What R-Values Should I Install? Recommendations for Australian Homes

Energy reports in Australia indicate the minimum R-Values that are required to achieve a certain NatHERS Energy Rating. There's a strong chance that you would benefit from upgrading to a higher R-Value than what's written on your report, both in terms of comfort and energy savings.

Energy reports don't include all the internal walls and rarely include the midfloor area of a double storey house. Generally they only include the internal walls around the wet areas and the midfloor area above the garage (when there is a first floor overhang).

That's why we've created a video to explain what insulation R-Values we recommend for Australian homes. Of course this can vary depending on where you live, but it's a good starting point.

TRANSCRIPT:
Considering what insulation to buy is not exactly the most exciting part of the building project, but the decisions you make today will determine how comfortable your home will be in the future. If you are building a new home, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of your energy report.

Many homeowners these days are trying to reduce their carbon footprint by building an energy efficient home. This is why we often recommend upgrading to a higher R-value than what’s specified in your energy report.

Based on our many years of experience in the insulation industry, these are the R-values that we generally recommend:

• R2.5 insulation for the external walls;
• R2.5 or R2.7 insulation for the internal walls;
• R4.0, R5.0 or R6.0 insulation for the ceilings;
• R3.0 to R4.0 acoustic insulation between the floors of a double storey home;
• And R2.0 or R2.5 insulation for under your floor.

Here’s a quick summary for you to screenshot...

We hope this video was helpful. If you’ve got any questions then feel free to send us an email or give us a call. Otherwise all of these products are available online at Pricewise Insulation.

[farzadbari]

Can you explain why you are recommending R-2.5 for external walls in Australia, whereas typical US homes are recommended to have R-40 in above ground external walls?

[mibberz]

i am renovating a bit of my 1940s house in kalgoorlie western Australia, is r2 enough for internal walls as I cant find any 2.5 that is 75mm thick at bunnings