Attic insulation across South Florida

SFL Attic is a guide run by Terragroupe, LLC. We do not install anything and we are not booking jobs yet.

Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties share one energy code, and new homes there need at least R-30 in the ceiling 1. In Miami-Dade, 49.6 percent2 of units were built in 1979 or earlier, and in Broward it is 50 percent3. We have pages for Miami, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach.

Get your Attic Heat ScoreRead the guides

SFL Attic is a guide run by Terragroupe, LLC. We do not install anything and we are not booking jobs yet.

Last reviewed October 18, 2026 against the cited sources. A guide, not legal, tax or engineering advice.

Updated . Sources

Cutaway of a South Florida house. A sun sits above the roof. Inside the attic a bed of insulation covers the ceiling joists, a depth marker stands in it, and the living space is below.
Illustration

What this site gives you now

This guide is built to remove guesswork, so you can decide from a straight answer with no pressure.

  • A way to size up your attic
    The Attic Heat Score shows how likely new insulation is to help. Then find the type of insulation, how deep it is and what needs fixing first.
  • Prices you can compare
    Price ranges come from named national guides, each with its source. Ask any installer for the scope, the product and the price in writing. Nothing should start until you say yes.
  • The right product for your house
    Blown-in when it is enough. Spray foam only when it fits your roof and your budget.
  • A photo habit
    Take photos of the attic before and after any work, with a ruler for depth, so you can see the result.
  • The rebate rules
    FPL pays a rebate only when your existing attic insulation is thin. The cost guide explains the rules, so you can see whether you may qualify.
  • What to ask for in writing
    Ask any installer to put the workmanship term in your written scope: what it covers and how long it lasts. We will publish an installer's term on this site if one signs.

This site is free to read. It sells no work and takes no payment. If your attic does not need work, the guides and the score will say so. Any work is agreed in writing between you and the installer who does it.

Services in South Florida

How to size up your attic

  1. Take the Attic Heat Score. Answer a few questions about your home. You get a score and the reasons behind it. It is a starting point, and the Attic Heat Score page shows what it is based on.
  2. Know what a good check covers. A good attic check records the type of insulation, its depth in inches and photos of problem spots. Use that list when you talk to any installer.
  3. Ask for a written price. Ask for the scope, the product, the installed R-value and the price in writing. Nothing should start until you say yes.
  4. Compare and decide. Use the cost guide to compare quotes. If your attic already has enough insulation, you may not need work.
  5. See the finished job. Ask for photos and a depth reading after the work, so you can see the result.

Cities we cover in South Florida

One energy code for the whole region

As of October 18, 2026

All three counties are in Climate Zone 1A under the 2023 Florida energy code 4. New homes there need at least R-30 in the ceiling 1. In this edition, Palm Beach County moved into Zone 1 from Zone 2 5. Older tables that show R-38 for it are out of date 5.

The next edition, the 9th, takes effect on December 31, 2026 6. Permit applications on or after that date follow it. We will re-check the ceiling number after that date.

The code speaks mostly to new homes and to alterations. For work on an existing attic, ask your building department what applies 7.

Older homes, county by county

Census data for 2020 to 2024 shows how old the housing is 2. The shares below count all housing units, including condos and rentals.

  • Miami-Dade: median build year 1980 2, 49.6 percent2 built in 1979 or earlier, 38.8 percent2 single-family detached.
  • Broward: median build year 1980 3, 50 percent3 built in 1979 or earlier, 40 percent3 single-family detached.
  • Palm Beach County: median build year 1986 8, 33.5 percent8 built in 1979 or earlier, 45.5 percent8 single-family detached.

Miami, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach differ more than the county numbers show.

Heat, storms and rebates

NOAA normals for 1991 to 2020 put Miami International Airport at 4,656 cooling degree days a year and West Palm Beach International Airport at 4,165.5 910. Heating need is small at both. So attic insulation here is about keeping heat out.

Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with a peak near September 10 11. If your roof was just replaced or repaired, that is a good time to look at your attic.

If FPL is your electric company, its ceiling insulation rebate is $220 per installation 12. It applies only when your existing attic insulation is below R-8 12. The federal 25C credit ended on December 31, 2025 13.

Guides

National price ranges for attic insulation

These are national ranges from the cited sources, not local quotes. Ranges are labeled with their source, or marked our arithmetic. Your price depends on the job.
JobRangeSource
FSEC: in the Southeast a radiant barrier can reasonably take 8-12 percent off annual cooling costs (worked example: 1,500 sq ft Central Florida house); benefit shrinks with more insulation: at R-30 or better there is very little heat flow left for a barrier to block8-12 percent of cooling cost[16]
Blown-in fiberglass, full depth, installed1.60-2.40 USD per sq ft[17]National price guide range, Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 2026
Blown-in cellulose, full depth, installed1.90-2.75 USD per sq ft[17]National price guide range, Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 2026
Open-cell spray foam (envelope), installed3.80-4.95 USD per sq ft[17]National price guide range, Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 2026
Closed-cell spray foam (envelope), installed5.35-6.75 USD per sq ft[17]National price guide range, Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 2026
Blown-in, typical 1,500 sq ft attic, total1875-4125 USD[17]National price guide range, Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 2026
Blown-in fiberglass 1.00-2.50 and cellulose 1.20-3.00 per sq ft installed1.00-3.00 USD per sq ft[18]National price guide range, How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? 2026 Guide, July 2026
Spray foam (open and closed not split)1.50-5.00 USD per sq ft[18]National price guide range, How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? 2026 Guide, July 2026
Typical 1,500 sq ft attic, total2000-4500 USD[18]National price guide range, How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? 2026 Guide, July 2026
Typical 2,000 sq ft attic, total3000-7000 USD[18]National price guide range, How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? 2026 Guide, July 2026
Removing old attic insulation: Angi and HomeAdvisor both list $1 to $1.50 per square foot (Angi also adds air sealing at $250 to $750).1.00-1.50 USD per sq ft[19]National price guide range, How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? [2026 Data] (Angi), October 2026
Contractor blog: open-cell 1.50-3.50 and closed-cell 2.00-4.75 per sq ft in Florida 2026; typical attic retrofit 1,700-7,5001700-7500 USD[20]National price guide range, Florida Spray Foam Insulation: Costs, Climate & Building Code Guide (2026), June 2026
Spray foam, 1,500 sq ft at 3.80-6.75 per sq ft (PickHVAC envelope prices); 2,000 sq ft shown in note5700-10125 USD[17]National price guide range, Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 2026
Angi: blown-in attic insulation costs $1 to $4 per square foot (table 'Average Cost Per Square Foot in 2026'); national average attic $2,100, most homeowners $1,700 to $2,500.National range from a price guide, not a local quote.1-4 USD per sq ft[19]National price guide range, How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? [2026 Data] (Angi), October 2026
Angi: spray foam attic insulation costs $2 to $5 per square foot (no open-cell / closed-cell split).National range from a price guide, not a local quote.2-5 USD per sq ft[19]National price guide range, How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? [2026 Data] (Angi), October 2026
HomeGuide: blown-in insulation costs $0.90 to $2.40 per square foot, or $900 to $3,600 total.National range from a price guide, not a local quote.0.90-2.40 USD per sq ft[21]National price guide range, How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? (HomeGuide), January 2026
HomeGuide: attic spray foam insulation costs $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot.National range from a price guide, not a local quote.1.50-5.00 USD per sq ft[21]National price guide range, How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? (HomeGuide), January 2026
HomeAdvisor: removing old attic insulation costs $1 to $1.50 per square foot.National range from a price guide, not a local quote.1.00-1.50 USD per sq ft[22]National price guide range, How Much Does It Cost to Insulate an Attic? (HomeAdvisor), June 2026
Angi: contractors charge between $0.60 and $1 per square foot to install both foil and spray-on radiant barriers.National range from a price guide, not a local quote.0.60-1.00 USD per sq ft installed[23]National price guide range, How Much Does a Radiant Barrier Cost to Install? [2026 Data] (Angi), October 2026
Angi: professional radiant barrier installation costs between $710 and $2,840 for the project.National range from a price guide, not a local quote.710-2840 USD[23]National price guide range, How Much Does a Radiant Barrier Cost to Install? [2026 Data] (Angi), October 2026
Evidence: the facts and sources behind this page

South Florida facts

As of October 18, 2026

Verified facts only. Each one links to its source and shows the source's date.
FactValueSource
Current Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation is the 8th Edition (2023), effective December 31, 2023 (based on 2021 IECC)8th Edition (2023)[1] December 31, 2023As of October 19, 2026
Florida Building Code 9th Edition (2026) takes effect December 31, 2026; permit applications on/after that date follow it2026-12-31 date[6] 2026As of October 19, 2026
Florida Building Code 9th Edition (2026) applies to permit applications filed on or after December 31, 20269th Edition (2026)Takes effect December 31, 2026[6] 2026As of October 19, 2026
Prescriptive minimum ceiling insulation, Climate Zone 1, FBC Energy Conservation 8th Ed. Table R402.1.230 R-value (U-0.035)[1] December 31, 2023As of October 19, 2026
Prescriptive minimum ceiling insulation, Climate Zone 2 (not South Florida), 8th Ed.38 R-value (U-0.030)[5] 2023
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties are all Climate Zone 1A in the FBC Energy Conservation 8th Edition (Palm Beach moved from Zone 2 to Zone 1)Zone 1 climate zone[4] 2023
Existing-building alterations: R503.1 says alterations comply with new-construction rules; R503.1.1 exceptions include existing ceiling/wall/floor cavities that are not exposed (and exposed cavities filled with insulation), provided the building's energy use is not increasedtext code text[7] 2023
F.S. 553.9065: unvented attic assemblies insulated with at least R-20 air-impermeable insulation are deemed to meet the energy code if blower door is below 3 ACH50, mechanical ventilation is present, exposed rafters have R-3 where applicable, and HVAC equipment/ducts are inside the envelope20 R-value[15] 2026 (2026 Florida Statutes online edition)
Florida HB 803 (signed May 2026, effective July 1, 2026): single-family owners and their contractors do not need a building permit for work valued under $7,500; structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work still needs one; projects cannot be split; a written request is required$7,500 USD[14] May 8, 2026As of October 19, 2026
FPL residential ceiling insulation rebate220 USD per installation[12] 2025-09-01 (program standards effective date)
Eligibility: active FPL residential account, whole-house central electric AC and heating, verified existing ceiling R-value below R-8, all attic spaces accessible, hired PIC, once per home every 20 yearsbelow R-8 R-value[12] September 1, 2025
Not eligible: additions or renovations, inaccessible attics, flat roofs, insulation over unfinished drop ceilings; material may be blown-in, batt or spray foam and must be newn/a[12] September 1, 2025

Sources

  1. Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, 8th Edition (2023), Table R402.1.2, December 31, 2023
  2. U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates via Census Reporter: Miami-Dade County, FL, 2020-2024
  3. U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates via Census Reporter: Broward County, FL, 2020-2024
  4. Florida Energy Conservation Code 2023 (UpCodes viewer), 2023
  5. Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, 8th Edition: prescriptive energy form (Putnam County, FL copy), 2023
  6. Miami-Dade County, Florida Building Code 9th Edition change summary, 2026
  7. Florida Energy Conservation Code 2023 (UpCodes viewer), 2023
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020-2024 (via Census Reporter), 2020-2024
  9. NOAA NCEI climate normals 1991-2020 (annual station file), 1991-2020
  10. NOAA NCEI climate normals 1991-2020 (annual station file), 1991-2020
  11. NOAA National Hurricane Center, hurricane climatology, 2026
  12. FPL residential ceiling insulation program standards, September 1, 2025
  13. IRS, Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, October 18, 2026
  14. WLRN: a new Florida law will drop permits for low-cost home projects, May 8, 2026
  15. Online Sunshine, Florida Statutes: s. 553.9065, 2026 (2026 Florida Statutes online edition)
  16. Radiant Barriers: A Question and Answer Primer (FSEC-EN-15), 2005 (copyright year; revisions undated)
  17. Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 15, 2026
  18. How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? 2026 Guide, July 21, 2026
  19. How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? [2026 Data] (Angi), October 12, 2026
  20. Florida Spray Foam Insulation: Costs, Climate & Building Code Guide (2026), June 16, 2026
  21. How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? (HomeGuide), January 13, 2026
  22. How Much Does It Cost to Insulate an Attic? (HomeAdvisor), June 20, 2026
  23. How Much Does a Radiant Barrier Cost to Install? [2026 Data] (Angi), October 14, 2026

Questions people ask

Does adding attic insulation need a permit?

As of October 18, 2026

It depends on your city. A Florida law that took effect July 1, 2026 lets single-family owners skip a building permit for work under $7,500 with a written request 14. Whether an attic job fits is each building department's call, so ask yours before you hire anyone.

Which cities do you cover?

Today we have pages for Miami, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. A city gets a page only when we have enough local, sourced facts to say something useful about it.