Dimmit County, TX Insulation Payback
Attic insulation payback for Dimmit County, TX
Dimmit County, Texas is zone 2 under DOE's climate map (Hot-Humid), which means summers that stay hot and humid while winters barely register on the energy bill. An uninsulated attic there should be built up to 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 $932 a year — payback in roughly 3 years. Worth doing on the numbers alone.
Heating vs. cooling in Dimmit County
Of that, about $375/year comes from reduced heating and $557/year from reduced cooling load through the ceiling. Dimmit County beats 12% of the counties in this 3,162-county dataset on estimated insulation savings. Among the 233 counties DOE places in zone 2, Dimmit County ranks 23rd. Against Texas's own average of $1,035/year, Dimmit County runs 10% below that.
The climate data behind this
Dimmit County's climate figures — 1,414 heating and 3,494 cooling degree days a year — are read from CARRIZO SPRINGS 3S, TX US, 8 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. By total degree days, Dimmit County sits at the 23th percentile nationally. DOE also classifies Dimmit County as moisture regime B (dry) - ask a local contractor whether that changes the vapor-barrier approach for this job.
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 $126/year saved — roughly 12.9 years to break even. It is close - the payback only just fits a reasonable timeframe.
Next steps for a Dimmit 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 Dimmit County, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
More on how this was built
Nothing here is a guess: the methodology guide names the DOE climate map and NOAA station data behind every number on this page. See the DIY vs. contractor guide for whether a job this size is realistic to do yourself.