San Juan County, UT Insulation Payback
Is attic insulation worth it in San Juan County, UT?
San Juan 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. 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 2 years at an estimated $1,705/year saved. Few home upgrades pay back that quickly.
Heating vs. cooling in San Juan County
Heating accounts for about $1,584/year of that and cooling about $121/year — San Juan County needs both. Nationally, San Juan County ranks in the 66th percentile for insulation savings potential. Compared only against its own climate zone, San Juan County places 484th out of 745. Against Utah's own average of $1,791/year, San Juan County runs 5% below that.
Where these numbers come from
San Juan County's climate figures — 5,925 heating and 751 cooling degree days a year — are read from NATURAL BRIDGES NM, UT US, 10.2 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. By total degree days, San Juan County sits at the 65th percentile nationally. Its moisture regime is classified dry, which matters for whether the attic needs a vapor retarder as part of the job — worth asking a contractor about locally.
If the attic isn't bare
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-49 runs about $2,280 for about $249/year saved — roughly 9.2 years to break even. Whether that is worth it depends on how long you plan to stay.
Quotes and materials for this job
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 San Juan County, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
San Juan County's numbers, sourced
The methodology guide lists exactly which DOE and NOAA sources feed San Juan 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.