Post by dirtyd on Mar 18, 2011 14:00:25 GMT -5
A couple months ago I finally got around to blowing some more insulation into my attic. I’ve been meaning to do this for a while but always managed to find something better to do (I hate attics and crawlspaces). I’ve gotten two heating bills since the installation and I’m kicking myself for not having done this first thing after moving in. Long story short, it cut my gas bill by over 60%. That’s some serious $$$.
I had about 3-4” of insulation in the attic before I started, just enough to cover the bottom cord of my trusses. When I was done I had about 12”. I used cellulose, essentially recycled newspaper and Home Depot threw in the use of the blower for the afternoon with the purchase of 10-bags. My initial cost was about $600, last year Uncle Sam was giving a tax credit of 1/3 the cost of an energy upgrade, up to $2,000. So after the tax credit I was out of pocket about $400. I’ve probably saved $200 in gas in the first two-months so this really was a no brainer.
I will caution you this was a nasty job. I was told after the fact the fiberglass was a much cleaner install; I didn’t like the idea of crawling thru fiberglass so that’s why I went the cellulose route but if I had it to do over again I might reconsider. I had also been putting it off because I wanted to get some wiring done before filling things in, now I just need to try and stay out of there.
I’ve done quite a few upgrades to my place in the 6-7 years I’ve been there but nothing came anywhere close to the payback I’ve seen here and most were a bigger investment upfront. I really wish I would have done it the day I moved in.
I had about 3-4” of insulation in the attic before I started, just enough to cover the bottom cord of my trusses. When I was done I had about 12”. I used cellulose, essentially recycled newspaper and Home Depot threw in the use of the blower for the afternoon with the purchase of 10-bags. My initial cost was about $600, last year Uncle Sam was giving a tax credit of 1/3 the cost of an energy upgrade, up to $2,000. So after the tax credit I was out of pocket about $400. I’ve probably saved $200 in gas in the first two-months so this really was a no brainer.
I will caution you this was a nasty job. I was told after the fact the fiberglass was a much cleaner install; I didn’t like the idea of crawling thru fiberglass so that’s why I went the cellulose route but if I had it to do over again I might reconsider. I had also been putting it off because I wanted to get some wiring done before filling things in, now I just need to try and stay out of there.
I’ve done quite a few upgrades to my place in the 6-7 years I’ve been there but nothing came anywhere close to the payback I’ve seen here and most were a bigger investment upfront. I really wish I would have done it the day I moved in.