R-Value & Why It Matters For Canadian Homeowners

December 06, 2024

If you’re a Canadian homeowner, you've likely encountered the term "R-Value" when researching home insulation. But what exactly is R-Value, and why is it important to your home and how much you spend on energy? Today we’re exploring the fundamentals of R-Value and how it can lead to a more comfortable, energy-efficient home.

What is R-Value?

R-Value is a building science term used within the construction and energy efficiency industry that is a measure of thermal resistance. “You could explain R-Value as a measure of how well a material resists heat flow.” Says Rick Bartel, General Manager of GNI’s Southwestern Ontario operations, “It’s easiest to remember as the higher the R-Value, the better the insulation is at resisting heat from passing from one side to the other.”

If you’d like to get a bit more scientific, R-Value is calculated by taking the temperature difference from either physical side of an insulation product and dividing it by the flow of heat (energy) over time through the insulation product. That calculation is commonly referred to as the “R-Value per inch”, which is how we compare insulation products to determine which best resists heat flow into (or out of!) a building.

Overall, R-Value is a critical factor in determining how effectively your home maintains its temperature, regardless of what’s happening outside.

Why R-Value Matters

“Canada has a climate with a lot of range in temperatures” says Bartel, “We experience cold winters and hot, humid summers, making proper insulation key to home comfort and energy efficiency.” Here's why R-Value should be on every homeowner's radar:

1.     Your Unique Home: Each home is different, and understanding R-Value, particularly R-Value per inch, and the insulation in your home helps homeowners understand how their home works behind their walls.

2.     Energy Efficiency: Higher R-Values mean less heat transfer, which translates to lower energy bills by ensuring your heating and cooling systems don’t have to work as hard to maintain comfortable temperatures.

3.     Comfort: Proper insulation with the right R-Value per inch helps maintain consistent temperatures throughout your home, eliminating cold spots and drafts.

4.     Environmental Impact: By reducing energy consumption, well-insulated homes contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

5.     Building Code Compliance: The Ontario Building Code specifies a minimum R-Value for the different areas of the home. Professional insulation contractors like Great Northern Insulation use R-Value per inch to determine the best insulation solution for each unique home to meet or exceed building code requirements.

R-Value in Practice

Professional insulation contractors like Great Northern Insulation provide recommendations to homeowners on which insulation products to use for your unique home. We’ll consider R-Value and other insulation type benefits, in addition to your budget, to provide recommendations. Here's a quick comparison of typical R-Values per inch for common insulation materials:

·        Fiberglass batts: R-3.1 to R-3.4 per inch

·        Blown cellulose: R-3.4 to R-3.9 per inch

·        Spray foam (closed cell): R-5.6 to R-6.0 per inch

Remember, these values are per inch of thickness. The total R-Value increases with the depth of insulation installed.

Common Misconceptions

A common misunderstanding we see with homeowners is that doubling the R-Value will double the insulation's effectiveness.

In reality, R-Value has diminishing returns. While upgrading from R-10 to R-20 can significantly improve performance, the difference between R-60 and R-80 is much less noticeable.

Great Northern Insulation takes your existing insulation amounts into account when recommending upgrades – if it’s not cost-effective to upgrade, we’ll let you know that and why.

Beyond R-Value

While R-Value is important, it's not the only factor in your home’s insulation performance. “Air sealing plays a vital role in achieving the full potential of your insulation” adds Bartel, “Even high R-Value insulation can underperform if there are air leaks allowing heat to bypass the insulated areas.”

GNI approaches home insulation as a complete system. While having excellent insulation and air sealing in your attic space is a great start to improved energy efficiency, your home may still be uncomfortable and costly to heat or cool if your exterior wall insulation is inadequate.

Another building science term for this is your home’s “building envelope”, meaning all of the components of your home that separate the indoors from the outdoors, and keep the conditioned air where it belongs – inside!

Making Informed Decisions

Determining the right R-Value for your specific home can be complex. Factors like your local climate, the age and design of your home, and your energy efficiency goals all play a role. That's where Great Northern Insulation can help. We're committed to helping Canadian homeowners understand and benefit from insulation, with an overall mission of building safer, more energy-efficient and sustainable communities.

Ready to optimize your home's insulation? Contact Great Northern Insulation today for a free assessment and personalized recommendations