Spray Foam vs Fiberglass Attic Insulation
Direct comparison of R-value ratings, thermal sealing efficiency, and installation costs for attics.
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Energy Saving Guides
Energy Saving
Insulation, smart thermostats, and water-heating upgrades that cut real energy costs — with the payback math done for you.
Energy efficiency is where home improvement and personal finance overlap, and the most valuable upgrades are rarely the most exciting ones. Air sealing and insulation quietly beat most gadgets on return, while a smart thermostat only pays off if your schedule actually varies. Our energy guides do the arithmetic so you spend on what saves, not what sounds good.
We cover the levers that move the needle: sealing drafts, insulating the attic, managing heating and cooling load, and cutting the silent energy drains — water heating and always-on electronics — that most people never see on a bill.
Expect a payback mindset throughout. If a project doesn't earn back its cost in saved energy, we'll tell you to skip it or spend the money elsewhere.
In This Section
Insulation & Sealing
Choose the right insulation and seal the drafts that quietly bleed conditioned air.
Affordable Draft Stopper & Door Weather Stripping Under $20
Best door draft stopper and weather stripping under $20: a silicone under-door seal with 3D-chamber gap filler, and what budget strips get wrong.
Read GuideWinter Pipe Insulation & Freeze Prevention
Prevent frozen pipes before the first hard freeze: which pipes freeze, how to insulate them, and the outdoor-spigot steps most people forget.
Read GuideHeating & Cooling
Smart thermostats, portable AC, and water heaters — the big loads where efficiency pays back fastest.
The Real ROI of a Smart Thermostat: A Complete Cost and Savings Guide
Smart thermostat ROI math, C-wire install costs, payback periods, and the schedule settings that actually deliver savings — not manufacturer estimates.
Read GuidePortable Air Conditioner Running Costs & Energy Usage
How much a portable AC really costs to run: dual-hose vs single-hose efficiency, BTU-to-room sizing, and the electricity math.
Read GuideTankless vs Tank Water Heater Replacement
Compare tankless vs tank water heater replacement: equipment cost, electrical and gas-line upgrades, and long-term operating savings.
Read GuideSmart Energy
What smart plugs can actually do for your bill — and the always-on loads worth taming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a smart thermostat actually worth it?
Only if your heating or cooling schedule varies and you'd otherwise heat or cool an empty home. The savings come from automated setbacks, so a fixed schedule with manual control gets you most of the benefit for free. With a variable routine, a smart thermostat earns its cost back over a season or two.
What is the single best energy upgrade for most homes?
Air sealing and attic insulation usually beat everything else on return, because they address the biggest loss — conditioned air escaping. Drafty homes leak heat regardless of how efficient the equipment is.
Do smart plugs really save electricity?
They eliminate standby drain and let you schedule always-on devices like dehumidifiers and media centers. The savings are real but modest — the bigger value is convenience and turning off loads you'd otherwise leave running.
Spray foam or fiberglass for the attic?
For most retrofit attics, properly air-sealed blown fiberglass or cellulose is the better value. Spray foam earns its premium where you need both air sealing and insulation in hard-to-reach assemblies, or where framing makes batts a poor fit.