What Business Owners Should Know About Commercial Insulation in Lee’s Summit

If you own a business that operates out of a commercial building, you know how many factors there are to consider when it comes to maintaining that building day after day and year after year. However, it's not uncommon for commercial property owners to leave insulation off their list of maintenance and repair priorities. In some ways, that's completely understandable—after all, commercial insulation is hidden away behind the walls, out of sight and out of mind.

But it can really pay off—directly and indirectly—to make sure your building is comfortable and energy efficient by calling your local Lee's Summit insulation professionals at Koala Insulation of South Kansas City to deliver expert commercial insulation services. We can save you money by reducing your monthly utility bills while at the same time making your workspace more welcoming for commercial clients and giving your employees the environment they need to work productively. Here is some of the key information that business owners need to know about Lee’s Summit commercial insulation.

How Does Lee’s Summit Commercial Insulation Service Benefit My Business?

Your commercial building likely already has commercial insulation installed, but like most things in life, insulation doesn't last forever and eventually needs to be retrofitted or replaced. Or, it's possible the initial commercial insulation installation was not done correctly or was never done at all. Regardless of whether you need a top-up or a full insulation removal and replacement, there are some huge benefits to effective services for commercial insulation. 

Lee’s Summit MO business owners can expect to gain advantages such as:

• More Inviting for Clients: As every business owner knows, clients or customers can be easily put off by even the smallest issues. A cold, drafty building could be enough to prompt some clients to take their money elsewhere, so on a basic level, it makes sense to maintain the comfort levels in your commercial building so clients can focus on your products or services rather than the state of the physical location.
• Greater Comfort for Employees: Your employees spend a lot of time in your commercial building, and they need to be able to focus on their work. Problems such as uneven temperatures, drafts and other issues associated with inadequate commercial insulation can actually have a noticeable impact on productivity and could even lead to high turnover rates if employees feel they can't stay comfortable throughout their working day. Those big problems have a simple solution: commercial insulation service to restore the comfort of the building with a sufficient thermal barrier and air barrier so employees can keep their attention on growing the success of the company.
• Improved Indoor Air Quality: Over time, commercial insulation can be affected by water damage or pest infestations and become contaminated with substances such as mildew and animal droppings that can seriously decrease the indoor air quality at your business, leaving your employees at risk of health issues that can prevent them from working. Lee’s Summit commercial insulation removal and replacement gets rid of the contaminated material completely for a marked improvement in indoor air quality.
• Less Noise: For some types of businesses, maintaining a quiet workspace is important so people can concentrate without distraction, and adequate commercial insulation is a big part of blocking out noise from outside or other offices because it has sound control and absorption qualities. On the other hand, if you have the kind of business that tends to generate a lot of noise, proper insulation can help keep your neighbors happy and improve acoustical performance inside.
• Save Money on Energy Costs: The most important duty of commercial insulation is to prevent heat transfer, the process in which thermal energy always drains away from a warm place and moves toward a colder area. Heat transfer changes the temperature in your building, which forces your HVAC system to operate more often and for longer time periods. That additional energy consumption means you have to pay more on your energy bills. By making sure your commercial insulation offers sufficient energy efficiency to block heat transfer, we can save you a significant amount of money over time.
• Reduce Wear and Tear Damage to HVAC System: Because sufficient commercial insulation blocks heat transfer, it's much easier for your HVAC system to maintain the temperature you have set on the thermostat on your business property. Since your air conditioning and furnace don't have to turn on as frequently, they don't take as much wear and tear damage and you get the peace of mind that comes with knowing you won't have to deal with HVAC repair or replacement as often.

Does My Commercial Insulation Need Upgrading or Replacement?

You may be wondering if it's time for commercial insulation replacement, but a full insulation removal and replacement isn't always necessary. Sometimes all you need is a simple insulation upgrade. Insulation replacement is exactly what it sounds like: all the existing insulation is removed from a given space and replaced with new material. An insulation upgrade, which is also called a top-up, is simply adding more insulating material to the existing commercial insulation to ensure it's sufficient.

The reason a top-up is necessary from time to time is that some common types of commercial insulation such as fiberglass batts are bundles of fibrous materials with tiny air pockets interspersed throughout the material, and it's actually the air pockets that give it its insulating power. But over time, the material slowly flattens under its own weight and those air pockets collapse, which leaves large gaps at the top of the space that used to be filled with insulation but are now empty space for drafts and heat transfer to get through.

 Here's how to determine if upgrading or replacement is the better fit for your particular commercial insulation in Lee’s Summit:

When Your Commercial Insulation Needs Upgrading

The biggest determining factor in whether you need a top-up or a complete removal and replacement is the condition of the existing commercial insulation. Buildings with insulation that is in relatively good shape and has simply flattened down somewhat over the years need an insulation upgrade. The commercial insulation experts at Koala Insulation of South Kansas City will top up your current insulation with new material to fill any gaps created by flattening, so you can avoid drafts and thermal energy transfer.

When You Need Commercial Insulation Replacement

If your existing commercial insulation has been contaminated and/or seriously damaged, it needs to be completely removed by our team of commercial insulation pros and replaced with new, unsullied material. Insulation that has been contaminated by rodent or bat droppings, or has been ripped apart by small animals looking for nesting material, definitely needs to be replaced. It's no longer effective at preventing heat transfer, but contaminants such as fecal matter also lower your indoor air quality and can pose a health risk to anyone inside the building. 

Water damage can be equally as bad, as the water flattens the insulation and renders it completely useless, but also encourages the growth of organic substances such as mildew that negatively impact indoor air quality. In those types of situations, the only reasonable choice for your Lee’s Summit commercial insulation is removal and replacement.

How Often Does Commercial Insulation in Lee’s Summit Need to Be Replaced?

That really depends on a number of factors such as the type of insulation and where it's located in the building, but in general, you can expect to need replacement or at least a top-up every 15 to 20 years. However, issues such as unexpected damage or pest infestations may cause it to need replacement earlier than 15 years. Commercial insulation can be struck with issues such as pest infestations and water damage that lower its R-value and impact your indoor air quality. That being said, many types of insulation can last for much, much longer as long as it gets an upgrade now and then to fill up the gap left by slowly compressing material.

What Are the Signs It's Time for Lee’s Summit Commercial Insulation Upgrading or Replacement?

• Energy costs are increasing on your utility bill
• Temperatures fluctuate in the building
• There are hot and cold zones, or drafty rooms
• You've recently dealt with a rodent, bat or insect infestation
• Insulation looks compressed or has shifted around
• Insulation is visibly damp or showing signs of water damage such as mildew

What Are the Options for Lee’s Summit Commercial Insulation Installation?

If you need a brand-new installation or a replacement for your Lee’s Summit commercial insulation project, it makes sense to take some time to consider what insulation type offers the best protection for your particular building. 

There is a wide range of insulation products and types available, but our skilled professionals recommend three varieties in particular: batt insulation, blown-in insulation or spray foam insulation. Each type comes with its own pros and cons, and ultimately the decision of which one is best relies on your building and the type of space that is being insulated.

• Batt Commercial Insulation: Batts are rectangular pieces of blanket insulation that have been cut to make transporting and installing them more manageable. They are typically made of fiberglass, which is flame retardant because it's made out of fine, hair-like strands of glass and also has excellent sound control qualities. However, it can be a challenge to properly fill small, irregularly shaped spaces with batts.
• Blown-In Commercial Insulation: Also called loose-fill insulation, blown-in material is loose material such as fiberglass, cellulose, mineral wool and potentially other components such as recycled paper that is "blown in" to a space using a forced air system to distribute it evenly around a space. It fills nooks and crannies in irregular spaces better than batt insulation, and is often used for attics or crawl spaces.
• Spray Foam Commercial Insulation: Applied with a compressed air spraying machine, commercial spray foam insulation is airtight and water-resistant, and expands to fill even the tiniest cracks or gaps. It's typically used to seal holes around pipes, close up old vents that are no longer needed and other similar applications.

If you need more information on commercial building insulation, don't worry—our experienced Lee’s Summit commercial insulation professionals will assess your building and offer an educated recommendation on the best commercial insulation material to use.

What Types of Buildings or Businesses Do You Provide Commercial Insulation Service For?

The short answer is all of them! Every indoor space that is intended to be habitable needs adequate insulation, so pretty much every type of business property needs Lee’s Summit commercial insulation services. That includes:

• Office buildings
• Retail stores
• Restaurants and other food service venues
• Storage and shipping facilities
• Agricultural buildings
• Schools
• Medical services buildings
• And many more

Is Attic Insulation Necessary for a Commercial Building With a Flat Roof?

Regardless of the shape of a building's roof, attic insulation is extremely important. You may not have an attic so much as a narrow crawl space, but it absolutely needs commercial insulation. That's because heat rises, so excess heat will seep through ceiling drywall and into that crawl space. If it's not stopped by insulation, it'll escape outdoors and your furnace will need to work much harder. Or, heat from the sun will seep into the building in the summer and compromise the efforts of your air conditioner.

Looking for Lee’s Summit Commercial Insulation Contractors?

If you're a business owner in Lee’s Summit or in the south Kansas City area, such as Overland Park, you can rely on our team of professionals to deliver expert workmanship and a friendly approach to customer service. We are proud to serve the business owners and homeowners of our local communities and always prioritize complete customer satisfaction. 

Give us a call today at 816-929-8255 to find out more about our reliable commercial insulation services or to schedule an appointment for a consultation. While you’re here, why not learn about our solar attic fan systems and air sealing services?