Attic Insulation ? Is the cost worth it?

[Nebraska_Drought]

I have a 2-story house and like many built in the mid 1990's in my area, they have some comfort issues (hot upstairs in the summer, cold upstairs in the winter) and I had an insulation company come in and give me a quote. For reference, the area in question is above 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms of the upstairs, about 950 sft of space. They would add blown in insulation to double our existing R value from about 26 to 52 and more in-line with current codes. We plan on 10 years in this house and have already done triple-pane Pella replacement windows and when we sided the house, we added about R-9 worth of insulation behind the vinyl siding. Do you think $1900 is excessive for this work to be done? Like my wife and I discussed, is it really worth almost $200 a year ($16 a month) ? Will we even recoup that on our energy bills?

What have other BH's done or are there other options?

Thanks

[SurferLife]

We are in the tropics and I had insulation put in due to the heat, but I enjoyed the cooler temps. While the insulation is doing the job, I should have put in a solar attic fan instead, it would have been cheaper and more effective for the temps I enjoy. Oh well….

[flarf]

You can do the math on what it would cost to blow the incremental insulation yourself. Home Depot, etc. sell the product and often rent the machine for free with sufficient quantity purchased. It's pretty simple if you're at all handy.

Have you done a blower door test? Air sealing is important too.

Does your state/utility/etc. offer any incentives for insulation or energy assessments in general?

[sjt]

Will we even recoup that on our energy bills?

Probably not - we have a 1978 built home with original blown in insulation that has sunk to a fraction of it's original volume. I priced out removing the existing insulation and replacing - there's no way we'd recoup that cost.

In our case, the NC climate is somewhat mild compared to the great plains regarding winter cold, so perhaps your analysis would be different. We also hover around the energy usage of an "efficient home" according to our electric provider by keeping the interior temp warm in the summer and cold in the winter.

[TeamArgo]

I had a house similar to the OP's description in Louisville, KY that was built in 1989 with an R-21 value. Around 1999 I had additional insulation blown in on top of the already settling insulation, to bring the rating into the upper R-40's. My ongoing savings were in the 10% range of my total power bill. But the biggest benefit was a moderation of the temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs.
At the time, my cost was $650 for an area of about 1000 sf. You might want to try a couple of additional estimates for the work to make sure the contractor is giving you a decent price for the work. Doesn't seem like inflation in the last 23 years is 300%, does it ?

[itsjustme]

I blew insulation into the attic of our house, which sounds very similar to yours. While I noticed a difference, I can't say it was an enormous amount. I doubt you would recoup your cost, but may get the benefit of slightly more comfort (what is that worth to you?). FWIW, when we got a new HVAC system I decided to try having the fan run 24/7 and that made a much larger difference in comfort than the insulation did. The only reason this made sense is the new system will run the fan at a low speed, using very little electricity, but keeping the air circulating to even out the temperature. If you have a basement, pulling that cool air upstairs will be noticed. Maybe try this for a while and see if it makes a difference to you (of course, might not now that we're entering fall).

[Sic Vis Pacem]

We paid about that for a similar sized project earlier this year in the upper Midwest. I'm not tax expert, but I believe the materials portion of the project may be eligible for a partial deduction under the Inflation Reduction Act.

I do not think we will entirely recoup the costs based on energy savings so far. However, the variation in temperature between the main floor and 2nd floor is notably less than prior to adding the insulation. We've got two small children and with the doors closed at night for noise, they would either heat or cool too much prior to the insulation, so it was worthwhile for us.

I agree with the suggestion to run the fan more. We started doing that as well and it has made a notable difference.

[Sic Vis Pacem]

We paid about that for a similar sized project earlier this year in the upper Midwest. I'm not tax expert, but I believe the materials portion of the project may be eligible for a partial deduction under the Inflation Reduction Act.

I do not think we will entirely recoup the costs based on energy savings so far. However, the variation in temperature between the main floor and 2nd floor is notably less than prior to adding the insulation. We've got two small children and with the doors closed at night for noise, they would either heat or cool too much prior to the insulation, so it was worthwhile for us.

I agree with the suggestion to run the fan more. We started doing that as well and it has made a notable difference.

[quantAndHold]

No idea if you'll recoup it on your energy bills. I'm pretty sure we never have, but the house is so much more comfortable, I wouldn't hesitate to spend the money again.

[jebmke]

Make sure the plates and any penetrations like down lights are sealed before insulating.

When we had an energy audit, lights and the attic hatch were like chimneys.

[sport]

In a previous house built in 1966, we had an unfinished attic space with minimal insulation. I bought rolls of unfaced fiberglass batts. I hauled the batts into the attic through an access panel in a closet and placed the batts over the existing insulation. The existing stuff already had a vapor barrier facing, so I used unfaced batts so there would not be two vapor barrier to trap moisture between them. As I recall, it was not very expensive nor difficult. I wore a mask and long sleeves and taped the shirt cuffs closed. There was no floor to stand on while doing the work, so I took a board into the attic and was able to sit or lay on the board while doing the work. Before I did that job, the second floor ceilings were cold in the winter. After adding the insulation, the ceilings felt about the same as the interior walls. I did not try to calculate the savings in heating and cooling.

[TheGreyingDuke]

If you do proceed with the insulation be sure to leave space at the soffits to allow cold airflow into the unconditioned space, there are small Styrofoam devices to assure the venting

[LotsaGray]

Ime going from poor to good insulation has a good payback. Going from good to elite more marginal returns. Going from best in class to excessive you never earn it back.

Now if you make a real noticeable reduction in utility bills you might get some back in house price. But since attic insulation is a pretty easy DIY it tends to be something a buyer will discount as ‘I could just do it myself’.

[gotoparks]

I had insulation blown in my attic a few years ago and also changed my attic fan which stopped working. I paid about $2300 for the insulation and about 800 for the fan; my place is much more comfortable. I added insulation myself to another place I owned. For me, it is worth it.

[WoostaGal]

Can't you get a federal tax credit to defer some of the cost:

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/ ... ent-credit

From that page under "Building Envelope Components":

"Insulation and air sealing materials or systems that meet International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) standards in effect at the start of the year 2 years before installation. For example, materials or systems installed in 2025 must meet the IECC standard in effect on Jan. 1, 2023. These items don't have a specific credit limit, other than the maximum credit limit of $1,200."

[AndMan]

We did similar work this past winter/spring. Had a 10 degree difference between floors and finding it difficult to balance with kids on a different level. Our work cost $4000 for air seal, ventilation work, additional insulation. Plan to be in the house for many decades and the comfort improvements alone have been quite noticeable. Between this work and skylight shades our heat pump barely ran throughout our hot summer in the PNW

[THY4373]

We are in the tropics and I had insulation put in due to the heat, but I enjoyed the cooler temps. While the insulation is doing the job, I should have put in a solar attic fan instead, it would have been cheaper and more effective for the temps I enjoy. Oh well….

A lot of the recent building science argues against the use of active ventilation in attics at least in the North America. It seems it often pulls (in part) conditioned air from the living space which increases the cost to heat/cool your home.

[THY4373]

One other thing to look at is if you have any insulated areas (often doors/hatches to attic). These can act as a thermal bridge and greatly reduce the overall R-value of your attic. There is a calculator someplace (traveling so don't have access to the link) that will tell you this. I have been waiting for cooler temps so I can deal with this in my new to me house.

[Valuethinker]

I have a 2-story house and like many built in the mid 1990's in my area, they have some comfort issues (hot upstairs in the summer, cold upstairs in the winter) and I had an insulation company come in and give me a quote. For reference, the area in question is above 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms of the upstairs, about 950 sft of space. They would add blown in insulation to double our existing R value from about 26 to 52 and more in-line with current codes. We plan on 10 years in this house and have already done triple-pane Pella replacement windows and when we sided the house, we added about R-9 worth of insulation behind the vinyl siding. Do you think $1900 is excessive for this work to be done? Like my wife and I discussed, is it really worth almost $200 a year ($16 a month) ? Will we even recoup that on our energy bills?

What have other BH's done or are there other options?

Thanks

Windows you almost certainly don't recoup the cost in the lifetime of the window. But it looks better and is more comfortable.

Insulation is usually a clear win. At your home energy prices (which I am guessing are very low compared to mine, I can't give you a gas price in therms off top of my head, but my electricity was costing c $0.40 per kwhr, and my gas in energy terms about 1/3rd of that) it might not pay off. OTOH given your climate you will burn a lot more energy than I will (in London).

However it would make things more comfortable. Main concern is ensuring you don't create some kind of moisture trap up there (see Greying Duke's remarks - they do work in energy conservation).

It really depends on your personal balance sheet. I would do it for the comfort aspect but not necessarily expect a full financial return.

One good thing is that energy savings are after tax dollars, so that can improve things quite a bit.

[bradinsky]

Do you believe that energy costs are going in any direction but up? In actuality, you will probably realize savings of twice the cost of the insulation by the end of the 10 year period & also be more comfortable. Nebraska gets kind of chilly in the winter, correct?

[NavyIC3]

Diminishing returns on the insulation. The more insulation you add, the less savings per inch of insulation. That has to be factored in to the amount of savings vs the cost.

[Valuethinker]

Diminishing returns on the insulation. The more insulation you add, the less savings per inch of insulation. That has to be factored in to the amount of savings vs the cost.

https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/the ... nsulation/

takes you through the calculation.

One factor is the original R19 may have settled & is not actually performing at R19 any longer. EDIT R26

Comfort would be the big one for me. Tradeoff though against the risk of moisture/ ventilation issues, which must be considered.

[galving]

I have a 2-story house and like many built in the mid 1990's in my area, they have some comfort issues (hot upstairs in the summer, cold upstairs in the winter) and I had an insulation company come in and give me a quote. For reference, the area in question is above 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms of the upstairs, about 950 sft of space. They would add blown in insulation to double our existing R value from about 26 to 52 and more in-line with current codes. We plan on 10 years in this house and have already done triple-pane Pella replacement windows and when we sided the house, we added about R-9 worth of insulation behind the vinyl siding. Do you think $1900 is excessive for this work to be done? Like my wife and I discussed, is it really worth almost $200 a year ($16 a month) ? Will we even recoup that on our energy bills?

What have other BH's done or are there other options?

Thanks

We added significant insulation to our attic a couple of years ago to achieve a similar R value.
The $1900 seems reasonable from the time/effort/materials. I think our cost was even a bit higher.

Will you recoup that on our energy bills?
'It depends' is the standard answer. How will power/energy pricing evolve over the next 10 years?
With low Natural Gas pricing, it might be difficult to achieve a fully discounted payback. . . Ultimately, I didn't care because there it was such a significant improvement to the 'feel' of the house in the Summer/Winter months.

Good Luck,
galving

[jebmke]

Diminishing returns on the insulation. The more insulation you add, the less savings per inch of insulation. That has to be factored in to the amount of savings vs the cost.

https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/the ... nsulation/

takes you through the calculation.

One factor is the original R19 may have settled & is not actually performing at R19 any longer.

Comfort would be the big one for me. Tradeoff though against the risk of moisture/ ventilation issues, which must be considered.

Comfort was a main criterion for us as well. Insulation, sealing, replaced most old windows. Two stage heat pump runs on low most of the time - rarely high. No drafts, more steady temperature. I have no idea what our pure energy cost savings were nor do I care.

[carolinaman]

It is important to consider the comfort factor this insulation may provide. Some posters seem unduly focused upon ROI.

I have a ranch home, and doubled the insulation years ago with batts which I put in myself. It definitely improved the comfort level of our house, but cannot be sure if that will be true of your situation.

[Luke Duke]

Will we even recoup that on our energy bills?

Probably not - we have a 1978 built home with original blown in insulation that has sunk to a fraction of it's original volume. I priced out removing the existing insulation and replacing - there's no way we'd recoup that cost.

The cost to remove the old stuff was probably more than the cost to blow in the new insulation.

Blowing in insulation is not a hard DIY project. My father an I doubled the attic insulation in a 2,000 sqft house on a Saturday morning in less than 4hrs. He was feeding the bags of insulation into the machine outside while I was in the attic.

[wilked]

Have you considered doing it yourself?

The rental from Home Depot is free if you buy the cellulose from them. I calculate you need about 25 bags to get 8" depth and about 30 R value.

25 bags would cost you about $400.

My wife and I did it a few years back. It's a little messy of a job, but if you wear a mask and have some patience it's basically fool-proof. One person loads bags into the hopper (in my case, my wife) while the other is in the attic with the hose. The cellulose is blasted out of the hose and you just direct it around. If you can operate a shop-vac you can operate a cellulose blower.

The only keys are:
-Make sure the loader doesn't put her/his hands into the hopper / unit. Have a broomstick on hand as needed to push clumps down.
-Don't fall through the ceiling / attic
-Wear an N95 mask
-Be patient, as it will take some hours to complete

Video here to see how it works
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuEzpNk1OsM

[Nebraska_Drought]

Great responses and information shared by everyone, I appreciate everyone taking the time to share. My wife and I are not sure what we will do yet (besides get a few more quotes) and go from there.

Thank you !

[Hiker-Biker]

In a previous house built in 1966, we had an unfinished attic space with minimal insulation. I bought rolls of unfaced fiberglass batts. I hauled the batts into the attic through an access panel in a closet and placed the batts over the existing insulation. The existing stuff already had a vapor barrier facing, so I used unfaced batts so there would not be two vapor barrier to trap moisture between them. As I recall, it was not very expensive nor difficult. I wore a mask and long sleeves and taped the shirt cuffs closed. There was no floor to stand on while doing the work, so I took a board into the attic and was able to sit or lay on the board while doing the work. Before I did that job, the second floor ceilings were cold in the winter. After adding the insulation, the ceilings felt about the same as the interior walls. I did not try to calculate the savings in heating and cooling.

Pretty much did the same.

[money2churn]

I'd say doing an air sealing is quite possibly going to get you greater dividends than increasing insulation(ideally you should do both), doubly so due to the greater "stack effect" in a multi-story house.

[BolderBoy]

Can't you get a federal tax credit to defer some of the cost:

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/ ... ent-credit

From that page under "Building Envelope Components":

"Insulation and air sealing materials or systems that meet International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) standards in effect at the start of the year 2 years before installation. For example, materials or systems installed in 2025 must meet the IECC standard in effect on Jan. 1, 2023. These items don't have a specific credit limit, other than the maximum credit limit of $1,200."

Here is a Humble Dollar article from this morning that covers some of this info: https://humbledollar.com/2023/09/powerful-savings/