Custer County, CO Insulation Payback
Is attic insulation worth it in Custer County, CO?
DOE classifies Custer County as climate zone 6, cold — cold enough that heating, not cooling, is what decides the bill. 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 $2,169 a year — payback in roughly 1.6 years. Few home upgrades pay back that quickly.
The breakdown behind the number
Heating accounts for about $2,164/year of that and cooling about $4/year — Custer County needs both. Nationally, Custer County ranks in the 89th percentile for insulation savings potential. Compared only against its own climate zone, Custer County places 218th out of 459. Against Colorado's own average of $2,043/year, Custer County runs 6% above that.
Where these numbers come from
Custer County's climate figures — 8,095 heating and 27 cooling degree days a year — are read from WESTCLIFFE, CO US, 5.4 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. By total degree days, Custer County sits at the 87th percentile nationally. Its moisture regime is classified dry, which matters for whether the attic needs a vapor retarder as part of the job — worth asking a contractor about locally.
If the attic isn't bare
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-49 runs about $2,280 for about $316/year saved — roughly 7.2 years to break even. The math clears comfortably within a normal ownership horizon.
Getting it done in Custer County
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 Custer County job, not a quote. Expect at least a $600 minimum charge from most contractors.
Custer County's numbers, sourced
The methodology guide lists exactly which DOE and NOAA sources feed Custer County's numbers, and where the cost assumptions come from. See the DIY vs. contractor guide for whether a job this size is realistic to do yourself.