Benzie County, MI Insulation Payback
Benzie County, MI: what topping up your attic actually costs
DOE classifies Benzie County as climate zone 6, cold — a real winter that drives most of the annual energy bill here. 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 $1,964 a year — payback in roughly 1.8 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Where the savings come from
The estimated savings split roughly $1,900/year heating, $64/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Benzie County's savings potential beats roughly 80 of them. Within zone 6 specifically, it ranks 418th of 459 counties by estimated savings. Michigan averages $2,064/year across the counties tracked here; Benzie County comes in 5% lower.
The climate data behind this
Benzie County's climate figures — 7,107 heating and 396 cooling degree days a year — are read from FRANKFORT 2NE, MI US, 1.4 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. Combined heating and cooling load puts Benzie County in the 79th percentile of this 3,162-county dataset. Benzie County falls in DOE's moisture regime A (humid), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
The smaller top-up scenario
A shallower starting point changes the math: with R-11 already down, only the gap to R-49 needs filling, at roughly $2,280 for an estimated $286/year saved (~8-year payback). That is a solid payback as home upgrades go.
Getting it done in Benzie County
Get more than one quote before committing. Attic access and any needed air sealing move the price around, and most contractors won't take a job below roughly $600 regardless of size - worth asking upfront given Benzie County's estimated $1,964/year on the line.
Nothing here is a guess
Every figure on this page traces to DOE/IECC climate zones and NOAA degree-day normals, documented in the methodology guide. The guide to what R-value actually means explains why R-60 is the target here specifically.