Regulations last checked for updates: May 18, 2024

Title 24 - Housing and Urban Development last revised: May 07, 2024
§ 3280.509 - Criteria in absence of specific data.

In the absence of specific data, for purposes of heat-loss/gain calculation, the following criteria shall be used:

(a) Infiltration heat loss. In the absence of measured infiltration heat loss data, the following formula shall be used to calculate heat loss due to infiltration and intermittently operated fans exhausting to the outdoors. The perimeter calculation shall be based on the dimensions of the pressure envelope.

Infiltration Heat-Loss = 0.7 (T) (ft. of perimeter), BTU/hr. where: T = 70 minus the heating system capacity certification temperature stipulated in the Heating Certificate, in F.

(b) Framing areas.

Wall15 percent of wall area less windows and doors.
Floor and Ceiling10 percent of the area.

(c) Insulation compression. Insulation compressed to less than nominal thickness and loose-fill insulation in sloping cavities must have its nominal R-values reduced in compressed areas in accordance with the following table:

Table to Paragraph (c)—Effect of Insulation Compression and Restriction on R-Values

Original thickness
(%)
Non-uniform (a) restriction Uniform (b)
compression batt
(%)
Batt
(%)
Blown
(%)
020150
126211
232252
336284
438305
541327
643338
7453510
8463611
9483813
10493914
11514015
12524217
13534318
14544420
15554521
16574622
17584724
18594825
19594926
20605028
21615129
22625230
23635231
24645333
25655434
26655535
27665636
28675737
29685739
30685840
31695941
32706042
33706043
34716144
35726245
36726347
37736348
38746449
39746550
40756551
41756652
42766753
43766854
44776855
45786956
46787057
47797058
48797159
49807160
50807261
51817362
52817363
53827464
54827565
55837565
56837666
57847667
58847768
59847869
60857870
61857971
62867972
63868073
64878174
65878174
66888275
67888276
68888377
69898478
70898478
71908579
72908580
73908681
74918682
75918782
76928783
77928884
78928985
79938985
80939086
81939087
82949188
83949188
84959289
85959290
86959391
87969391
88969492
89969493
90979593
91979594
92979695
93989695
94989796
95989797
96999897
97999898
98999999
991009999
100100100100

Note: To use this table, first compute the restricted insulation thickness as a fraction of the uncompressed (full) insulation thickness. Then look up the R-value remaining from the appropriate column (Non-uniform Restriction, Batt Non-uniform Restriction, Blown or Uniform Compression, Batt). Example: Assume a section of loose-fill ceiling insulation went from R-25 insulation at a height of 10 inches to a minimum height of 2 inches at the edge of the ceiling. The ratio of minimum to full thickness is 0.20 (2 divided by 10). Look up 0.20 (20 percent), read across to column 3 (Non-uniform Restriction, Blown), and read 50 percent. Therefore, the R-value of the loose-fill insulation over the restricted area would be R-12.5 (50 percent of 25).

(a) Non-uniform restriction is that which occurs between non-parallel planes, such as in the ceiling near the eaves.

(b) Uniform compression is compression between parallel planes, such as that which occurs in a wall.

(d) Air supply ducts within floor cavity. Air supply ducts located within a floor cavity shall be assumed to be heating or cooling the floor cavity to living space temperatures unless the duct is structurally isolated by the framing system or thermally insulated from the rest of the floor cavity with a thermal insulation at least equal to R-4.

(e) Air supply ducts within ceiling cavity. Where supply ducts are located in ceiling cavities, the influence of the duct on cavity temperatures shall be considered in calculating envelope heat loss or heat gain.

(f) The supply duct loss (and/or heat gain where applicable—See § 3280.511) shall be calculated using the actual duct surface area and the actual thickness of insulation between the duct and outside of the manufactured home. If there is an air space of at least 1/2 inch between the duct and the insulation, heat loss/gain need not be calculated if the cavity in which the duct is located is assumed to be at living space temperature. The average temperature inside the supply duct, including ducts installed outside the manufactured home, shall be assumed to be 130 F for purposes of calculation of heat loss and 60 F for heat gain.

(g) Return air cavities. Cavities used as return air plenums shall be considered to be at living space temperature.

[40 FR 58752, Dec. 18, 1975. Redesignated at 44 FR 20679, Apr. 6, 1979, as amended at 78 FR 73984, Dec. 9, 2013]
authority: 15 U.S.C. 2697,42.S.C. 3535(d), 5403, and 5424
source: 40 FR 58752, Dec. 18, 1975, unless otherwise noted. Redesignated at 44 FR 20679, Apr. 6, 1979.
cite as: 24 CFR 3280.509