Macomb County, MI Insulation Payback
Macomb County, MI: what topping up your attic actually costs
Macomb County, Michigan is zone 5 under DOE's climate map (Cold), which means winters that dominate the energy bill, with cooling a minor factor. An uninsulated attic there should be built up to R-60. Going from R-2 to the recommended R-60 costs roughly $3,480 installed for a typical attic (about 1,000 sq ft), and pays for itself in about 1.9 years at an estimated $1,853/year saved. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Where the savings come from
The estimated savings split roughly $1,751/year heating, $102/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Macomb County's savings potential beats roughly 75 of them. Within zone 5 specifically, it ranks 201st of 745 counties by estimated savings. Michigan averages $2,064/year across the counties tracked here; Macomb County comes in 10% lower.
The climate data behind this
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 6,550 HDD and 633 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from MT CLEMENS ANG BASE, MI US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 6.4 miles from Macomb County's center. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Macomb County 798th nationally by total degree days — the 75th percentile. Macomb County falls in DOE's moisture regime A (humid), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
Already have some insulation?
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-49 runs about $2,280 for about $270/year saved — roughly 8.4 years to break even. This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Next steps for a Macomb County attic
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 Macomb 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.