Fremont County, CO Insulation Payback
Fremont County, CO: what topping up your attic actually costs
DOE classifies Fremont County as climate zone 5, cold — cold enough that heating, not cooling, is what decides the bill. Its recommended attic R-value for bare joists is 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 $1,575 a year in heating and cooling — a payback around 2.2 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Where the savings come from
The estimated savings split roughly $1,455/year heating, $121/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Fremont County's savings potential beats roughly 58 of them. Within zone 5 specifically, it ranks 671st of 745 counties by estimated savings. Colorado averages $2,043/year across the counties tracked here; Fremont County comes in 23% lower.
Where these numbers come from
Fremont County's climate figures — 5,440 heating and 751 cooling degree days a year — are read from CANON CITY, CO US, 10.8 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Fremont County 1393rd nationally by total degree days — the 56th percentile. Fremont 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
A shallower starting point changes the math: with R-11 already down, only the gap to R-49 needs filling, at roughly $2,280 for an estimated $230/year saved (~9.9-year payback). This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Getting it done in Fremont County
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 Fremont County, not a bid - contractors typically 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.