Grand County, UT Insulation Payback
Grand County, UT: what topping up your attic actually costs
DOE classifies Grand County as climate zone 5, cold — winters that dominate the energy bill, with cooling a minor factor. 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 $1,665 a year — payback in roughly 2.1 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
The breakdown behind the number
The estimated savings split roughly $1,437/year heating, $227/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Grand County's savings potential beats roughly 64 of them. Within zone 5 specifically, it ranks 547th of 745 counties by estimated savings. Utah averages $1,791/year across the counties tracked here; Grand County comes in 7% lower.
Grand County's actual weather, not a national average
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 5,376 HDD and 1,415 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from MOAB CANYONLAND AP, UT US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 18 miles from Grand County's center. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Grand County 1029th nationally by total degree days — the 67th percentile. Grand County falls in DOE's moisture regime B (dry), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
If the attic isn't bare
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-49 runs about $2,280 for about $243/year saved — roughly 9.4 years to break even. This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
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 Grand County's estimated $1,665/year on the line.
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.