Should I have the attic plywood flooring removed to install more insulation from MassSave?

Submitted by smalltrader t3_zmz3k1 in massachusetts

Currently, my 1600sqft house is heated via an oil-fired boiler. I was looking to reduce my energy bill by having a heat pump installed. MassSave offers a 10k rebate on heat pump installs if the house has 14 inches of insulation in the attic already (this is essential to be a MassSave-certified house) . Currently, my attic has only 5 inches of insulation so they need to blow 9 more inches of insulation. The issue I am running into is the current insulation is under plywood flooring in attic.

Unfortunately, MassSave is saying they cannot simply blow insulation above the flooring. They need the insulation to be continuous and uninterrupted for it to be effective. The plywood creates a thermal break in the insulation, making all insulation above ineffective. Since none of their contractors is willing to remove the flooring I have to first find a handyman to remove the flooring on my own then reach out to them to blow more insulation on the attic. I will have to pay out of pocket for getting the flooring removed. Then my house will qualify for the whole house heat pump.

Without the extra insulation install I would only qualify for partial-home heat pump rebates of $1,250 per ton, up to $10,000.

My question is should I go ahead with removing the flooring and have insulation installed just to get the whole house heat pump rebate of $10k or go with the partial home heat pump (rebate per ton)?

Thanks for help

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individual_328 t1_j0e2ngg wrote

Getting more than 5" of insulation is worth the cost even without any rebates. That alone will save you more money than anything a heat pump accomplishes, which honestly won't be much presently. Heat pumps are about getting AC and some supplemental heat right now, and being ready for a probably-not-too-distant future where fossil fuels are prohibitively expensive.

The fact that heat pumps are already cost-competitive with gas/oil is a good indicator of where things are heading, and they're heading there fast. But we're not quite there yet.

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SocoCocoPuffs t1_j0e086k wrote

Do the math on the rebate per ton. With a 1600 square feet house I imagine you’d be like $1-2k rebate so you’d be leaving $8knoj the table with the whole house rebate. So as long as the cost to remove the plywood is less than 8k it’s probably worth it.

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eightfingeredtypist t1_j0e4if5 wrote

If you're in Western Mass, talk to Ideal Home Improvement. They can take up the floor. air seal insulate, and get Mass Save to pay for most of it. They have done this and a whole lot more to two of our family houses.

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smalltrader OP t1_j0e6cw1 wrote

Unfortunately In eastern mass south shore

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eightfingeredtypist t1_j0e771m wrote

Talk to some local Mass Save contractors. They can do the work, and for a little extra, they will do work outside of the Mass Save contract. It's all legal, they aren't cheating Mass Save.

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SynbiosVyse t1_j0kz5c1 wrote

Make sure you get at least 2-3 quotes. A lot of scummy companies out here.

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modernhomeowner t1_j0e0n8y wrote

Will you be able to put the flooring back down? They wanted it to be so high that I wouldn't be able to put the flooring down. They agreed to make it high on the sides, low in the middle so I could put the plywood down in the middle, and before they did the insulation, I added 2x4s across the sides so I could put plywood on top of those.

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tesky02 t1_j0eb1ma wrote

Just roll out batts on top. Without vapor barriers. Should be fine. Who is the auditor, HomeWorks? They are horrible.

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wolf95oct0ber t1_j0e9eti wrote

Keep in the mind heat pump rebate amounts are based on if you install system tonnage to heat the whole home vs not. Are you installing a whole home system?

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Puzzled_Transition48 t1_j0f9bv2 wrote

Plug the eaves with fiberglass and spray foam the rafter bays - spray foam is the best

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spottedraccoon t1_j0ifvbq wrote

diy it if you have the time- I just took up the floorboards in my attic for mass save to blow in insulation. a lot of sawdust and time on your hands and knees but it’s easily doable

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AutomationBias t1_j0j9atg wrote

It’s worth removing the flooring, but be prepared for surprises. When we did ours, we found vermiculite and some janky wiring - both of which had to be taken care of before we could proceed with the new insulation.

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SynbiosVyse t1_j0k1aqc wrote

How much did it cost to remove the vermiculite? Did you get it tested for asbestos?

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AutomationBias t1_j0krrnj wrote

Yes, it tested positive for asbestos. The abatement cost around $8000, and we should eventually get reimbursed for about $4600 from the Zonolite trust.

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SynbiosVyse t1_j0imw71 wrote

Agree with others that you'll make the money back ripping up the flooring and insulating because of the bigger rebate. Good long-term investment too.

If you're looking to decrease your energy bills, heat pump ain't gonna help.

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