Sherman County, TX Insulation Payback
Is attic insulation worth it in Sherman County, TX?
Sherman County, Texas is zone 4 under DOE's climate map (Mixed-Dry), which means big seasonal swings - a dry hot summer, then a real winter cold snap. 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 2.4 years at an estimated $1,423/year saved. Few home upgrades pay back that quickly.
The breakdown behind the number
Heating accounts for about $1,198/year of that and cooling about $225/year — Sherman County needs both. Nationally, Sherman County ranks in the 47th percentile for insulation savings potential. Compared only against its own climate zone, Sherman County places 336th out of 825. Against Texas's own average of $1,035/year, Sherman County runs 37% above that.
Where these numbers come from
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 4,481 HDD and 1,399 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from STRATFORD, TX US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 15 miles from Sherman County's center. By total degree days, Sherman County sits at the 49th 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
If Sherman County's attic already has 3-4 inches of old insulation (about R-11) rather than bare joists, the recommended target drops to R-49. That smaller top-up costs around $2,280 and saves an estimated $208/year — payback about 11 years. Whether that is worth it depends on how long you plan to stay.
Quotes and materials for this job
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 Sherman County job, not a quote. Expect at least a $600 minimum charge from most contractors.
Sherman County's numbers, sourced
The methodology guide lists exactly which DOE and NOAA sources feed Sherman 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.