How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost?
By now, you should be aware of the fact that adding attic insulation to your house will dramatically reduce the amount of wasted energy. This basically means that the attic insulation cost is going to be paid off by reducing the energy bills. Experts actually estimate that the cost of attic insulation is recovered in 5 to 6 years. After that, it’s all profit for you. So how do you determine the actual cost?
First of all, if you just moved into a new house and you don’t know this, check out if the attic has insulation. Also, determine its r value and compare it to the region’s standard. As you know, every region has a different appropriate R factor, depending on its climate. A colder climate requires a higher r value, because the higher the r value is, the better the insulation works.
If your house doesn’t have insulation at all or it has a lower R value than recommended, calculate the difference. Also, you must measure the length of the space that needs insulation. Bear in mind that batts and blankets come in widths of 16 or 24 inch. The reason behind this is the fact that they must be able to fit the space that exists between the joists of your attic floor.
Now here comes the important question for you: blown in fiberglass insulation or batts? While the overall cost of insulating using either blown in fiberglass or batts can be a factor for you, it should not be the most important one in making this particular decision. Blankets are at least 40 feet long, while batts are cut by the manufacturers in lengths of 4-8 feet. When you’ve decided what type of insulation to use, you need to divide the total length of the area that needs insulation by the length of the particular product you decide to use.
Now that you have found how many units you need to do the job, you just need to multiply that by the cost of each unit. This will not give you an exact and 100% accurate of the total cost, but it will give you an idea nonetheless. Now you need to look for professional installers and request quotes from them. Another good idea is to use an online calculator that estimates the costs. Newer buildings will usually require less insulation than old ones. This is a factor that is also considered by online calculators, along with the square footage of your attic, the size of the house, etc.