Attic insulation is a critical component of your home's thermal envelope and has a direct impact on your household's energy costs. Knowing and adhering to the recommended Las Vegas attic insulation R value will help you improve upon that envelope and can result in significant savings on your monthly energy bill.

Here's what you need to know:

The R Value of Measurement and its Importance

R values represent how well a given insulation type is able to resist heat transfer. In other words, it dictates how well it's able to prevent heat flow due to the insulation's thickness and makeup. The higher the R value, the greater its resistance. 

Your home loses and gains heat in three ways:

• Convection. When you have your heating system on, the warm, heated air will naturally rise. In homes with poor or no insulation, that heat transfers to the ceiling, into the attic, and then gets released through your roofing.
• Radiation.  This is the style of heat transfer done by the sun. The sun radiates heat onto your roof, which transfers through and builds up heat in your attic.
• Conduction.  Conduction is when heat transfers from a warmer section of a wall or ceiling to a cooler section. When heat builds up in your attic and you don't have the proper insulation, heat will conduct through the ceiling and radiate into your home's living spaces.

The purpose of attic insulation is to prevent such otherwise uncontrolled heat transfer. Adhering to the recommended Las Vegas attic insulation R value will ensure that you have the most energy- and cost effective amount of insulation in place. During the winter, such insulation will prevent heated air from transferring via convection through your ceiling and towards the outdoors. During the summer, insulation prevents that built up heat from the sun's rays from interrupting your air conditioned peace. 

Recommended Las Vegas Insulation R Value

The base recommended levels for any given home depends primarily upon its climate zone. Here in Las Vegas attic insulation R value minimum is R-30, but we highly recommend having R 38 insulation due to our region's hot summers. 

Not sure what your insulation level is? You're not alone. Energy Star estimates that 9 out of 10 American homes are under-insulated. Newly built homes are often among the under-insulated as construction often favors meeting only the minimum required amounts.

To learn more or to schedule your insulation appointment, contact us today at 702.262.7847.