When it comes to home maintenance, one of the most cost-effective, long-term improvements is insulation. The effectiveness of insulation depends on the type of insulating material and the amount of it. The “R” is short for “Thermal Resistance.” The higher the number, the better the resistance…and the lower your heating / cooling bills.
The most common types of insulation are batts, rolls, and loose fill (blown-in). Batts are precut and perfect for walls. Rolls are for long-run areas like in an attic. Loose fill is blown into a space, typically an attic.
Pro Tip: If you’re doing your own loose fill, it’s common to overfill, which actually reduces its effectiveness. Insulation traps heat or cold in the small air gaps between the fibers, so if it gets compressed by its own weight, it doesn’t work as well.
The U.S. is divided into “R Areas” based on temperature fluctuations. Utah is either zone 6 in the north or zone 5 for the rest of the state. Zones 5 and 6 share much of the same recommendation for target R Numbers. For your attic, shoot for R46-R60. For 2×4 walls, go R13-R16. For 2×6 walls, R19-R21. For floors and crawlspaces, shoot for R25-R30.