A professional and proper installation of insulation is a must to avoid replacing poorly installed insulation in the future. Hiring an experienced and qualified insulation contractor who understands the importance of high-quality installations and the use of top-quality products are the first steps in investing in your energy-saving home.
Over time as insulation gets older, it starts to create cracks and holes in the living perimeter causing air leakage and cold air to ooze in and warm air to escape during the winter. But newly installed insulation seals all cracks, substantially building a cost-efficient air barrier and a possible reduction of 40% in energy bills since the HVAC system will keep up with maintaining the desired temperature and good insulation helps the HVAC systems of your home to work easier, which therefore improves air circulation.
It is likely that you have encountered a rodent infestation in places like in the attic, garage and basement of your home, but have you wondered how they have entered your home? It is because of the damaged insulation structure and crevices in the foundation as little as ¼ inch where these rodents squeeze into your home from, and stay in the refuge, and destroy and chew through important components like insulation and electrical wires in your home.
If a problem like this occurs it is recommended by immediate action to take reasonable precautions to prevent rodents and pests from further entering your home. The best option being, to re-insulate and air seal areas like the attic, basement walls, garage and crawl spaces where rodents mostly set foot. The suggested and most recommended insulation product would be spray foam insulation due to its great aspect in air sealing and covering all crevices effectively when compared to fibreglass batts or any other insulation products which don’t do a great job in completely covering all holes and gaps. With spray foam and its ability to cover small gaps, it prevents critters and pests from entering your home.
A leaky roof with water pouring in often leads to a leaky attic and permanent damages to insulation, which often lead to moulds and mildew to develop wherever water damage has spread. In instances like this, it is required that you replace your insulation (entirely or partially). It is important to control the home’s moisture by maintaining proper ventilation, air sealing, insulating around pipes to prevent them from freezing and damage, and preventing condensation. A great insulation product to control moisture levels in your home would spray foam insulation as it effectively reaches all hard to reach areas and air seals them.
Drafts, although quite common, are often overlooked. Though some drafts can be covered with caulking, it is ideal to have some added insulation or sealing the air leaks with spray foam insulation. It adequately covers all crevices and air seals wherever it is applied.
Another reason to replace the insulation in your home is to upgrade R-values. Old crumbly deteriorated batt insulation starts to lose its r-value and becomes insufficient. With new insulation there is less heat loss in winter and minimized heat penetration in the summer.
