When you think of your attic, nothing comes to mind except a place that you visit occasionally. Most people use attics only for storage purposes, but this room plays an important role in the overall insulation of your home. If the lower levels of your house are not insulated well, warm air can go up into the attic.
If any of your rooms is harder to warm up or you feel like there’s cold air leaking from outside, then you should add, replace, or upgrade your current attic insulation. This can lead to higher heating bills in the winter and decrease the comfort of your home. Here’s our guide to common attic problems and how to fix them.
Insufficient Attic Insulation
Many builders overlook the significance of having a well-insulated attic. Interestingly, building codes didn’t require houses to have insulation at all.
If you have an older house or your insulation wasn’t installed originally, it’s likely that the upper level of your home may not be protected from air leaks.
As mentioned, sealing attic air leaks is crucial for a house. This can only be checked by opening the attic walls and finding out how well they are insulated.
How to Fix the Issue
Upon upgrading the current attic insulation, it’s crucial to remove your old one. Materials like fiberglass allow for the combination of old and new insulation.
Despite that, in many cases, the best decision is to remove the old insulation and install entirely new materials. This is especially true for spray foam insulation, as it poses a risk if it’s combined with older materials.
At this point, insulation options depend on your budget. The choices for attic insulation include fiberglass, cellulose, and spray foam insulation.
Fiberglass insulation can be blown into the walls or installed in batts depending on the spacing of studs and wall joists.
Cellulose insulation is a good choice if your walls have already been insulated. The used material fills the cavities of your pre-existing insulation, and it’s allowed to settle over time.
Spray foam insulation is the best material for insulation that you can find on the market. It’s extremely effective at sealing leaks in attic walls and other air leaks you might be having in your house.
When you are installing insulation, your safest option is to hire a professional despite the cost. Working with an insulation contractor will bring dramatic changes that will last long.
Common Attic Insulation Problems
Home insulation tends to degenerate with time, and there is a variety of factors that contribute to the problem. If you notice any of these in your home, then it is time to replace the insulation.
If you notice signs of moisture, animal infestation, or degradation, it’s necessary to remove the old insulation before installing a new one on top.
Replacement
Another reason for not wanting to do the process by yourself is the exposure to airborne particles from mold and animal droppings. Dealing with the mess after such an installation is also an arduous task.
After your old insulation is removed, the empty attic space is ready for an upgrade. Professionals can perform the removal and replacement of insulation in a quick and efficient way.
Too Much Insulation
A less common but still possible issue is the overuse of insulation in the attic. With insulation, more doesn’t necessarily mean better. Too much insulation can speed up the process of deterioration and create a higher risk for moisture buildup.
With faulty and contaminated insulation, the removal of excess materials is essential for improving the ability of the attic to retain warm air. Total removal and replacement may be necessary, depending on the state of the insulation.
The Way to Treat Your Attic
Whatever your attic insulation problem might be, its impact is the same – uneven heating and cooling, cold spots, and energy bills that spike in the winter and summer months.
The attic may not be the only part of your house with ineffective insulation. YourHomeFix can help you locate and understand your issues. The detailed inspection allows us to identify the problem and propose adequate solutions.