Replacing Attic Insulation: When to, How To, and Costs

by Clean Attic & CrawlInsulation Installation & RemovalMay 10, 2019

Have you often wondered when replacing attic insulation makes sense for homeowners? If you have, then you need to watch your cooling and heating bill. If you notice an abnormal increase in the bill, then it could be an indication that you need to replace your attic insulation. There are various other signs to watch out for as seen herewith.

How Often Should You Change Your Attic Insulation?

If you’ve got crawl space, chances are you have various problems that you’re reluctant to address. One thing you need to note down is; failure to address those problems exposes you to health complications and potential damage on your property. The more you ignore your attic issues, the more money you’ll pay to solve them when the situation escalates. You may incur losses worth hundreds of thousands of dollars if you don’t solve your attic problems early enough.

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What are some of the Attic Issues You Should Attend to Without Fail?

If you don’t take good care of your Attic, then various problems are likely to arise, many of which can be hazardous to your health and home as well. Here are some of the most common problems you should consider addressing immediately.

Moisture

Can you recognize mold odor in your home? Have you noticed moisture in your attic? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, chances are, your attic has been exposed to excess moisture which can result in mildew and mold growth, wood rotting and even dust mites.

What’s more, when moisture rises, it evaporates through your attic and when this is the case the moisture may penetrate through your walls, insulation, and floors leading to your home which results in huge damages to your home. This problem will, of course, escalate if you don’t do anything to fix it.

If you notice unusual dirt in your attic, then you should take the necessary measures to clean it thoroughly more so if your attic vent is open. Remember, if dirt is exposed in your attic, it’s bound to attract moisture and increased humidity levels in your home. A change in humidity levels in your home means that you’ll need to access your air conditioner to achieve a cooler temperature inside your room and this increases your electric bills.

House Settling

Attic problems are likely to occur if your house is settling. House settling occurs when the dirt they stand on can’t hold the weight of the house any longer. This may happen due to moisture problems and inadequate soil preparation. If you live in an area that’s prone to poor drainage, then house settling may occur.

Does your home have a proper drainage system? If not, then you should know that all rainwater will fall near your home’s foundation. As a result, the soil is likely to expand and this pushes the soil adjacent to your attic which results in cracks. Eventually, these may let in water in your attic.

Extreme Weather Conditions

By now you understand the disadvantages of excess water in your attic. However, drought is also bad for your attic. Remember your attic still need some percentage of moisture and this won’t be the case during drought. Drought will seep all the moisture from the ground and cause settlement problems.

Winter too can be dangerous for your attic seeing that winter storms are likely to damage your attic due to excess moisture in the soil. When excess moisture penetrates through the soil near your home, it’ll expand and this may cause problems in your foundation.

Plumbing Leaks

When did you last inspect your plumbing system? You need to do so often in order to determine potential leaks which may spread across your attic if not addressed. If you notice any cracks in your water lines or pipes, you should have them repaired immediately to avoid serious damage on your foundation and keep your attic dry.

Concrete Blocks

If your foundation is made of concrete blocks, then you’re among many other people across the world who use the same material to construct their foundations. Concrete blocks are commonly used because they’re not only reasonably priced but they’re also easy to install as opposed to other foundation types.

As much as you may choose concrete blocks, you should also note that they allow in lots of water and air which can result in wood rot, mold, and water damage.

Construction Design

How is your house designed? Did you know that the structure of your house can have an impact on the effectiveness of your attic? Your support beams, foundation, and floor beams can help safeguard your attic. If your support pier columns, for instance, are inadequately installed, your floor beams are bound to start sagging which results in uneven, caving in, and squeaky floors.

What’s your attic foundation type? Did you know that it could show whether your attic will have problems or not? Remember, various attic foundations may allow in more water and air as opposed to others.

Poured Concrete

If you’ve visited new construction sites lately, then you probably have noticed that many users are using poured concrete. Have you attempted to find out why? If you haven’t, then you should know that this material doesn’t let in water or air in and when that happens, it could indicate presence if cracks or holes in the foundation.

Stone Walls

You must have seen stone walls in some old homes right? Well, stone walls are an ancient method which was used in the past. Today, this method is fast fading away with the emergence of new technologies.

However, this doesn’t mean that they aren’t in use. Some people still prefer using stone walls. The disadvantage of using this method is that they let in lots of air and water which then penetrates through your attic.

How Can You Benefit from a Clean Attic?

There are numerous advantages of having a clean attic which includes:

Control Moisture

One of the main concerns that homeowners grapple with is the accumulation of water in their attic. Water occurring naturally from the ground, condensation, or rainwater increases humidity and can damage your floor. Maintaining a clean attic can help regulate moisture.

Clean Air and Low Energy Bills

Once your attic is clean and well attended to, there’ll be even regulation of temperature across the house. What this means is that you’ll hardly need to use your HVAC system and even when you do, the system won’t need to work extra hard seeing that the moisture will be well under control

This way, you’ll lower the chances of mildew and mold growth, and wood rot, hence ensuring that you and your loved ones inhale fresh air.

Regulate Temperature in the House

Temperature variation between your attic and the house are reduced by regulating the heat lost via the floor. Maintaining a clean attic operates in a manner similar to floor insulation and regulates humidity while enhancing the quality of air in your house.

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Finally

If you want to improve the air in your home, then you should do everything possible to maintain a clean attic. Carry out regular inspections and address issues immediately you notice them to avert further consequences.