These are the insulation and heating questions homeowners ask most, answered briefly with a source for every number and a link to the full guide. We picked them by reviewing nearly 2,800 Reddit threads about insulation, heating bills and spray foam in October 2026 and ranking topics by how much discussion they drew. The answers are written for Utah County, which is in climate zone 5.
Utah Valley Foam is an independent insulation referral service for Utah County, not a contractor. If you want a price on your own project, request a quote.
What People Ask Most
| Topic (links to the full guide) | Threads | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| High winter heating and gas bills | 219 | 6,304 |
| Attic insulation: how much, baffles, removal | 639 | 5,381 |
| Is this quote or price fair? | 199 | 3,799 |
| Vapor barriers, moisture and mold | 247 | 2,081 |
| Air sealing | 224 | 1,978 |
| Drafts, cold rooms and cold floors | 293 | 1,673 |
| Is spray foam worth it compared with other insulation? | 129 | 1,579 |
| Spray foam problems: smell, wrong foam, cracks | 44 | 853 |
Method: 2,796 public Reddit posts from r/Insulation, r/HomeImprovement, r/homeowners, r/DIY, r/Frugal, r/HVAC, r/oldhouses, r/Construction, r/SaltLakeCity, r/Utah and r/energy, found by keyword searches on insulation, heating and gas bills, and spray foam, collected on October 4, 2026. A post counts in every topic its title matches, so a thread about a high bill and a quote counts in both rows. Comment counts measure how much discussion a topic draws, not how common the problem is.
Insulation Questions FAQ
Why is my gas bill so high this winter?
Heating is the biggest energy use in most homes: ENERGY STAR says heating and cooling are almost half of a typical household energy bill. EIA data show Utah residential gas prices fell from $13.45 per thousand cubic feet in 2023 to $10.19 in 2025, so a higher Utah bill usually means the house is burning more gas, through air leaks, thin attic insulation, or a thermostat that never turns down.
Are space heaters cheaper than running the furnace?
Usually not in Utah. Using EIA prices, heat from an electric space heater costs about $38.57 per million Btu, against about $10.35 from a 95 percent efficient gas furnace, roughly 3.7 times as much. One 1,500 watt heater running 8 hours a day costs about $47 a month. It only pays if you turn the furnace down and heat a much smaller space.
Should I turn the heat down at night or keep it steady?
Turn it down. Department of Energy guidance published by NDSU Extension says turning the thermostat back 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours saves 5 to 15 percent a year on heating, or as much as 1 percent per degree.
How much attic insulation do I need in Utah County?
ENERGY STAR recommends R-60 for an uninsulated attic in climate zone 5 and R-49 for one that already has 3 to 4 inches. Utah’s energy code calls for R-49 in ceilings. If you can see the tops of the ceiling joists, you are well short.
Is air sealing the attic worth it?
Yes. ENERGY STAR recommends sealing attic leaks before adding insulation and estimates that air sealing plus insulation saves an average of 16 percent on heating and cooling in climate zone 5. Enbridge Gas ThermWise also pays an air sealing rebate of up to $850 for a single family home.
Do I need a vapor barrier in Utah?
On frame walls, yes. Utah’s residential code (section R702.7) requires a vapor retarder on the interior side of frame walls. In climate zone 5 that can be Class I, such as polyethylene sheet, or Class II, such as kraft-faced batts or vapor retarder paint; Class III, such as latex paint, is allowed only under specific conditions. Basement walls and the below-grade part of any wall are exempt. Under an unvented roof, section R806.5 requires spray foam to be a Class II vapor retarder or to be coated with one.
Should I remove old insulation or add more on top?
It depends on its condition, and the rebate rules care about the final R-value: ThermWise’s top attic rebate needs at least R-19 added and a finished attic between R-49 and R-60. Do not disturb vermiculite insulation without having it tested, because ENERGY STAR warns it may contain asbestos.
Why are my floors so cold in winter?
Cold floors usually point to the crawl space or the basement rim joist. ENERGY STAR’s estimated savings for sealing and insulating specifically include floors over crawl spaces and accessible basement rim joists, alongside attics.
How do I insulate walls that already have drywall?
Have dense-pack cellulose or fiberglass blown in through a small hole in each stud bay, then patched. The U.S. Department of Energy calls dense pack the favored method for closed walls in existing homes. Check first for knob-and-tube wiring, which the National Electrical Code bars insulation around. Full guide: how to insulate existing walls.
Is spray foam worth the extra cost over blown-in insulation?
Sometimes. Spray foam air-seals and insulates in one step, which earns its cost where sealing is otherwise hard, such as rim joists, crawl space walls and roof decks. On an open attic floor, air sealing plus blown insulation can reach the same R-49 to R-60. Compare both on our spray foam vs fiberglass page.
Is spray foam insulation safe?
The CPSC advises homeowners to vacate during installation and for at least 24 hours after, and says the right re-occupancy time depends on the product, the home, and whether sensitive people live there. People with asthma, respiratory allergies or skin conditions should review the product information first.
Why does my house still smell after spray foam?
A lingering odor is not something the CPSC treats as normal. Its advice is to seek medical care if you have symptoms, report the problem on SaferProducts.gov, and work with the contractor, the foam manufacturer or an independent indoor air quality consultant to find the cause.
How do I know if an insulation quote is fair?
Compare itemized quotes line by line: product, final R-value, square footage per area, air sealing and removal. In our September 2026 survey only 2 of 18 Utah insulation companies published any price, so a second written quote is the only reliable benchmark.
Are there insulation rebates in Utah in 2026?
Yes, through utilities. Enbridge Gas ThermWise pays $0.32 per square foot for attic insulation that ends between R-49 and R-60, plus wall, floor and air sealing rebates. Rocky Mountain Power wattsmart pays $0.10 per square foot for attics in homes with electric heat or central cooling. The federal 25C tax credit ended for property placed in service after December 31, 2025.
How do I check an insulation contractor’s licence in Utah?
Use the State of Utah’s public licence lookup at secure.utah.gov/llv. The CPSC also recommends checking insurance and references before hiring a spray foam installer.
Sources
- ENERGY STAR, seal and insulate savings methodology (climate zone 5: 16 percent on heating and cooling, 12 percent total)
- ENERGY STAR, recommended insulation R-values
- ENERGY STAR, attic air sealing project
- ENERGY STAR, smart thermostats
- NDSU Extension, thermostat setback guidance citing the U.S. Department of Energy
- U.S. EIA, Utah natural gas prices and Utah electricity prices
- U.S. CPSC, spray polyurethane foam health and safety recommendations for consumers
- Utah Residential Code 2021, section R702.7 and section R806.5
- Enbridge Gas ThermWise weatherization rebates
- Rocky Mountain Power wattsmart insulation rebates, Utah
- IRS, Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit