Cache County, UT Insulation Payback
Cache County, UT: what topping up your attic actually costs
Cache County sits in IECC climate zone 6 (Cold) — cold enough that heating, not cooling, is what decides the bill. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and Energy Star recommend building up to R-60. Topping up a typical 1,000-square-foot attic from bare joists (R-2) to R-60 runs an estimated $3,480, and saves about $1,905 a year in heating and cooling — a payback around 1.8 years.
That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Heating vs. cooling in Cache County
The estimated savings split roughly $1,790/year heating, $116/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Cache County's savings potential beats roughly 78 of them. Within zone 6 specifically, it ranks 441st of 459 counties by estimated savings. Utah averages $1,791/year across the counties tracked here; Cache County comes in 6% higher.
The climate data behind this
NOAA's Logan Utah ST Univ, UT US station, 3.1 miles from Cache County, supplies the 6,693 HDD and 720 CDD this estimate runs on. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Cache County 703rd nationally by total degree days — the 78th percentile. Cache County falls in DOE's moisture regime B (dry), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
The smaller top-up scenario
If Cache County's attic already has 3-4 inches of old insulation (about R-11) rather than bare joists, the recommended target drops to R-49. That smaller top-up costs around $2,280 and saves an estimated $278/year — payback about 8.2 years. This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Getting it done in Cache County
Actual quotes will vary by attic access, existing debris, and whether the job needs air sealing first, so treat the $3,480 figure above as a planning number for Cache County, not a bid. Worth getting quotes from at least two local contractors before committing - most charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
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.