Harrison County, OH Insulation Payback
Harrison County, OH: what topping up your attic actually costs
DOE classifies Harrison County as climate zone 5, cold — a real winter that drives most of the annual energy bill here. 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 $1,693 a year — payback in roughly 2.1 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Where the savings come from
The estimated savings split roughly $1,572/year heating, $121/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Harrison County's savings potential beats roughly 66 of them. Within zone 5 specifically, it ranks 493rd of 745 counties by estimated savings. Ohio averages $1,669/year across the counties tracked here; Harrison County comes in 1% higher.
Harrison County's actual weather, not a national average
NOAA's CADIZ, OH US station, 5.2 miles from Harrison County, supplies the 5,880 HDD and 754 CDD this estimate runs on. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Harrison County 1126th nationally by total degree days — the 64th percentile. Harrison County falls in DOE's moisture regime A (humid), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
If the attic isn't bare
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 $247/year saved (~9.2-year payback). This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Quotes and materials for this job
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 Harrison 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.