A properly installed attic insulation aids in barring out cold in winter and heat during the summer months.
Unfortunately, even the best attic insulation will not last forever. Eventually, you will start to experience signs of insulation wear and tear, especially if the insulation in your attic has been installed for a number of years.
You know it’s time to for a new attic insulation when you start to see or feel the following signs:
Frequent allergy attacks
Have you been having frequent allergy attacks when you’re inside your house even if it’s not allergy season? The culprit may be the mold in your attic’s insulation.
See, attics are prone to retaining moisture; that problem makes the insulation soggy, which in turn causes the growth of molds.
Non-vapor permeable insulation (ex. fiberglass batt) that is installed directly on the roof sheathing can trigger mold growth as well.
The treatment will depend on the extent of the growth. An insulation expert will usually treat the affected area with mildicide first before the insulation is replaced.
Attic infestation
Molds are not the only one that can infest your attic’s insulation. It’s known to attract various pests, too.
The number of pests that are fond of staying in your attic’s insulation run the gamut – from carpenter ants to rats.
All of the creepy critters can pose real danger not just to your insulation but to your health as well.
Rats, for instance, can quickly reproduce and leave an enormous amount of droppings and urine in your insulation.
There are cases when the soiled insulation is beyond cleaning. When this happens, the only solution would be to completely replace the infected insulation after the infestation has been completely treated.
Significant surge in your electric bill
According to the Department of Energy, insulating your home is one of the three best ways of decreasing your electric consumption.
A properly working attic insulation is excellent in preventing heat transfer, thereby keeping your electric bill homeowner-friendly.
If you’ve noticed a spike in your electric bill lately, this may be due to an insulation that’s not working properly.
There are a number of factors for an insulation’s malfunction. Here are a few of them:
- An insulation that is not properly installed.
- There are uneven, broken, loose, or settled sections that may have progressed over time.
- The contractor did not use an insulation that has an appropriate R-Value. R-Value is the gauge for an insulation’s effectiveness. The higher it is, the better the insulation will be.
No matter what the cause is, it’s never too late to make your home energy efficient via a good attic insulation. Just the simple act of sealing insulation air leaks alone will lower your electric bill by 10-20%!
Insulation inspection process
The approach will vary per contractor. In our case, a thorough check-up of the framing and heating insufficiency will be the first step.
This will include assessment of the existing insulation’s compliance to the energy conservation standards within your area, thermal resistance, vapor barriers, and your HVAC system to name a few.
We will provide you with a detailed report of our assessment and the appropriate solutions.
Ready for an insulation assessment? Schedule a service HERE!
