Logan County, CO Insulation Payback
Logan County, CO: what topping up your attic actually costs
Logan County sits in IECC climate zone 5 (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. Topping up a typical 1,000-square-foot attic from bare joists (R-2) to R-60 runs an estimated $3,480, and saves about $1,749 a year in heating and cooling — a payback around 2 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Where the savings come from
The estimated savings split roughly $1,588/year heating, $161/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Logan County's savings potential beats roughly 69 of them. Within zone 5 specifically, it ranks 389th of 745 counties by estimated savings. Colorado averages $2,043/year across the counties tracked here; Logan County comes in 14% lower.
Where these numbers come from
NOAA's STERLING, CO US station, 9.3 miles from Logan County, supplies the 5,938 HDD and 1,003 CDD this estimate runs on. By total degree days, Logan County sits at the 70th percentile nationally. Logan County falls in DOE's moisture regime B (dry), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
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 $255/year saved — roughly 8.9 years to break even. This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Next steps for a Logan 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 Logan County's estimated $1,749/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.