By understanding how old, deteriorated insulation affects your home and environment, you can improve your comfort and safety and also save money. Insulation material in your home gradually degrades with time. It is therefore important to evaluate and replace it regularly. It can reduce health risks, discomfort and higher energy costs.
Health Risks
Indoor Air Quality
Air sealing and insulation protect your home against outdoor pollutants such as dust, allergens, bacteria, etc. If you have unsealed holes and cracks in your home’s building envelope, or deteriorated materials, you are increasing the risk for developing respiratory irritation, allergies, and other illnesses.
It is important to take this into consideration if any family members suffer from asthma. It is also important to regularly evaluate and maintain these materials to ensure that your insulation and air seal are able to prevent the entry of this debris, and maintain an efficient indoor air.
Moisture and mold
Mold growth can be a serious problem in homes with damaged insulation. Water damage can be hidden if you do not regularly remove and inspect the insulation. Many homeowners who install insulation themselves as a DIY job do not inspect or clean the area properly. It can lead to moisture being trapped beneath the new material, which can conceal the start of mold, rot and wood warping. Mold remediation is not a simple process.
Humidity
Insulation material that traps moisture can increase humidity in your house. The older material can contribute to high levels of moisture when it is exposed to leaks or condensation. Moisture in the air can cause mold to grow and bacteria to thrive. When the humidity starts to affect the building envelope of your house any deteriorated wood or dampness could attract pests such as carpenter ants and termites.
Higher Costs
Material Removal
You may not know that your home contains dangerous materials like asbestos if you haven’t evaluated the insulation. In the 1980s, research on asbestos’ harmful effects led to its widespread use as an insulation material. Asbestos dust is a toxic substance that can cause a variety of health problems, including mesothelioma.
Old fiberglass insulation, while not as harmful in the long term, can release particles if disturbed. Fiberglass is spun from molten tempered glass and can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, or throat when inhaled. Contact your local professionals to get an expert evaluation if you are unsure of the type of material installed in your house or when it was updated. Removing and replacing the material after a long period of time can be expensive due to health and safety risks, as well as costs.
Climate Control
The ability to regulate temperature is one of the biggest benefits of air sealing and updated insulation. It helps improve climate control because it reduces the rate of heat transmission, or the ability of the heat to enter and leave a structure. Insulation is less effective when it has been damaged or installed incorrectly. Your HVAC system will need to work more frequently to compensate for the uncomfortable temperature. This can increase your energy bills – especially during extreme weather conditions! Call an expert in insulation if you notice cold spots or drafts.
HVAC Maintenance
The unit will run constantly if your HVAC system is not properly supported by air sealing and insulation. The system must run more frequently to maintain the temperature set on the thermostat. In the summer, old material can allow unwanted heat into your home and in the winter, desired warmth can escape. The HVAC unit is forced to work overtime throughout the year in order to compensate for heat and conditioned air lost due to a lack of adequate barriers.
This will increase your heating and cooling costs, but it could also result in an increase in the maintenance fees. You will need to repair your HVAC system more frequently and, due to extreme weather conditions, you may need to replace it sooner than expected.
How can I remove old insulation?
It is important to remove old insulation from your home for your comfort and safety, but also because it will increase your savings. You don’t have to become an insulation expert. However, understanding how insulation affects your environment will help you make better decisions. Our team is committed to providing cost-effective, environmentally friendly solutions for our community.
Our inspections identify any problems and pinpoint future installation needs. This information will help you and your family make informed decisions, taking into consideration your budget and schedule. Call your local spray foam insulation team to schedule your free assessment and learn how you can improve the environment by updating insulation and air sealing.