Armstrong County, TX Insulation Payback
Armstrong County attic insulation, by the numbers
DOE classifies Armstrong County as climate zone 4, mixed-dry — big seasonal swings - a dry hot summer, then a real winter cold snap. Its recommended attic R-value for bare joists is R-60. For an attic around 1,000 square feet, closing the gap from R-2 to R-60 costs around $3,480 and saves an estimated $1,341 a year — payback in roughly 2.6 years. Topping up the attic pays for itself fast here.
The breakdown behind the number
Split it out and it's roughly $1,110 a year on the heating side, $231 on cooling. By estimated insulation savings, Armstrong County lands in the 42th percentile nationally. Zone 4 alone covers 825 counties in this dataset, and Armstrong County comes in 501st by savings. Texas averages $1,035/year across the counties tracked here; Armstrong County comes in 30% higher.
Armstrong County's actual weather, not a national average
NOAA's VIGO PARK, TX US station, 23 miles from Armstrong County, supplies the 4,152 HDD and 1,437 CDD this estimate runs on. Combined heating and cooling load puts Armstrong County in the 42th percentile of this 3,162-county dataset. One local detail the R-value alone won't tell you: Armstrong County sits in moisture regime B (dry), which can affect the vapor-barrier choice.
The smaller top-up scenario
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-49 runs about $2,280 for about $196/year saved — roughly 11.7 years to break even. Call this borderline rather than a clear win.
Quotes and materials for this job
Real bids depend on how easy the attic is to reach and whether old insulation needs removing first, so treat $3,480 as a starting estimate for a Armstrong County job, not a quote. Expect at least a $600 minimum charge from most contractors.
Where these figures come from
Armstrong County's R-60 target and its degree-day figures both come from named federal sources - see the methodology guide for exactly which ones. The guide to what R-value actually means explains why R-60 is the target here specifically.