Hancock County, WV Insulation Payback
Attic insulation payback for Hancock County, WV
DOE classifies Hancock 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. 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 $1,615 a year — payback in roughly 2.2 years. Hard to find a home improvement with a faster payback than this.
Heating vs. cooling in Hancock County
Of that, about $1,486/year comes from reduced heating and $129/year from reduced cooling load through the ceiling. Hancock County beats 61% of the counties in this 3,162-county dataset on estimated insulation savings. Among the 745 counties DOE places in zone 5, Hancock County ranks 622nd. Against West Virginia's own average of $1,526/year, Hancock County runs 6% above that.
Hancock County's actual weather, not a national average
NOAA's NEW CUMBERLAND L/D, WV US station, 3.1 miles from Hancock County, supplies the 5,556 HDD and 804 CDD this estimate runs on. By total degree days, Hancock County sits at the 59th percentile nationally. DOE also classifies Hancock County as moisture regime A (humid) - 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 $236/year saved — roughly 9.7 years to break even. It is close - the payback only just fits a reasonable timeframe.
Next steps for a Hancock County attic
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 Hancock 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.