How much does insulation cost ?

With the correct insulation material your home can be more comfortable as well as energy efficient. It can help to reduce heating and cooling bills and save you money every year. An average family home that is well insulated can expect to save around 20% on the cost of heating and cooling bills. Insulation material can be added to attics, floors, crawl spaces, basements and not only reduce energy loss through air leaks, but also reduce noise.

Different types of insulation materials.

There are various materials which can be used for insulation purposes depending on the location of the house, its design, and the specific area of the house to be insulated. Some of the most common ones are: insulation blankets, as panels cut to size known as batts and also continuous rolls. Loose fill insulation; which normally comes in bead form and is ideal for filling awkward areas as it simply fills out the space where it is poured. Spray foam insulation; normally used for difficult to access areas and like loose fill insulation will expand and fill any gap or space where it is applied. Rigid insulation; normally in the form of panels, can be used to insulate your home from the foundations to the roof as part of the house structure. Reflective insulation; this is designed specifically to stop heat from escaping through floors by reflecting it back up into living spaces.

How R-value affects insulation costs.

The basic idea of insulation is to reduce the flow of energy from the inside of your home to the outside. Different insulation materials have different degrees of effectiveness at doing this, and this ability to reduce heat flow is referred to as the R-value. The higher the R-value, the greater the reduction in heat flow, and the greater the savings.

Insulation costs vary depending on the R-value of the insulation material used and also the type of material used to insulate. Different R-values are recommended depending on geographical location, or region within the country, due to climate differences and typical heating systems used.

Insulation costs per square foot.

Fiberglass batt with a thickness of 3.5 to 12 inches and an R-value of 13 costs around $0.30 to 0.60 per square foot. The same material, but with a higher R-value of 30 costs around $0.90 to $1.50 per square foot.

Loose fill insulation material, which is commonly fiberglass, cellulose or mineral wool with a thickness of 8 to 23 inches and an R-value of 13 costs $0.50 to $2 per square foot. The same material with an R-value of 50 will cost around $1 to $3.25 per square foot.

Open cell polyurethane spray foam insulation applied to a thickness of 3.5 inches and with an R-value of 12.6 costs around $2.50 to $3.75 per square foot. Closed cell polyurethane foam with an R-value of 6.5 will cost around $2 to $3 per square foot.

Expanded polystyrene (1 inch thick) foam board with an R-value of between 3.8 and 4.4 costs around $0.20 to $0.35 per square foot. Extruded polystyrene (1 inch thick) foam board with an R-value of 5 costs around $0.60 to $0.80 per square foot. Polyisocyanurate (1 inch thick) foam board with an R-value of 6.6 costs around $.90 to $1 per square foot.

Costs of additional insulation in existing homes.

If your present home already has some insulation, a certified insulation contractor will be able to evaluate your home’s current R-value and suggest what additional insulation could or should be added to make your home even more energy efficient, and the type of material best suited for the task.

Insulation costs for your home.

New house building projects, remodeling an older property such as adding rooms, or converting attic spaces, provide much more scope to take advantage of the many insulation opportunities that can be applied at a structural level in order to make your home the most comfortable and energy efficient possible.

Whether it’s an existing property or new build project, getting quotes for insulation costs from local contractors based on your particular property and location will allow you to budget for improving heat loss reduction and get a better idea of possible savings through adding additional insulation at key points.

To get a better idea of costs, here are some insulation estimates from professionals.

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