Fiberglass insulation can be used in walls and roofs.
Energy Star is a division of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a federal agency which encourages people to choose energy-efficient alternatives for building materials and home appliances. Energy Star has divided the states in the U.S. into zones to recommend insulation levels for homes. Does this Spark an idea?
Function
Energy Star has divided Texas into three zones based on the typical minimum winter low temperatures. The colder sections of Texas in the northwestern portion call for more insulation than the more temperate southeastern part of Texas that does not receive as much cold winter weather. Wall, floor and attic insulation help keep the homes in each region warmer in the winter and easier to cool in the summer. Insulation is classified by its ability to resist temperature change, known as its R-value, which stands for hourly resistance to heat or cold.
Recommendations
Inadequate floor and ceiling insulation increase heating and cooling bills. In Zone 2 and 3, the majority of Texas, the Energy Star guidelines recommend R-values between R30 and R60 for the attic and R13 for floors. Energy Star recommends adding insulation rated R25 to R38 to attics that have insulation already.
Insulation recommendations for Zone 4 in the panhandle of Texas call for attic insulation from R38 to R60 and R25 to R30 in the floors. When adding insulation to existing homes, the guidelines recommend adding R38 insulation to the attic and R25 to R30 for the floors.
Considerations
Floor insulation can include the R-value of a carpet pad and the carpet itself. Hardwood floors also help insulate a home, as do area rugs. New homes in Texas generally do not have basements and are built on concrete slabs, so the final flooring is important for helping keep the floor from radiating heat or cold. Rolls of insulation are effective in attics, as well as blown in insulation. Walls are rated by the exposure to the sun, the insulation, as well as the exterior siding and the drywall.
Tags: Energy Star, adding insulation, attic floors, attic insulation, Energy Star divided, guidelines recommend
