Insulation is the lifeblood of your home’s ability to manage temperatures. Without it, ACs and furnaces are rendered helpless, your home will be noisier, and you could also have moisture issues that lead to structural issues and health problems.
But your home’s insulation is easy to take for granted. It does its job quietly between your walls and ceilings — until it doesn’t. So what happens when it’s time to get new attic insulation?
Believe it or not, attic insulation plays a significant role in keeping your home safe and comfortable. Here are some signs that could indicate it’s time for attic insulation removal and replacement.
Higher Utility Bills
Since insulation’s main purpose is to maintain temperature, poor insulation will almost always lead to you spending more money on heating and cooling costs. Higher energy bills can be a symptom of HVAC issues as well. Still, if you can’t find any other reason for the spike, weak attic insulation could be the culprit.
Older insulation isn’t as effective at blocking out cold air or retaining warm air. This lack of efficiency means your system must work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. The extra work won’t just increase your utility bills, either. It could also cause your system to break down, lowering its life expectancy.
Calling a professional for attic insulation removal to rid yourself of the old insulation should be your first step. An attic specialist can install new insulation, which can help you lower your current monthly energy expenses and significantly reduce your annual energy consumption in your home.
Worn Insulation
Sometimes, you won’t need to guess if you need attic insulation removal. You can tell just by looking at it that it’s seen better days. Mold or water spots indicate that your insulation isn’t doing too hot and could be replaced. Since part of your insulation’s job is to keep moisture under control, either of these problems means it’s no longer capable of doing so.
But it’s not just about how your insulation looks. Another issue is that some types of insulation can pose health risks. Any insulation installed before 1990 with noticeable shiny pieces could contain asbestos. While this insulation might perform perfectly fine, replacing it with newer, safer insulation is still wise and recommended.
Another simple way to identify worn-out insulation is by touching the walls or ceilings connected to your attic. If they feel cold, your insulation can’t manage its primary function of keeping cold air out and warm air in. This is a clear sign you need new insulation.
Icicles on Your Roof
This signal should raise some immediate red flags. Finding icicles hanging from your roof poses a few risks, but it may also indicate that your insulation isn’t working as well as it should.
Since heat rises, any excess heat will find its way up to your attic. But if the insulation can’t contain or regulate the heat, it’ll go through your roof and melt any snow on your roof. The melted snow then hardens into ice when it reaches the roof’s edge or your gutters.
Attic insulation removal could be the least of your concerns if you notice this issue. Depending on how large or heavy these icicles are, they can damage your roof to the point where you need repairs or even a replacement. Fight back immediately if you see icicles by calling a professional for new insulation before things get worse.
Strange Temperature Patterns
Homes with attics that don’t have healthy insulation will often see uneven patches of hot and cold. Some rooms might be too cold, others too warm, with none of them being just right. This phenomenon is usually caused by parts of the attic’s insulation being more effective than others, leading to only certain rooms having the proper protection.
Attic insulation removal and replacement can help you target these areas and give you a more balanced, comfortable environment to live in. Poor insulation can also lead to draftiness since the older insulation can let outside air in. This different problem leads to the same outcome: cold homes need better insulation!
Allergy Symptoms
Remember how water damage can ruin your insulation? That water can become stagnant within your insulation and create mold. Mold spores can impact your health and make allergy symptoms worse.
While this also isn’t a surefire way to know if you have issues with your attic insulation, it could be something you want to investigate, especially if you notice it paired with other problems. Old insulation is also very dusty, which could worsen allergy symptoms even without significant water damage.
Either way, new insulation dramatically improves your home’s air quality. If you’ve experienced new or worsening allergy symptoms or observed them in someone you live with, it might be time to look at your attic insulation to see if there’s mold growth.
Hearing Unwanted Noises
One of the lesser-known benefits of quality insulation is that it acts as a sound barrier between your home and the outside world. If you’re noticing that you’re hearing every dog bark, every car horn, and every lawnmower piercing through your walls and disrupting your day, your attic insulation might be to blame.
Calling for removal and replacing attic insulation with new insulation could provide you with a surprising amount of noise dampening. The barrier goes both ways: thin insulation means noises inside your home are also carried outside. Neither is ideal, so don’t hesitate to call a professional if you notice this issue.
Call for Professional Attic Insulation Removal and Installation
Don’t leave your attic out in the cold — the Attic Projects team is here to help replace your installation and keep your home comfortable in any weather. We’ll get to the root cause of your insulation issues. Reach out to us today to discuss attic insulation removal and installation!
