Attic Insulation Requirements Massachusetts

Having the correct amount of attic insulation can help you maintain a comfortable temperature throughout your home and help save money on your energy bills plus prevent major issues like ice dams in the winter.

Attic insulation requirements massachusetts.

You might open up your attic and find bare joists with fiberglass or cellulose insulation between the joists. Insulation level are specified by r value. Insulation requirements for slab on grade floors are further specified in iecc section r402 2 10. The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home.

Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. Insulate your attic to the recommended level including the attic door or hatch cover. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it. The simplified table of building envelope requirements on the previous page applies to new residential buildings as defined in the iecc with wood framing and or mass walls.

Provide the recommended level of insulation under floors above unheated spaces around walls in a heated basement or unventilated crawl space and on the edges of slabs on grade. For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. For steel framed buildings the same window requirements apply. Find your zone on the map and then use the chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces.

However refer to iecc section r402 2 6 for specific insulation r value requirements. Special insulation exceptions related to ceilings with attic spaces ceilings without attic spaces masonry veneer and thermally isolated sunrooms are set forth in iecc. Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material. If you think you re among the 90 of us homes that are under insulated 1 performing a simple insulation inspection will help you determine your insulation needs.

Fortunately this is a fairly easy fix. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. You can sister the joists by cutting 2 x8 boards the same length as the joists applying construction adhesive and affixing each to a joist with nails. Special insulation exceptions related to ceilings with or without attic spaces masonry veneer and thermally isolated sunrooms are set forth in iecc section r402.

R 5 shall be added to the required slab edge r values for heated slabs. Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product. In 2009 massachusetts became the first state to adopt an above code appendix to the base building energy code the stretch code 780 cmr appendix 115 aa the stretch code which emphasizes energy performance as opposed to prescriptive requirements is designed to result in cost effective construction that is more energy efficient than that built to the base energy code. 2 insulation priorities it is most important to.