Is it Necessary to Remove the Old Insulation from My Attic
It’s always advised by experts for removing the old & damaged insulation material, as it helps in keeping the home temperature regulated.
If your home is lacking proper insulation on the underside of the roof or on the floor of the attic, you would actually end up paying a lot in energy bills, due to heat transfer. It is because the old insulation material is unable to minimize the effect of ‘heat gain’, as the warm air from outside is able to enter your house, if there’s no proper insulation in the attic. So, the best idea would be to inspect and remove the badly damaged insulation, with the help of an expert insulation company. We at Attic Wizard provide the best energy-saving solutions to our customers that are in need of an insulation removal, and subsequent replacement of the aging materials with new and improved ones. It can be cellulose, fibreglass or spray-foam insulation. Every homeowner wants to save money, and it is by removing an old insulation, you can achieve the desired results.
The thickness of insulation material
You need to have the right amount of insulation in your attic for effectively reducing your monthly utility bills. As attic insulation is rated in terms of R-value, with 2.0/inch being the minimum and 8.0/inch being the maximum values. For Cellulose & Fibreglass insulation, the ratings are between 2.9/inch to 3.8/inch. Whereas, spray-foam insulation can go up to 8.0/inch. The average vale comes to around 6.0/inch for an attic.
How and when to know my attic needs extra insulation?
As a certified insulation contractor in Los Angeles, we at Attic Wizard can provide you some tips, as to how to find whether your attic needs more insulation or not.
Feel the Moisture – when you’re conducting a DIY inspection of checking of the attic insulation material, smell or feel the moisture with your hand on the floor, walls and the underside of the roof. If you notice damp spots, water marks and moist stains on the surface, it means the insulation material is damaged and thus cannot function properly. Therefore, you need to go for an insulation removal service from an expert.
High Energy Bills – when you notice that your monthly cooling bills are far exceeding your calculation or imagination, it means there’s something wrong with the cooling & heating mechanism, one being the attic insulation material. If the insulation is not able to perform at its optimal levels, heat transfer takes place, and the inside of the house gets heated up during summers. So, your old insulation needs a removal.
Cold & Hot Rooms – if one of the rooms of your house is like a sauna and the other one like an igloo, it means there’s some problem with your insulation material. This is a big ‘red flag’ that needs to be taken care of at the right moment, without any delay, as it muigh abnormally increase your heating & cooling costs. In California, it is mostly cooling costs.
Present Insulation – if the existing insulation in the attic is in a dilapidated state, becomes loose, sagging, has developed largs gaps & holes or the material has crumbled, it is time to remove the insulation material, and replace it with an improved one. It can be loose-fill cellulose, fibreglass or spray-foam insulation, apart from blown-in cellulose.
How long does the insulation last in an attic?
A typical spray-foam insulation or a full house-wrap insulation can last for many tears at a stretch, provided proper care and maintenance is taken at regular intervals. Loose-fill and cellulose insulation can last even longer. But, when homeowners ignore the basic insulation maintenance guidelines by experts like us, they have to go for a frequent insulation removal. Today’ attic insulation materials are far more durable and weather-resistant than what it used to be a decade earlier. So, a little bit of maintenance can help you save a lot of money for the future. This is how you can avoid an early insulation removal service.