Category: Attic Insulation

Having good insulation in your home is very important. When your home is properly insulated, it can help keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. This can make your home a more comfortable and safe place to live and help you manage your monthly energy bills. When looking for new insulation, it is important to consider the various types of insulation. In most cases, property owners invest in blown-in insulation or spray foam insulation. It is important to understand the differences between the two. 

What Is Blown-In Insulation?

With blown-in insulation, the space between joists and wall studs will be filled in with various loose materials. These typically include fiberglass particles, cellulose, and other insulating materials. Typically, the entire space between beams will be filled in with insulation.

What Is Spray Foam Insulation?

Spray foam insulation will use a polyurethane material and is sprayed into the gaps in your home’s structure. It can then expand once installed to fill in any gaps or cracks. This insulation is popular due to its strong insulating materials and durability.

Differences Between Options

Once you understand what each insulation option is, it is important to understand the differences and benefits of each option. There are various important differences to consider.

Lifespan of Insulation

One of the biggest differences between the two types of insulation is that spray foam insulation can last a lot longer than the other options. With spray foam insulation, you could expect that it will last and continue to protect and insulate your home for a century or longer. With blow-in insulation, the lifespan is typically a couple of decades. After that point, it will not be as effective, and you might start to notice your energy bills increasing.  

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency should also be considered a top priority when choosing an insulation option. Overall, both options will drastically help manage your home’s temperature and reduce your energy costs. However, spray-in foam could be more effective overall. As it is able to fill in gaps more efficiently, it can help you retain the proper temperature in your home with less energy provided by your HVAC system.  

Cost of Installation

With any project at home, the cost must be considered. When it comes to your insulation options, the blown-in option tends to be more affordable up front. However, as its useful life is shorter and not as efficient, spray foam may be a better long-term option. The payoff tends to be based on how long you will continue to reside in your home.  

Insulating your home is a very major part of overall home construction and care. There are various options to consider when looking for new insulation materials. The most common options continue to be blown-in and spray foam insulation, and understanding the differences and benefits of each option is quite important.  

While it might be tempting to try and remove attic insulation on your own, it’s usually best to contact an insulation specialist instead. Doing this job on your own might save some money, but it’s not worth the safety issues you might experience. In fact, sometimes it’s actually more cost effective to have a professional remove the insulation anyway.

If you need to have your insulation removed, contact a local, reputable insulation service provider who will offer great service at fair prices. Read on to learn why this is the best option.

Inexperience can lead to disaster

If you’re not experienced in the process of insulation removal, it can be quite dangerous. Insulation removal requires the use of several different pieces of equipment. If you’re inexperienced with this equipment, you could end up hurting yourself or others. Removing attic insulation also requires working in a cramped, dimly-lit space. Moving through this space is difficult if you aren’t used to being in the attic.

Potential exposure to hazardous materials

Some attics contain hazardous materials that can negatively affect your health. That’s why it’s important to wear a dust mask and other proper safety gear if you insist on removing the insulation yourself. Attics in older homes are especially dangerous, as they may contain asbestos, which can cause lung damage. It’s recommended that no one handle asbestos unless they’re professionally licensed to do so and have the proper equipment.

You could disturb the air supply

Improperly removing or installing insulation could negatively affect the air supply in your home. When disturbed, some of the hazardous materials from your attic’s insulation could sneak into the air supply. This could cause major problems when it comes to the health of people living in your home.

Disturbing the air supply is especially a problem if there’s mold or mildew in your attic. No one should ever breathe in either of these substances, as they can cause coughing, sneezing, sore throat and more. If you notice mold or mildew in your attic, you should call a professional to have it removed right away.

There may be rats

While you might not see them at first glance, rats could be living in your attic. When trying to remove insulation, you could be exposing yourself to viruses carried through rat feces. Even worse, you might accidentally spread contaminants in rat droppings all over your home.

Working with the right insulation company

Save yourself time, energy and a big headache by contacting a professional to remove the insulation from your attic. Doing so will help ensure the job is done right the first time. You’ll also save yourself from the muscle pains that go along with crawling around an attic for long periods.

When it comes to finding the right insulation service provider in your area, make sure the company has plenty of experience. It’s a good idea to check reviews and see what past clients have had to say. Contact Ace Insulation Inc. today if you’re looking for top-quality insulation service at competitive prices!

Nearly 85 percent of a home’s heat loss happens through the attic. When your attic is not insulated, you lose heat, which escapes your home and raises your utility bills as your HVAC system works harder. However, even the best-insulated attics need maintenance to stay efficient. Here are five tips on how to make your Northern California attic more energy efficient:

• Seal cracks: Attic air leaks are a common culprit when energy efficiency drops. Cracks, holes and weak points throughout the attic allow outdoor air inside, where it works against your HVAC. Start by sealing these cracks and gaps and filling any spaces where insulation has worn out. If you notice extensive deterioration of your insulation, contact an insulation contractor.
• Improve ventilation: Installing a venting system in your attic allows warm air to escape. While this approach seems counterintuitive in winter, it reduces damage to your home. If there is a bad winter, keeping your attic cool prevents melted snow or ice on your roof, which lead to ice dams and gutter damage. In summer, proper ventilation allows heat to escape, so it does not damage roof shingles. Moisture is another common problem of built-up attic air, which leads to mold growth. However, venting is not an energy-efficient solution for all homes, so consult with a roofing contractor to make sure it’s the right decision.
• Install fans: Attic fans are an excellent investment. They regulate your home’s temperature and improve airflow. If you have a well-insulated attic, they enhance efficiency by pushing out hot air while bringing in cool air from soffit and gable vents. Keep in mind that these are specialty fans designed for attics, and regular ceiling fans do not work the same way. You need to hire a knowledgeable contractor who installs the correct fans and ensures proper sealing. Otherwise, the fans will not help you with efficiency.
• Purchase radiant barriers: Radiant barriers prevent the electromagnetic transfer of heat by reflecting sunlight. They are comprised of aluminum or other highly reflective materials. By reflecting the light, attics maintain constant temperatures, no matter the preferred temperature indoors or the weather conditions happening outside. In warm climates, radiant barriers drape from the attic ceiling or are squeezed between roof beams. In cold climates, radiant barriers are placed inside the attic on the floor to reflect heat from inside the house. Once installed, cooling and heating costs drop by up to 10 percent per year.
• Upgrade insulation: If you have a leaky attic and high heating and cooling bills, it may be time to consider an upgrade. Insulation improves with new technologies and manufacturing processes, and if you have older insulation, it may not be as effective. Good insulation reduces heating and cooling costs up to 20 percent, so that upgrade may pay for itself quickly!

Want to learn more about how to make your attic more energy efficient? Ace Insulation Inc. can help. We are your Northern California insulation experts, and we can seal up your attic and make your heating and cooling costs decrease. Call us today to schedule an estimate.

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.