The Department of Energy (DOE) recently released its new R-value recommendations for new and existing homes. The insulation recommendations for attics, cathedral ceilings, walls and floors have been increased overall and generally exceed those required by most building codes.



Please see the tables below for the new DOE recommendations.

New vs. Old

DOE's new range recommendations are based on comparing future energy savings to the current cost of installing insulation. The Department of Energy lists the following reasons for providing a range of recommendations:

• Energy costs vary greatly over each zone
  
• Installed insulation costs vary greatly over each zone
  
• Heating and cooling equipment efficiency varies from house to house
  
• Best estimate of future energy costs may not be exact. Click here for reference.

DOE Recommendations

New Wood-Framed Houses

Existing Wood-Framed Houses