Properly insulating your home reduces heating and cooling costs, and improves comfort. R-values measure a material’s resistance to conductive heat flow. The higher the R-value rating, the greater the effectiveness of the insulation. Below are recommended R-values for areas of the home that should be insulated that your Missouri Electric Cooperatives wanted to share with you.

1. DUCTWORK

Whether it’s made of metal or plastic (PVC), insulated ductwork protects your investment in conditioned air year-round. Minimal R-values of 4.3 are recommended for blanket-style wraps secured with tape. Insulated ductwork rated at R-6 is also available.

2. EXTERIOR WALLS

There are multiple options for insulating exterior walls. Rock wool or fiberglass batts of R-13 to R-20 value are preferred behind drywall, but each inch of blown-in polyurethane foam insulation provides an R-value of 3.9.

3. BENEATH LIVING SPACE

Whether your home has a full basement, a crawl space or an attached garage, having an insulation value of R-19 under the living space floor will help increase comfort year-round.

4. SLAB FOUNDATION

Properly installed foam boards around the exterior edge of the slab of an existing home can reduce heating bills by 10 percent or more.