Concrete block wall with air in cavities r 2 0.
R value of concrete wall below grade.
Insulation level are specified by r value.
Concrete block wall with perlite in cavities r 2 9.
Other engineering sources cite the r value of earth as about r 0 25 per inch or double our calculation.
564 to obtain copies of this reference.
Ensure minimal long term moisture absorption.
The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.
In addition to r value stability rigid foam insulations differ in their rates of moisture absorption and their ability to dry.
In addition the doe recommends r 10 to r 20 insulation for under a slab which we have not taken into consideration for this article.
These r values are a sum meaning this should be the total r value once you add up the entire depth of insulation.
For example if you have a type of insulation.
The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home.
By comparison most xps warranties typically cover only up to 90 percent of the published r value to account for the r value degradation that occurs in the field.
The r value listed by pca for a normal weight 144 pcf 6 inch concrete wall is 1 23 and includes inside and outside air film resistances which contribute to overall thermal resistance.
Concrete and block walls.
The r value of an uninsulated 8 inch thick basement wall built using normal weight concrete is 1 35 based on data from the 1993 american society of heating refrigeration and air conditioning engineers handbook.
The minimum insulation r value recommended by the department of energy for horizontal below grade surfaces in cold climates is r 10 to r 15.
By doubling the thickness of the wall to 16 inches the r value only increases by 0 50.
R 0 125 per inch for soil sounds pretty reasonable if we assume about 20 moisture content and if we consider for comparison or a sanity check that the r value of uninsulated concrete is about r 0 8 inch.
R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it.