Union County, PA Insulation Payback
Is attic insulation worth it in Union County, PA?
Union County sits in IECC climate zone 5 (Cold) — cold enough that heating, not cooling, is what decides the bill. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and ENERGY STAR recommend building up to R-60. For an attic around 1,000 square feet, closing the gap from R-2 to R-60 costs around $3,480 and saves an estimated $1,630 a year — payback in roughly 2.1 years. Few home upgrades pay back that quickly.
The breakdown behind the number
Heating accounts for about $1,499/year of that and cooling about $131/year — Union County needs both. Nationally, Union County ranks in the 62th percentile for insulation savings potential. Compared only against its own climate zone, Union County places 603rd out of 745. Against Pennsylvania's own average of $1,724/year, Union County runs 5% below that.
The climate data behind this
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 5,607 HDD and 814 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from LAURELTON CTR, PA US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 9.3 miles from Union County's center. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Union County 1258th nationally by total degree days — the 60th percentile. Its moisture regime is classified humid, which matters for whether the attic needs a vapor retarder as part of the job — worth asking a contractor about locally.
Already have some insulation?
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-49 runs about $2,280 for about $238/year saved — roughly 9.6 years to break even. Whether that is worth it depends on how long you plan to stay.
Quotes and materials for this job
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 Union County's estimated $1,630/year on the line.
Union County's numbers, sourced
The methodology guide lists exactly which DOE and NOAA sources feed Union 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.