Pine Level, NC
5 miles southwest
2,405 people, about 4 times Micro's population
Attic insulation in Pine LevelAttic Insulation in Micro, NC
Blown-in attic insulation for Micro, NC, 5 miles from Pine Level, plus removal and air sealing.
About Micro and Its Homes
Micro, in eastern Johnston County, was incorporated in 1899 as Jerome and renamed in 1905, picking a word meaning small to end mix-ups with a Jerome in Bladen County. Nobody has published a study of the town's buildings, so what your own attic shows is what we go on.
Micro, in Johnston County, grew from 458 people in 2020 to 537 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimates), on 0.42 square miles.
Micro at a Glance
- County: Johnston County
- Population: 537 (2025), 458 (2020), up 17.2%
- Land area: 0.42 square miles (1,279 people each)
- Housing units: about 255 (±83)
- Climate zone: 3 on both maps
- ENERGY STAR target for Micro attics: R-49 from bare, R-38 over 3 to 4 inches (R-value guide)
Census Bureau estimates for Micro, 2020 to 2024 (± margin of error).
Attic Insulation in Micro
If the joists show above the insulation in a Micro attic, ENERGY STAR says to add more insulation.
The Local Climate
Micro's center sits about 190 feet above sea level, 9 miles from NOAA's Smithfield station, the best match for Micro. The station's 1991 to 2020 normals average about 3,080 heating and 1,870 cooling degree days a year, so at Micro's station, heating needs outweigh cooling. Readings change over short distances around Micro: NOAA's Clayton Water Plant station, 16 miles away, averages about 3,390 heating degree days.
Homes by Age: What It Means for the Attic
At about 255 housing units, give or take 83, Micro is too small for the survey to date its houses. For Micro, the nearest town with solid figures is Pine Level, 5 miles off: about 40 percent of homes built before 1970.
Air Sealing and Duct Sealing in Micro
In Pine Level, the nearest town to Micro with solid figures, about 90 percent of homes heat with electricity.
Air sealing in a Micro attic covers wire and pipe holes, wall tops, the attic stair and bath fans.
How Homes Here Are Heated
- Electricity: 80% (±13), about 185 households; Johnston County: 78%
- Bottled or tank gas: 20% (±11), about 45 households
Power, Gas and Rebates
Duke Energy Progress supplies Micro's electricity. For gas, Micro is in the Johnston County franchise of Piedmont Natural Gas, whose mains may not reach every street in Micro.
Rebate to check in Micro: Smart $aver Insulate and Seal (Duke Energy; Insulation Pros is an approved trade ally). Before a job in Micro, check its current terms; the Johnston County page lists every program.
Attic Insulation Removal in Micro
In a Micro attic, only wet, moldy or animal-soiled insulation is vacuumed out (ENERGY STAR's test), once the cause is fixed, and after mice that Micro attic is sanitized and deodorized; dry, clean insulation stays.
Also Serving Near Micro
Nearest to Micro first.
Kenly, NC
5 miles northeast
1,722 people, about 3 times Micro's population
Attic insulation in KenlySelma, NC
5 miles west
Power from its own town system (Micro: Duke Energy Progress); 7,406 people, about 14 times Micro's population
Attic insulation in SelmaPrinceton, NC
7 miles south
1,544 people, about 3 times Micro's population
Attic insulation in PrincetonSmithfield, NC
9 miles west
13,114 people, about 24 times Micro's population
Attic insulation in Smithfield
Micro Insulation FAQs
Could my house in Micro be under any historic preservation rules?
Nothing in the state's lists points that way. Micro has no entry on the preservation office's National Register list. Johnston County's two local commissions, per the 2023 statewide roster, sit in Benson and Smithfield. So whether and how to insulate is your call, guided by the house itself.
What needs fixing before an older Micro house gets more insulation?
Often the roof and the fans come first. A soggy patch of insulation tells ENERGY STAR there is a roof leak above it, and that is fixed before new material is laid. Fans from a kitchen, bathroom or dryer that empty into the attic are on its fix-first list too. Their ducts should end outdoors. And with a town incorporated in 1899, some houses may be old enough that the wiring wants a look as well.
Could the old insulation in a Micro attic be vermiculite?
It could: about 25 percent of Micro's homes predate 1960. If a Micro attic holds a pebble-like gray-brown or silver-gold fill, leave it undisturbed: the EPA says vermiculite may contain asbestos.
Does attic insulation in Micro need a permit?
Micro Town Hall can say whether Johnston County Building Inspections Department, the town itself or another office handles permits in Micro; ask before work starts.
Helpful Guides
- Power from Duke Energy Progress: high summer electric bills and home energy audits
Sources
Census Bureau figures for Micro, NOAA normals for the Smithfield station, Duke Energy Progress (October 2026). Compiled by Insulation Pros. How the town pages are made.
Sources for the Micro introduction and questions (read October 20, 2026):
- Micro, in The North Carolina Gazetteer (William S. Powell, 2nd ed., UNC Press 2010), NCpedia
- NC Listings in the National Register of Historic Places, NC State Historic Preservation Office
- Architectural Survey Status, Records, and Reports (survey reports by county), NC State Historic Preservation Office
- Historic Preservation Commission Staff in North Carolina, listed by county, as of 2/20/2023 (NC HPO)
- Attic Insulation Project, ENERGY STAR
Serving Micro, NC
Insulation Pros is an insulation contractor serving North Carolina, Micro and the rest of Johnston County included.
Reach us
Send the square footage of your Micro attic, or call (336) 870-3893.