Uvalde County, TX Insulation Payback
Uvalde County, TX: what topping up your attic actually costs
Uvalde County, Texas is zone 2 under DOE's climate map (Hot-Humid), which means summers that stay hot and humid while winters barely register on the energy bill. An uninsulated attic there should be built up to R-49. Topping up a typical 1,000-square-foot attic from bare joists (R-2) to R-49 runs an estimated $2,820, and saves about $915 a year in heating and cooling — a payback around 3.1 years. The math clears comfortably within a normal ownership horizon.
Where the savings come from
The estimated savings split roughly $501/year heating, $414/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Uvalde County's savings potential beats roughly 11 of them. Within zone 2 specifically, it ranks 33rd of 233 counties by estimated savings. Texas averages $1,035/year across the counties tracked here; Uvalde County comes in 12% lower.
The climate data behind this
Uvalde County's climate figures — 1,888 heating and 2,599 cooling degree days a year — are read from CAMP WOOD, TX US, 26.4 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Uvalde County 2819th nationally by total degree days — the 11th percentile. Uvalde County falls in DOE's moisture regime B (dry), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
The smaller top-up scenario
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-38 runs about $1,620 for about $123/year saved — roughly 13.1 years to break even. This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
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 Uvalde County's estimated $915/year on the line.
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-49 is the target here specifically.