The Smart Upgrade: Cost and Benefits of Adding Attic Insulation to a Sixty-Year-Old House

If you own a sixty-year-old house, chances are its attic insulation is either insufficient, settled, or non-existent by modern standards. Since the attic is the single greatest point of heat loss and gain in a home, upgrading the insulation is one of the most effective and financially rewarding home improvements you can undertake.

The typical attic in an older home may have a minimal R-value (resistance to heat flow). Current building codes, depending on your climate zone, recommend levels ranging from R-38 to R-60. Bringing your vintage home up to this standard offers immediate benefits that outweigh the initial cost and complexity.

The Cost: An Investment with a High ROI

The total cost of adding attic insulation depends on the size of your attic, the material chosen, and the existing level of insulation. The most common and cost-effective method for older, existing attics is blown-in insulation (cellulose or …