Irion County, TX Insulation Payback
Irion County, TX: what topping up your attic actually costs
Irion County sits in IECC climate zone 3 (Hot-Dry) — scorching, dry summers where heat radiating straight through the roof does most of the damage. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and ENERGY STAR recommend building up to R-49. Topping up a typical 1,000-square-foot attic from bare joists (R-2) to R-49 runs an estimated $2,820, and saves about $1,083 a year in heating and cooling — a payback around 2.6 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
The breakdown behind the number
The estimated savings split roughly $714/year heating, $369/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Irion County's savings potential beats roughly 23 of them. Within zone 3 specifically, it ranks 282nd of 690 counties by estimated savings. Texas averages $1,035/year across the counties tracked here; Irion County comes in 5% higher.
The climate data behind this
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 2,691 HDD and 2,313 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from MERTZON 12NNW, TX US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 11 miles from Irion County's center. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Irion County 2341st nationally by total degree days — the 26th percentile. Irion 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
A shallower starting point changes the math: with R-11 already down, only the gap to R-38 needs filling, at roughly $1,620 for an estimated $146/year saved (~11.1-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 $2,820 figure above as a planning number for Irion 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-49 is the target here specifically.