A study from Remodeling Magazine found that attic insulation sees a whopping 117% return on investment when re-selling your home.
Attic insulation stands as the single best efficiency upgrade you can make.
Attic Insulation Cost Savings Calculator
To help you understand how much you can save on your annual heating and cooling costs, Panda Insulation created a free calculator based on existing insulation R-value.
If you’re not sure what your current R-value is, you can request a free estimate from Panda Insulation. In the meantime, feel free to play with the slider below to see what impact an upgrade can have on your energy bill.
What is R-value?
An R-value tells you how well a type of insulation can keep heat from leaving or entering your home. It is the most important figure to understand when assessing current insulation levels and determining how much new insulation is required. “R” stands for resistance to heat flow. The higher the insulation R-value, the greater the insulating power.
With Ottawa’s hot summers and cold winters, the recommended R-value for attics is R-60, or about 21 inches of blown-in fiberglass insulation.
Why is attic insulation so effective in reducing energy costs?
Attic Insulation Keeps Cooling Costs Down in Summer
During the summer, heat migrates to cool places in your home. As radiant heat from the sun hits your roof, the heat travels by conduction into your attic. Cool air can also escape from air leaks and unsealed attic hatches.
Without sufficient attic insulation, this heat can make its way inside your home, displacing cool air and making upstairs rooms less comfortable.
Additionally, heat transfer from the attic will force your AC system to work harder, increasing energy costs.
Attic Insulation Keeps Heating Costs Down in Winter
In the winter, attics are one of the biggest sources of heat loss in a home. As warm air rises to the upper levels of your home, it has a tendency to escape through the attic. This forces your heating system to work harder, increasing energy costs throughout the winter.
A well-insulated attic will result in cost savings by trapping heat in your home and keeping indoor temperatures consistent and comfortable all winter long.
What Impacts Attic Insulation Costs?
Attic insulation costs are dependent on a number of factors, including:
- The type and material of existing insulation
- Square footage of your attic
- Insulation removal (e.g., if existing insulation is contaminated)
- Number of air leaks to be sealed, state of attic hatch insulation
- Contractor or insulation installer’s fee
During Panda Insulation’s free attic inspections, our insulation specialists examine all of these variables to come up with an accurate estimate.
How Materials Affect Attic Insulation Costs and ROI
Blown-in insulation is one of the least expensive attic insulation methods because the materials are inexpensive and installation takes less time. Installers will use a blowing machine to fill the space with tiny chunks of cellulose, fiberglass, or mineral wool fiber. Blown insulation will fill small gaps in your attic, making it more airtight than standard rolled batt insulation.
Batt insulation is a material that most people are familiar with, consisting of long fiber rolls that are cut and placed into position. While this material can efficiently cover a large space, it is not as effective in covering the various nooks and crannies that are typical in an attic.
Spray foam insulation is one of the more expensive insulation options, and can reach upwards of $5 per square foot of coverage for some consumers. Installers can use a spray gun to apply foam insulation to any surface. When installed correctly, it is a highly effective insulation method. However, as the product cures quickly, it can be easy for installers to miss certain areas, potentially resulting in costly air leaks.
Grants and Rebates: Covering Attic Insulation Costs in Ottawa
There are several grant and rebate programs available to Ottawa homeowners who want to invest in home efficiency upgrades. Depending on the eligibility of homeowners and availability of funds, these programs can partially or wholly subsidize attic insulation costs.
The most popular program is the Canada Greener Homes Grant, a federal program that provides Canadians a grant of up to $5,000 for approved upgrades. On top of that, eligible homeowners can receive a loan of up to $40,000 for home retrofits from the same program. Read more about Canada’s Greener Homes program.
Some other popular programs that will enable Ottawa homeowners to reduce attic insulation costs include:
You can learn more about the different programs available to Ottawa homeowners here.
