Gogebic County, MI Insulation Payback
Attic insulation payback for Gogebic County, MI
DOE classifies Gogebic County as climate zone 7, very cold — a climate where the heating season stretches across most of the year. 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 $2,553 a year — payback in roughly 1.4 years. Hard to find a home improvement with a faster payback than this.
Where the savings come from
Of that, about $2,519/year comes from reduced heating and $34/year from reduced cooling load through the ceiling. Gogebic County beats 98% of the counties in this 3,162-county dataset on estimated insulation savings. Among the 120 counties DOE places in zone 7, Gogebic County ranks 53rd. Against Michigan's own average of $2,064/year, Gogebic County runs 24% above that.
Gogebic County's actual weather, not a national average
Gogebic County's climate figures — 9,422 heating and 209 cooling degree days a year — are read from BERGLAND DAM, MI US, 13.3 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Gogebic County 70th nationally by total degree days — the 98th percentile.
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 $372/year saved — roughly 6.1 years to break even. Topping up the attic pays for itself here.
Quotes and materials for this job
Get more than one quote before committing. Attic access and any needed air sealing move the price around, and most contractors won't take a job below roughly $600 regardless of size - worth asking upfront given Gogebic County's estimated $2,553/year on the line.
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.