Is It Time for New Attic Insulation?

An insulated attic offers a tight seal to keep heat in your home during the winter. If insulation deteriorates, you face drafts and high energy bills and leave your home vulnerable to rodents, allergens and mold. Here are six signs showing when it’s time to replace your home insulation in Northern California:

• Rodent infestation: If your home was rodent-free for years, and now you experience mice or rats, the problem may be your insulation. Rodents love to nest in damaged insulation, and as they get cozy, they add to the wear and tear. If you find droppings and pieces of insulation lying around your attic, start by calling an exterminator and then look into replacing your insulation. Since rodents carry parasites and disease, you have no other choice but to remove contaminated insulation entirely.
• Water damage: A leaking roof or an overflowing drip pan in your air conditioner causes water damage. If you experience either of these developments, chances are you need insulation. Insulation makes an excellent environment for mold and mildew when it gets wet, and it loses its ability to control heat transfer. If a storm punctured your roof or a wayward appliance or plumbing pipe flooded your insulation, you must replace it immediately.
• Temperature control problems: When insulation wears out, your home’s temperature is uneven. Some rooms are freezing cold, while others are too warm. You pick up on more drafts, and it seems that no matter how much you mess around with the thermostat, you cannot find the optimal comfortable temperature. Once you eliminate HVAC issues, chances are your attic insulation no longer does its job. You may need to replace insulation in crawl spaces, too, especially in certain rooms that are draftier than others.
• High utility costs: Attic insulation is an excellent way to increase energy efficiency. It keeps cool air inside in summer and hot air inside during winter. This ability lowers utility bills because your HVAC does not have to work as hard. But if your bills spike and there are no logical reasons why that’s happening, your insulation might be breaking down. Check the attic for loose insulation fibers and consider having a contractor take a closer look.
• More allergy symptoms: Old insulation is an excellent breeding ground for mold, mildew, bacteria and allergens. If you notice household members getting sniffly or suffering frequent colds and allergies, you may have damaged insulation. Check all air quality elements in your home, including HVAC filters and insulation. Since mold especially causes serious illness, you want to act on this problem right away if you have any household members with respiratory sensitivities.
• Leaks: If you notice a slowly growing stain on your ceilings or find more condensation around your window frames, chances are you have a roof leak. If any water gets through your roof, it soaks your attic insulation, too. Act on leaks immediately, and once resolved, inspect your insulation. It likely needs replacement.

Ace Insulation Inc. installs insulation in Northern California homes and businesses. Contact us today if you need help determining when to replace your home insulation or wish to schedule an estimate.

Categorised in: Attic Insulation