Atascosa County, TX Insulation Payback
Atascosa County attic insulation, by the numbers
DOE classifies Atascosa County as climate zone 2, hot-humid — humid heat for much of the year, with cooling running far more than heating ever does. 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 $895 a year — payback in roughly 3.2 years. Topping up the attic pays for itself here.
Where the savings come from
Split it out and it's roughly $364 a year on the heating side, $531 on cooling. By estimated insulation savings, Atascosa County lands in the 10th percentile nationally. Zone 2 alone covers 233 counties in this dataset, and Atascosa County comes in 47th by savings. Texas averages $1,035/year across the counties tracked here; Atascosa County comes in 14% lower.
The climate data behind this
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 1,372 HDD and 3,331 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from PLEASANTON, TX US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 5.9 miles from Atascosa County's center. By total degree days, Atascosa County sits at the 17th percentile nationally. One local detail the R-value alone won't tell you: Atascosa County sits in moisture regime A (humid), which can affect the vapor-barrier choice.
If the attic isn't bare
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-38 runs about $1,620 for about $121/year saved — roughly 13.4 years to break even. Call this borderline rather than a clear win.
Next steps for a Atascosa County attic
Actual quotes will vary by attic access, existing debris, and whether the job needs air sealing first. Treat the $2,820 figure above as a planning number for Atascosa County, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
Where these figures come from
Atascosa County's R-49 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-49 is the target here specifically.