The Dostie Difference: Home Insulation

Dostie Homes prides itself in building quality homes that will last for generations to come. Under the beauty and craftsmanship of each Dostie Home are many energy efficient materials that work together to save you money!

The ZIPSystem™ and Radiant Barrier Roof Decking, both covered in previous blog posts, protect your home on the outermost level. Insulation in the ceiling and walls of your home add an extra layer of protection from the Florida heat.  Research shows that up to 20% of the cooling load in Florida homes comes from heat directed into the home from the attic. Adequate insulation slows the flow of heat allowing for comfortable temperatures with minimum energy costs.

Insulation is measured in R-values; the higher the R-value, the better your walls and attic will resist the transfer of heat. Energystar.gov recommends attic spaces to be insulated at a minimum R-30 insulation and 2x4 wall studs with a minimum R-13 insulation. The most recent building codes for our climate zone recommend R-38 ceiling attic insulation; however R-30 is still accepted and widely used in our market. Dostie Homes uses R-38 ceiling attic insulation and 2x6 wall construction with R-19 insulation.

So, this “Dostie Difference”, as it relates to energy efficiency, is two-fold. Not only are we using higher than recommended insulation in our attics, our exterior walls are constructed using 2x6 studs with R-19 wall insulation.  What does that mean? Well, first the obvious. 2x6 studs are 2” deeper than the standard 2x4 wall stud, which allows for more insulation. In fact, the extra 2” of space allows for MORE wall insulation. The added insulation that a 2x6 wall provides allows your home to maintain cooler temperatures and keeps your energy bills lower!  

The combination of R-38 insulation in the attic and 2x6 studs with R-19 insulation in the walls helps reduce your air conditioning bill. A lower power bill translates into more money in your wallet and significant long term savings as energy costs continue to rise!

 A few times per month, we will be featuring elements that make Dostie Homes a quality builder. You can rest assured that your decision to build with us is the right choice. Stay tuned for more blog posts on The Dostie Difference!