Caddo County, OK Insulation Payback
Caddo County, OK: what topping up your attic actually costs
Caddo County, Oklahoma is zone 3 under DOE's climate map (Mixed-Humid), which means heating load in winter and cooling load in summer, both worth taking seriously here. An uninsulated attic there should be built up to R-49. Going from R-2 to the recommended R-49 costs roughly $2,820 installed for a typical attic (about 1,000 sq ft), and pays for itself in about 2.2 years at an estimated $1,267/year saved. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
The breakdown behind the number
The estimated savings split roughly $959/year heating, $308/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Caddo County's savings potential beats roughly 36 of them. Within zone 3 specifically, it ranks 44th of 690 counties by estimated savings. Oklahoma averages $1,260/year across the counties tracked here; Caddo County comes in 1% higher.
Caddo County's actual weather, not a national average
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 3,616 HDD and 1,933 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from FORT COBB 4NNW MESONET, OK US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 5 miles from Caddo County's center. By total degree days, Caddo County sits at the 41th percentile nationally. Caddo 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
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-38 runs about $1,620 for about $171/year saved — roughly 9.5 years to break even. This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Getting it done in Caddo 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 Caddo County's estimated $1,267/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-49 is the target here specifically.