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How to calculate Floor Insulation Effective R-Value

RMGheHhbJx| Posted inEnergy Efficiency and Durabilityon

I have a 2×12 floor system with R-19 supported by spring wires every three feet or so. The insulation is 5″ from being in substancial contact with the floor. What is the effective R-value and what publication can I point to for substantiation.

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  1. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay||#1

    Tyson,
    Since you don't have an air barrier on the underside of your fiberglass batts, the effective R-value of your insulation is (I'm just guessing here) somewhere between R-0 and R-a very low number.

    If you want to point to a publication, how aboutFine Homebuilding? Here's an article,How to Insulate a Cold Floor, that states, "If the batts aren’t thick enough to fill the joist bays, they may fall away from the subfloor and rest on the OSB below. At that point, the floor assembly has an R-value of 0."

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