After receiving an outlandish quote for new insulation from a contractor, one skeptical New Jersey homeowner turned to r/hvacadvice for help.
They explained in the post that the contractor recommended upgrading to energy-efficient insulation in the attic and ceiling above the garage and installing rafter vents to improve airflow and reduce moisture.
Even after rebates, the work would cost them a cool $9,000, which the original poster said "seems like an awful lot."
"I was considering doing this to bring down our heating and cooling bills, but at that price, this would take many, many years to break even. What do y'all think?" they asked.
One user shared: "Go to Lowe's and buy 20 bags of blown insulation, you'll get the machine rented for free. Thanks for joining my Ted talk."
Another agreed that was the best course of action. "That's way too much, you are getting fleeced. Go look into renting the machine from lowes," they said.
While making energy-efficient upgrades to your home, including installing new insulation, is a surefire way to save money on electric bills and reduce pollution, shopping around for quotes before committing to a big project is important.
Thankfully, the electrification nonprofit Rewiring America makes the process easy with its free tools and incentive calculator. It can help you find vetted contractors and learn what tax incentives you're eligible for through the Inflation Reduction Act.
According to Energy Star, all homeowners can claim an insulation tax credit of up to $1,200. However, if you're considering weatherizing your home or making any other improvements the IRA incentivizes, you may want to act quickly.
🗣️ Do you think home heating costs are higher than they should be?
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🔘 Depends on the season ☃️
🔘 Depends where you live 🗺️
🔘 No 👎
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
As The Salt Lake Tribune detailed, President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he wants to dismantle the Inflation Reduction Act, so the subsidies may not be around forever. While repealing the IRA would ultimately require an act of Congress, it's better to claim any available discounts now instead of potentially missing out on thousands of dollars to upgrade your home.
Regardless of whether you take advantage of IRA tax breaks, installing insulation and sealing air leaks can save you an average of 15% on heating and cooling your home, per Energy Star.
If you're up for DIYing it, many Reddit users seemed confident that an insulation job could be done for a fraction of the price professionals charge.
"Rent the machine at Home Depot and blow it in yourself! You could probably do it for 1/5th the price!" one said.
"Easy 2 person job. I blew 48'x40' x 30" deep fiberglass in half a day, like 40 something bags, Spent like $1800," shared another.
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