Attic insulation in West Palm Beach
SFL Attic is a guide run by Terragroupe, LLC. We do not install anything and we are not booking jobs yet.
West Palm Beach looks young on paper, with a median build year of 19881. But in ZIP area 33405 the median is 1956 2, and 81.3 percent2 of units date to 1979 or earlier. Palm Beach County also moved into Climate Zone 1 under the 2023 energy code 3.
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.
Updated . Sources
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 West Palm Beach
Illustration Blown-in attic insulation
Loose fill blown across the attic floor. The usual fix for a thin layer in a dry, open attic.
Illustration Spray foam attic insulation
Foam on the roof deck that seals the attic. It costs more and fits homes with ducts in the attic.
Attic insulation removal
Takes out wet, soiled or old insulation so new insulation starts on a clean floor.
Radiant barrier
Reflective foil that turns roof heat back. It helps most where attic insulation is thin.
How to size up your attic
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Compare and decide. Use the cost guide to compare quotes. If your attic already has enough insulation, you may not need work.
- See the finished job. Ask for photos and a depth reading after the work, so you can see the result.
Attic Heat Score
Answer a few quick questions. The score shows how likely your attic is to benefit from more insulation. It is a starting point; a measured depth confirms it.
Start the Attic Heat ScoreSFL Attic is a guide run by Terragroupe, LLC. We do not install anything and we are not booking jobs yet.
Near West Palm Beach
Also close by: Schall Circle (2 mi), Plantation Mobile Home Park (3 mi), Stacey Street (3 mi), Mangonia Park (3 mi), Westgate (4 mi), Haverhill (4 mi),
Straight-line distances in miles, from our place registry from Census Gazetteer centroids.
Young on average, old in some ZIP areas
The Census counts 62,464 housing units1 here. Only 37.7 percent1 were built in 1979 or earlier, the lowest share of the three cities.
Where you live changes the odds. In ZIP area 33405, 75.5 percent2 of units are detached houses and 90.1 percent2 were built in 1989 or earlier. In ZIP area 33401, the median build year is 1992 4 and only 18.8 percent4 are detached houses.
The county moved zones
In the 2023 energy code, Palm Beach County moved from Climate Zone 2 to Zone 1 3.
That changes the new-home ceiling minimum from R-38 to R-30 5. Some older web tables still use the old zone for Palm Beach County. If a page says West Palm Beach needs R-38, it is using an old table 5.
West Palm Beach International Airport has a NOAA normal of 4,165.5 cooling degree days and 201.8 heating degree days a year 6. Heating is still small next to cooling.
Houses in one ZIP area, condos in another
West Palm Beach splits into house attics and condo attics. ZIP area 33405 has 75.5 percent2 detached houses, so most attics there belong to one owner.
ZIP area 33417 is the reverse, with only 18.3 percent7 detached houses among 20,598 housing units7. There, ask the association before you ask a contractor.
ZIP area 33406 sits between them, with a median build year of 19798 and 55.3 percent8 detached houses.
What to check in West Palm Beach
- Permit. The city's permits FAQ does not mention insulation. Ask Development Services whether your job needs a permit.
- State permit rule. A Florida law that took effect July 1, 2026 lets single-family owners skip a building permit for work under $7,500 if they ask in writing 9. West Palm Beach leaves out properties in flood-hazard areas, and whether an attic job fits is the building department's call 9.
- Older areas first. If your home is in an older ZIP area such as 33405 2, start by looking for thin or missing insulation.
Guides
National price ranges for attic insulation
| Job | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 block | 8-12 percent of cooling cost | [11] |
| Blown-in fiberglass, full depth, installed | 1.60-2.40 USD per sq ft | [12]National price guide range, Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 2026 |
| Blown-in cellulose, full depth, installed | 1.90-2.75 USD per sq ft | [12]National price guide range, Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 2026 |
| Open-cell spray foam (envelope), installed | 3.80-4.95 USD per sq ft | [12]National price guide range, Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 2026 |
| Closed-cell spray foam (envelope), installed | 5.35-6.75 USD per sq ft | [12]National price guide range, Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 2026 |
| Blown-in, typical 1,500 sq ft attic, total | 1875-4125 USD | [12]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 installed | 1.00-3.00 USD per sq ft | [13]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 | [13]National price guide range, How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? 2026 Guide, July 2026 |
| Typical 1,500 sq ft attic, total | 2000-4500 USD | [13]National price guide range, How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? 2026 Guide, July 2026 |
| Typical 2,000 sq ft attic, total | 3000-7000 USD | [13]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 | [14]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 1,700-7,500 | 1700-7500 USD | [15]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 note | 5700-10125 USD | [12]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 | [14]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 | [14]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 | [16]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 | [16]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 | [17]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 | [18]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 | [18]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
West Palm Beach facts that shape the job
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median year structure built, West Palm Beach, FL (B25035) | 1988 | [1] 2020-2024 |
| Share of housing units built 1979 or earlier, West Palm Beach, FL (B25034 bins 1970-79 and older) | 37.7 percent | [1] 2020-2024 |
| Total housing units, West Palm Beach, FL (B25034 total) | 62,464 housing units | [1] 2020-2024 |
| Share of housing units that are single-family detached, ZCTA 33401 (B25024) | 18.8 percent | [4] 2020-2024 |
| Share of housing units built 1979 or earlier, ZCTA 33405 (B25034 bins 1970-79 and older) | 81.3 percent | [2] 2020-2024 |
| Share of housing units built 1989 or earlier, ZCTA 33405 (B25034) | 90.1 percent | [2] 2020-2024 |
| Share of housing units that are single-family detached, ZCTA 33405 (B25024) | 75.5 percent | [2] 2020-2024 |
| Median year structure built, ZCTA 33406 (B25035) | 1979 | [8] 2020-2024 |
| Share of housing units that are single-family detached, ZCTA 33406 (B25024) | 55.3 percent | [8] 2020-2024 |
| Share of housing units that are single-family detached, ZCTA 33417 (B25024) | 18.3 percent | [7] 2020-2024 |
| Total housing units, ZCTA 33417 (B25034 total) | 20,598 housing units | [7] 2020-2024 |
| Share of housing units built 1989 or earlier, West Palm Beach, FL (B25034) | 54 percent | [1] 2020-2024 |
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates via Census Reporter: West Palm Beach city, FL, 2020-2024
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020-2024 (via Census Reporter), 2020-2024
- Florida Energy Conservation Code 2023 (UpCodes viewer), 2023
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020-2024 (via Census Reporter), 2020-2024
- Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, 8th Edition: prescriptive energy form (Putnam County, FL copy), 2023
- NOAA NCEI climate normals 1991-2020 (annual station file), 1991-2020
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates via Census Reporter: ZIP Code Tabulation Area 33417, 2020-2024
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates via Census Reporter: ZIP Code Tabulation Area 33406, 2020-2024
- WLRN: a new Florida law will drop permits for low-cost home projects, May 8, 2026
- FPL residential ceiling insulation program standards, September 1, 2025
- Radiant Barriers: A Question and Answer Primer (FSEC-EN-15), 2005 (copyright year; revisions undated)
- Attic Insulation Cost and Guide 2026 - PICKHVAC, May 15, 2026
- How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? 2026 Guide, July 21, 2026
- How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? [2026 Data] (Angi), October 12, 2026
- Florida Spray Foam Insulation: Costs, Climate & Building Code Guide (2026), June 16, 2026
- How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? (HomeGuide), January 13, 2026
- How Much Does It Cost to Insulate an Attic? (HomeAdvisor), June 20, 2026
- How Much Does a Radiant Barrier Cost to Install? [2026 Data] (Angi), October 14, 2026
Questions people ask
Which West Palm Beach homes should check their attic first?
Homes built before the late seventies, and homes where insulation was never added. In ZIP area 33405 the median build year is 1956 2. The Attic Heat Score asks the questions that matter.