Gilmer County, WV Insulation Payback
Gilmer County, WV: what topping up your attic actually costs
Gilmer County sits in IECC climate zone 4 (Mixed-Humid) — a genuine mix of cold winters and humid summers, with neither one dominating the bill. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and ENERGY STAR recommend building up to 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 2.4 years at an estimated $1,477/year saved. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Where the savings come from
The estimated savings split roughly $1,326/year heating, $151/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Gilmer County's savings potential beats roughly 51 of them. Within zone 4 specifically, it ranks 217th of 825 counties by estimated savings. West Virginia averages $1,526/year across the counties tracked here; Gilmer County comes in 3% lower.
Where these numbers come from
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 4,959 HDD and 943 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from GLENVILLE, WV US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 1.6 miles from Gilmer County's center. Combined heating and cooling load puts Gilmer County in the 50th percentile of this 3,162-county dataset. Gilmer 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
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 $216/year saved (~10.6-year payback). This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Getting it done in Gilmer 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 Gilmer 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.