How Much Should You Actually Pay for Quality Air Sealing and Insulation in Virginia?

At Windows on Washington, we talk a lot about quality air sealing and insulation. The important word here is ‘quality’. There are many home improvement contractors touting their workmanship, however we have customers coming to us time and time again with air sealing and insulation issues. Why is that? It is because not all air sealing and insulation is installed equally. And, there are plenty of factors to take into consideration when installing new insulation or air sealing your home.

Not all home improvement contractors provide the same quality of work, and they certainly do not charge the same amount. Oftentimes, the higher the price tag, the lesser the quality. That is not the case at WoW. Here, we pride ourselves on our impeccable customer service, workmanship and quality of materials. As E.R., one of our happy customers who wrote on Yelp says, quality is the most important factor.

“If anyone in the area ever needs work done on their house (roof, siding, windows, etc.) I highly recommend Windows on Washington! They did my roof in 2013 and my second- and third-floor windows last month. Today they came to replace the wood, siding and trim around the first floor living room windows. They were installed so poorly so WoW redid all the trim, added insulation (there was none) and changed out all the hardware that holds the windows and trim in the house. [The installer] said he couldn't in good conscious leave them the way they were, and he didn't charge me a dime more than the originally quoted price! I'll never bother even getting quotes from anyone else. I'd rather have the quality and honesty than a slightly cheaper price for a crap job.”

In this article, we are going to be discussing just how much you should pay for quality insulation in Virginia so when it is time to update your air sealing or insulation, you can feel confident knowing you will not be overcharged or out of pocket for unexpected overhead.

The Importance of Quality Insulation in Virginia

You may be wondering why quality insulation in Virginia is important in the first place. Well, aside from helping you with the heating and cooling of your home, quality insulation also:

• Helps reduce heating and cooling costs
• Reduces the energy consumption of your home
• Adds greater resale value
• Improves the durability of your home (insulation reduces humidity and, consequently, mold accumulation)
  
  

While Virginia has a mild climate, which means that your needs for heating and cooling are moderate, it is still vital your home is properly insulated and air sealed.  

What Should You Pay for Quality Insulation in Virginia?

According to Manta, the average price for attic insulation in Virginia is $1,319. However, the price may vary and increase up to as much as $2,000, according to  Fixr. The reality is, there are multiple factors involved when figuring out how much insulation will cost you, including:

•       Type of insulation you choose
•       R-value of the insulation
•       Other work needed to complete the project
•       Whether you are installing insulation in a new home or updating existing insulation
•       The amount of insulation/air sealing you need

Here is a quick example. If you are wanting to add insulation and air sealing to your attic, for the average US home, it might cost you around $1,200. However, if you were looking at applying insulation and air sealing throughout your entire home, it will obviously cost more. For the average attic to be insulated, prices cost between $1.50 and $3.50 per square foot. Of course, this is not so bad, but you need to factor in the cost per hour of the installer’s time, and an electrician’s time if necessary. Other factors that may increase the cost of your air sealing and insulation project include:

• Repairing rotten wood (if needed)
• Adding or extending central heating to the attic
• Adding seals around chimneys and framing
• Having a professional check for water leaks
• Plumbing work
  
  

These factors do not always come into play and it will depend on the current state of your home and insulation. That is why it is a good idea to bring in a  trustworthy contractor to evaluate what you will need in order to get an accurate estimate of the cost of the project before you begin.