R-value |
A materials resistance to heat flow is called its Resistance-value or better known as R-value. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation. For example, heat flows through an R-8 wall twice as fast as through an R-16 wall. Different types of insulation have different R-values per inch, and have varying construction and insulation applications. Fiberglass insulation usually has an R-value of approximately 3 per inch. Cellulose insulation is made from treated, recycled paper and is generally blown into finished walls, attic floors and other hard-to-reach enclosed cavities. Dense packed cellulose has an R-value of 3.8 per inch. |
| Can I depend on R-Values when comparing Insulations? Yes and No. |
| R-values tell only part of the story. Unfortunately, they don't tell you how well the insulation will perform in your home. R-value is a laboratory measurement and does not effectively measure all 3 methods of heat transfer that occur in your home: convection, conduction, and radiation. |
| "...conduction, radiation, and convection are the primary mechanisms [ of heat transfer ]." -U.S. Department of Energy |
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