As you may know from past blog posts, we pay attention to the “Cost Vs. Value” Report issued each year by Remodeling. To create this report, a team collects data from across the country to determine which remodeling projects bring back the greatest return on investment in every region. You can specify your location down to the city you’re in – and the results can be very surprising.
In the 2016 “Cost Vs. Value” report, the benefits of attic insulation made it the most lucrative remodeling decision, with the highest return on investment by far. In this blog, we’ll break down what this means for your home.
What Does Attic Insulation Mean?
Attic insulation is a midrange project that involves air sealing the attic floor to address any leakage from conditioned space to unconditioned space. Then, fiberglass loosefill insulation is placed on top of existing insulation if present. The fiberglass loosefill is applied until its thickness equates to an R-30 insulation value.
What’s the Return of Investment of Attic Insulation?
In the city of Philadelphia, the average cost of an attic insulation project is $1,345. At resale, this project is valued at $1,353 – which means you recoup 100% of your investment.
But the benefits of attic insulation go beyond this. The EPA estimates that homeowners can save an average of 15% on heating and cooling costs (or 11% on total energy costs) by air sealing their homes and adding attic insulation. Those are some serious savings– so the money you spend on attic insulation not only recoups 100% of the costs, it cuts down on your monthly expenses year after year afterwards.
When You Should Hire a Contractor for Attic Insulation
The benefits of attic insulation are pretty incredible, so the DIY enthusiast in you might be tempted to knock out this project ASAP. However, installing attic insulation is a moderately difficult remodeling project, and it’s especially treacherous if your attic has the following conditions:
- Wet insulation from a leaky roof
- Moldy or rotted rafter or floor joists
- Bathroom, kitchen, or dryer vents that pour moist air into the attic instead of outdoors
- Tricky attic access with limited space
- Knob and tube rewiring
Many of the above conditions apply especially to older homes, so if you’re living in a pre-1930s structure, it’s best to entrust your attic insulation project to someone with the right training and experience.
Need help remodeling your home so you can reap the many benefits of attic insulation? VCG is happy to help with all remodeling projects. We offer free consultations – just call (888) 936-7824!
Photo: Mark Doliner, Flickr Creative Commons
