Duchesne County, UT Insulation Payback
Attic insulation payback for Duchesne County, UT
DOE classifies Duchesne County as climate zone 6, cold — winters that dominate the energy bill, with cooling a minor factor. Its recommended attic R-value for bare joists is R-60. Going from R-2 to the recommended R-60 costs roughly $3,480 installed for a typical attic (about 1,000 sq ft), and pays for itself in about 1.9 years at an estimated $1,867/year saved. Hard to find a home improvement with a faster payback than this.
Heating vs. cooling in Duchesne County
Of that, about $1,782/year comes from reduced heating and $86/year from reduced cooling load through the ceiling. Duchesne County beats 76% of the counties in this 3,162-county dataset on estimated insulation savings. Among the 459 counties DOE places in zone 6, Duchesne County ranks 446th. Against Utah's own average of $1,791/year, Duchesne County runs 4% above that.
The climate data behind this
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 6,663 HDD and 533 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from DUCHESNE, UT US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 8.4 miles from Duchesne County's center. Combined heating and cooling load puts Duchesne County in the 75th percentile of this 3,162-county dataset. DOE also classifies Duchesne County as moisture regime B (dry) - ask a local contractor whether that changes the vapor-barrier approach for this job.
The smaller top-up scenario
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-49 runs about $2,280 for about $272/year saved — roughly 8.4 years to break even. It is close - the payback only just fits a reasonable timeframe.
Quotes and materials for this job
Actual quotes will vary by attic access, existing debris, and whether the job needs air sealing first. Treat the $3,480 figure above as a planning number for Duchesne 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.