Kenosha County, WI Insulation Payback
Kenosha County, WI: what topping up your attic actually costs
Kenosha County sits in IECC climate zone 6 (Cold) — a real winter that drives most of the annual energy bill here. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and ENERGY STAR recommend building up to 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 $1,840 a year — payback in roughly 1.9 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Heating vs. cooling in Kenosha County
The estimated savings split roughly $1,724/year heating, $116/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Kenosha County's savings potential beats roughly 75 of them. Within zone 6 specifically, it ranks 452nd of 459 counties by estimated savings. Wisconsin averages $2,200/year across the counties tracked here; Kenosha County comes in 16% lower.
Kenosha County's actual weather, not a national average
Kenosha County's climate figures — 6,447 heating and 722 cooling degree days a year — are read from KENOSHA RGNL AP, WI US, 3 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Kenosha County 805th nationally by total degree days — the 75th percentile. Kenosha 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 $268/year saved (~8.5-year payback). This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Next steps for a Kenosha County attic
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 Kenosha County's estimated $1,840/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.