Río Grande Municipio attic insulation, by the numbers

Río Grande 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.

Heating vs. cooling in Río Grande Municipio

Split it out and it's roughly $96 a year on the heating side, $70 on cooling. By estimated insulation savings, Río Grande Municipio lands in the 0th percentile nationally. Zone 1 alone covers 81 counties in this dataset, and Río Grande Municipio comes in 81st by savings. Puerto Rico averages $660/year across the counties tracked here; Río Grande Municipio comes in 75% lower.

Río Grande Municipio's actual weather, not a national average

The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 372 HDD and 451 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from PICO DEL ESTE, PR RQ, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 7.7 miles from Río Grande Municipio's center. By total degree days, Río Grande Municipio sits at the 0th percentile nationally. One local detail the R-value alone won't tell you: Río Grande Municipio sits in moisture regime A (humid), which can affect the vapor-barrier choice.

Already have some insulation?

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 Río Grande Municipio, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.

Where these figures come from

Río Grande 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.