Trimble County, KY Insulation Payback
Trimble County attic insulation, by the numbers
DOE classifies Trimble County as climate zone 4, mixed-humid — a genuine mix of cold winters and humid summers, with neither one dominating the bill. Its recommended attic R-value for bare joists is 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 $1,419 a year in heating and cooling — a payback around 2.5 years. Topping up the attic pays for itself fast here.
Heating vs. cooling in Trimble County
Split it out and it's roughly $1,212 a year on the heating side, $207 on cooling. By estimated insulation savings, Trimble County lands in the 47th percentile nationally. Zone 4 alone covers 825 counties in this dataset, and Trimble County comes in 347th by savings. Kentucky averages $1,385/year across the counties tracked here; Trimble County comes in 2% higher.
Where these numbers come from
NOAA's MADISON SEWAGE PLT, IN US station, 8.4 miles from Trimble County, supplies the 4,532 HDD and 1,288 CDD this estimate runs on. Combined heating and cooling load puts Trimble County in the 48th percentile of this 3,162-county dataset. One local detail the R-value alone won't tell you: Trimble County sits in moisture regime A (humid), which can affect the vapor-barrier choice.
If the attic isn't bare
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 $207/year saved (~11-year payback). Call this borderline rather than a clear win.
Next steps for a Trimble County attic
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 Trimble County's estimated $1,419/year on the line.
Where these figures come from
Trimble County's R-60 target and its degree-day figures both come from named federal sources - see the methodology guide for exactly which ones. The guide to what R-value actually means explains why R-60 is the target here specifically.