Morgan County, WV Insulation Payback
Morgan County, WV: what topping up your attic actually costs
Morgan 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 $1,566 a year in heating and cooling — a payback around 2.2 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
The breakdown behind the number
The estimated savings split roughly $1,437/year heating, $128/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Morgan County's savings potential beats roughly 57 of them. Within zone 4 specifically, it ranks 82nd of 825 counties by estimated savings. West Virginia averages $1,526/year across the counties tracked here; Morgan County comes in 3% higher.
Morgan County's actual weather, not a national average
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 5,376 HDD and 800 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from CACAPON ST PK #2, WV US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 4 miles from Morgan County's center. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Morgan County 1408th nationally by total degree days — the 55th percentile. Morgan 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?
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 $228/year saved (~10-year payback). This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Getting it done in Morgan County
Real bids depend on how easy the attic is to reach and whether old insulation needs removing first, so treat $3,480 as a starting estimate for a Morgan County job, not a quote. Expect at least a $600 minimum charge from most contractors.
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.