30 good insulation?

Recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood-framed buildings

Zone Add Insulation to Attic
Uninsulated Attic Existing 3–4 Inches of Insulation
3 R30 to R60 R25 to R38
4 R38 to R60 R38
5 to 8 R49 to R60 R38 to R49

What is a good R value for insulation?

Typical recommendations for exterior walls are R-13 to R-23, while R-30, R-38 and R-49 are common for ceilings and attic spaces. See the Department of Energy's (DOE) ranges for recommended levels of insulation below.

38 Related Question Answers Found

Can you put too much insulation in your attic?

But there may be a theoretical point of “too much.” If a home is over-insulated and is too tightly sealed, moisture can get trapped inside. Without proper ventilation, a home can build up too much moisture, especially in the attic (warm air rises), which can cause mold problems and, overall, lower indoor air quality.

Can you use r30 insulation in walls?

Heat rises hence the thicker insulation in the ceiling. But you can also lose heat through a wall, so the more insulation you have the better. If you have R50 in the ceiling and you have R30 in the walls, you could probably heat the area with a match!!!

How thick should insulation be?

The insulation in your attic should be at least 12" thick. The thicker the better. It is not uncommon to see 15" to 20" of insulation in a well insulated attic. If your attic insulation is only a few inches thick or if you can see the ceiling joists, you're wasting money on your heating and cooling bills.

Is it bad to compress insulation?

Incompletely filled cavities are a problem. Gaps are a problem. But you can compress fiberglass insulation as much as you want. When you compress fiber glass batt insulation, the R-value per inch goes up, but the overall R-value goes down because you have less inches or thickness of insulation.

What does r30 insulation mean?


A wall is R-19, a roof is R-30what does this mean? Essentially R-value is a measure of thermal resistance, or the ability to prevent the transfer of heat. The larger the number, the harder that insulation is working at preventing heat conduction. The less heat loss, the lower your energy bills.

How deep is r30?

For future reference, here is the cavity depth you need for some common insulation r-values: 3.5 inches --- R13. 6 inches --- R19. 9 inches --- R30.

How many bags of insulation do I need?

Average Cost of Blown-In Fiberglass Insulation
R-Value Bags Per 1,000 Sq. Ft. Installed Thickness (Inches)
R-38 20 13
R-44 23 14.75
R-49 26 16.5
R-60 32 20

Does doubling the insulation increase the R value?

Doubling the thickness of insulation will double the insulation's R-value, cutting heat loss in half. The energy saved per year by doubling insulation from R-10 to R-20, however, will be considerably more than the energy saved by doubling insulation from R-20 to R-40, because of the law of diminishing returns.

How do I choose insulation?

Measure the length and width of the area you need to insulate. Multiply the length times the width to determine the square footage of the space. Decide the type of insulation to use. Cellulose insulation is calculated based on the depth of the blown-in insulation.

What is the highest R value for a 2x4 wall?


Fiberglass vats are the standard insulator for 2-inch by 4-inch wall framing, and are rated R-11 through R-15. In order to achieve the higher insulation R-value of R-21 a different type of insulation will be required.

What is the best insulation for exterior walls?

What Insulation is Best for Exterior Walls?
  • Fiberglass has been used as a home insulation material for decades. It's affordable and effective, making it the go-to choice for many homebuilders and contractors.
  • Cellulose is a great choice for insulating an enclosed existing wall with minimal demolition.
  • Spray foam is applied wet and expands into thick, hard foam.

How much better is r38 vs r30 insulation?

There is a direct relationship between the amount of insulation and the amount of heat transfer. The bigger the R value, the better the insulation is at slowing down the heat transfer. So R19 is better insulation than R13, and R30 is better than R19. The larger the R value, the better the insulation value.

What R value sleeping pad do I need?


R-Value Recommendations
For winter backpacking and camping, an R-value of 5, or higher, is recommended. For three-season backpacking and camping, an R-value of 2, or higher, is recommended. R-values are additive, so you can combine two pads to increase your warmth level.

What is a good R value for Windows?

“As a comparison, Energy Star–rated windows typically hold an R-value of 3. By increasing the R-value from 3 to 5, average heat loss through the window is reduced by 30 percent to 40 percent.” Designed for new construction and replacement projects, the windows can achieve a U-factor as low as 0.15.

Can you put r19 in 2x4 walls?

R19 in a 2×6 wall does not really give you an R19 wall. It is about a R16 wall because of the feect of the “thermal short circuiting” through the studs. If it is a 6″ steel stud wall, it could be as low as an R11 wall.