Andrews County, TX Insulation Payback
Attic insulation payback for Andrews County, TX
DOE classifies Andrews County as climate zone 3, hot-dry — intense summer heat with low humidity, where attic radiant heat gain is the main driver. Its recommended attic R-value for bare joists is R-49. For an attic around 1,000 square feet, closing the gap from R-2 to R-49 costs around $2,820 and saves an estimated $1,020 a year — payback in roughly 2.8 years. Hard to find a home improvement with a faster payback than this.
Heating vs. cooling in Andrews County
Of that, about $639/year comes from reduced heating and $382/year from reduced cooling load through the ceiling. Andrews County beats 18% of the counties in this 3,162-county dataset on estimated insulation savings. Among the 690 counties DOE places in zone 3, Andrews County ranks 431st. Against Texas's own average of $1,035/year, Andrews County runs 1% below that.
The climate data behind this
Andrews County's climate figures — 2,407 heating and 2,396 cooling degree days a year — are read from ANDREWS, TX US, 5.7 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. Combined heating and cooling load puts Andrews County in the 20th percentile of this 3,162-county dataset. DOE also classifies Andrews County as moisture regime B (dry) - ask a local contractor whether that changes the vapor-barrier approach for this job.
Already have some insulation?
A shallower starting point changes the math: with R-11 already down, only the gap to R-38 needs filling, at roughly $1,620 for an estimated $137/year saved (~11.8-year payback). It is close - the payback only just fits a reasonable timeframe.
Getting it done in Andrews County
Real bids depend on how easy the attic is to reach and whether old insulation needs removing first, so treat $2,820 as a starting estimate for a Andrews County job, not a quote. Expect at least a $600 minimum charge from most contractors.
More on how this was built
Nothing here is a guess: the methodology guide names the DOE climate map and NOAA station data behind every number on this page. See the DIY vs. contractor guide for whether a job this size is realistic to do yourself.