Humacao Municipio, PR Insulation Payback
Humacao Municipio attic insulation, by the numbers
Humacao Municipio sits in IECC climate zone 1 (Hot-Humid) — summers that stay hot and humid while winters barely register on the energy bill. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and ENERGY STAR recommend building up to R-30. Going from R-2 to the recommended R-30 costs roughly $1,680 installed for a typical attic (about 1,000 sq ft), and pays for itself in about 10.1 years at an estimated $166/year saved. It is close - the payback only just fits a reasonable timeframe.
The breakdown behind the number
Split it out and it's roughly $96 a year on the heating side, $70 on cooling. By estimated insulation savings, Humacao Municipio lands in the 0th percentile nationally. Zone 1 alone covers 81 counties in this dataset, and Humacao Municipio comes in 78th by savings. Puerto Rico averages $660/year across the counties tracked here; Humacao Municipio comes in 75% lower.
Where these numbers come from
Humacao Municipio's climate figures — 372 heating and 451 cooling degree days a year — are read from PICO DEL ESTE, PR RQ, 9.5 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Humacao Municipio 3159th nationally by total degree days — the 0th percentile. One local detail the R-value alone won't tell you: Humacao Municipio sits in moisture regime A (humid), which can affect the vapor-barrier choice.
If the attic isn't bare
A shallower starting point changes the math: with R-11 already down, only the gap to R-25 needs filling, at roughly $840 for an estimated $18/year saved (~46.4-year payback). This is the weak case for the upgrade, numbers-wise.
Quotes and materials for this job
Actual quotes will vary by attic access, existing debris, and whether the job needs air sealing first. Treat the $1,680 figure above as a planning number for Humacao Municipio, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
Where these figures come from
Humacao Municipio's R-30 target and its degree-day figures both come from named federal sources - see the methodology guide for exactly which ones. A rebate can turn a marginal case into a clear one - the state rebate guide covers what PR offers.