Your geographic location has a lot to do with the amount of insulation your home needs to run efficiently. The chart below offers a look at Houston and surrounding cities which rank very high on the recommended insulation levels (Zones 2 and 3). Being closer to the equator simply means more direct sunlight and increased temperatures. The Insulation Guru must take this fact into consideration when recommending insulation solutions for your home’s specific needs.
| Zone | Add Insulation to Attic | Floor | |
| Uninsulated Attic | Existing 3-4 inches of insulation | ||
| 1 | R30 to R49 | R25 to R30 | R13 |
| 2 | R30 to R60 | R25 to R38 | R13 to R19 |
| 3 | R30 to R60 | R25 to R38 | R19 to R25 |
| 4 | R38 to R60 | R38 | R25 to R30 |
| 5-8 | R49 to R60 | R38 to R49 | R25 to R30 |
Wall Insulation: Whenever exterior siding is removed on an
Uninsulated wood-frame wall:
- Drill holes in the sheathing and blow insulation into the empty wall cavity before installing the new siding, and
- Zones 3–4: Add R5 insulative wall sheathing beneath the new siding
- Zones 5–8: Add R5 to R6 insulative wall sheathing beneath the new siding.
Insulated wood-frame wall:
- For Zones 4 to 8: Add R5 insulative sheathing before installing the new siding.