Aguadilla Municipio, PR Insulation Payback
Aguadilla Municipio, PR: what topping up your attic actually costs
Aguadilla Municipio sits in IECC climate zone 1 (Hot-Humid) — long, muggy summers and mild winters, where cooling dominates the energy bill. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and ENERGY STAR recommend building up to R-30. For an attic around 1,000 square feet, closing the gap from R-2 to R-30 costs around $1,680 and saves an estimated $866 a year — payback in roughly 1.9 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
The breakdown behind the number
The estimated savings split roughly $0/year heating, $866/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Aguadilla Municipio's savings potential beats roughly 7 of them. Within zone 1 specifically, it ranks 12th of 81 counties by estimated savings. Puerto Rico averages $660/year across the counties tracked here; Aguadilla Municipio comes in 31% higher.
Aguadilla Municipio's actual weather, not a national average
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 0 HDD and 5,587 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from BORINQUEN AP, PR RQ, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 1.6 miles from Aguadilla Municipio's center. By total degree days, Aguadilla Municipio sits at the 42th percentile nationally. Aguadilla Municipio falls in DOE's moisture regime A (humid), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
The smaller top-up scenario
If Aguadilla Municipio's attic already has 3-4 inches of old insulation (about R-11) rather than bare joists, the recommended target drops to R-25. That smaller top-up costs around $840 and saves an estimated $95/year — payback about 8.9 years. This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Next steps for a Aguadilla Municipio attic
Get more than one quote before committing. Attic access and any needed air sealing move the price around, and most contractors won't take a job below roughly $600 regardless of size - worth asking upfront given Aguadilla Municipio's estimated $866/year on the line.
Nothing here is a guess
Every figure on this page traces to DOE/IECC climate zones and NOAA degree-day normals, documented in the methodology guide. The guide to what R-value actually means explains why R-30 is the target here specifically.