Logan County, WV Insulation Payback
Is attic insulation worth it in Logan County, WV?
Logan County, West Virginia is zone 4 under DOE's climate map (Mixed-Humid), which means real heating and real cooling seasons both, roughly balanced across the year. An uninsulated attic there should be built 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 $1,335 a year in heating and cooling — a payback around 2.6 years. Few home upgrades pay back that quickly.
The breakdown behind the number
Heating accounts for about $1,107/year of that and cooling about $228/year — Logan County needs both. Nationally, Logan County ranks in the 41th percentile for insulation savings potential. Compared only against its own climate zone, Logan County places 517th out of 825. Against West Virginia's own average of $1,526/year, Logan County runs 13% below that.
The climate data behind this
Logan County's climate figures — 4,139 heating and 1,421 cooling degree days a year — are read from LOGAN, WV US, 3.4 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. By total degree days, Logan County sits at the 41th percentile nationally. Its moisture regime is classified humid, which matters for whether the attic needs a vapor retarder as part of the job — worth asking a contractor about locally.
Already have some insulation?
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 $195/year saved (~11.7-year payback). Whether that is worth it depends on how long you plan to stay.
Getting it done in Logan County
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 $1,335/year on the line.
Logan County's numbers, sourced
The methodology guide lists exactly which DOE and NOAA sources feed Logan County's numbers, and where the cost assumptions come from. See the DIY vs. contractor guide for whether a job this size is realistic to do yourself.