Hardeman County, TX Insulation Payback
Attic insulation payback for Hardeman County, TX
Hardeman County sits in IECC climate zone 3 (Hot-Dry) — intense summer heat with low humidity, where attic radiant heat gain is the main driver. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and ENERGY STAR recommend building up to R-49. Going from R-2 to the recommended R-49 costs roughly $2,820 installed for a typical attic (about 1,000 sq ft), and pays for itself in about 2.3 years at an estimated $1,218/year saved. Hard to find a home improvement with a faster payback than this.
The breakdown behind the number
Of that, about $862/year comes from reduced heating and $356/year from reduced cooling load through the ceiling. Hardeman County beats 32% of the counties in this 3,162-county dataset on estimated insulation savings. Among the 690 counties DOE places in zone 3, Hardeman County ranks 77th. Against Texas's own average of $1,035/year, Hardeman County runs 18% above that.
Hardeman County's actual weather, not a national average
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 3,250 HDD and 2,231 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from QUANAH 2 SW, TX US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 1.2 miles from Hardeman County's center. By total degree days, Hardeman County sits at the 39th percentile nationally. DOE also classifies Hardeman County as moisture regime B (dry) - ask a local contractor whether that changes the vapor-barrier approach for this job.
Already have some insulation?
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-38 runs about $1,620 for about $164/year saved — roughly 9.9 years to break even. It is close - the payback only just fits a reasonable timeframe.
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 Hardeman County's estimated $1,218/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.