not exactly alternative energy, but...

[Guest]

Hi all, Im getting ready to purchase a new doublewide, and they offer an option for Crane insulated vinyl siding. After some brief research, I found it has an R value of up to 4. The addition of this option raises the price of the home by 3 grand. Moneys kinda tight at the moment, so is this a worthwhile investment? Im sure ANY addition of insulation is better, but is the difference gonna be negligable or a big difference? I'd like to hear anyones opinion who has installed/has it installed on their home. Thanks guys!

[hvac1000]

I understand about money being tight but one thing to remember is that once you buy the home you will have a very hard time adding insulation at a later date. $ 3000.00 sounds like a lot for a upgrade but it will cost more that that if you try to do it after you buy.

If you live in an extremely hot or cold area of the country it will probably be nice to have that extra insulation.

How thick are the walls now?
How is the insulation value of a home without the fancy siding ?
Is it 2X4 or 2X6 wall construction?
How much insulation is in the attic?
Is there a window upgrade available?