Need Insulation Replacement? Here’s How to Tell

9 Signs You Need Insulation Replacement in Olathe, KS

Have you noticed some problems around your house that are making it less comfortable for your family or household members, like hot and cold zones, increased allergy suffering, or mysteriously unpleasant odors? Some homeowners are surprised to learn that those are all symptoms of a house that is in serious need of insulation replacement. Olathe, KS residents may not be excited to get the news that they need insulation replacement, but there are some huge advantages that make this particular project well worth it.

If you'd like to make your home Olathe more comfortable and energy efficient, so you don't have to pay as much on your utility bills while also preventing serious damage that would be costly and time-consuming to repair, call the Olathe insulation experts at Koala Insulation of North Kansas City. Our experienced team has the skill and expertise to take care of thorough removal and insulation replacement services that will get your house back in comfortable, adequately insulated condition.

Do I Need Insulation Replacement, or Just a Top Up?

This is a good question to ask prior to insulation services because you don't want to waste time and money getting a bunch of insulation removed and replaced if you could simply have your Olathe insulation contractor add more insulating material on top of what's already there. A top up, which is also referred to as retrofitting, is a great solution when you've got old insulation that has compacted over time and doesn't have the same insulating power it once did, but it's otherwise in good condition. Installing additional material on top of the old, compressed insulation increases the overall R-value of the combined materials to the right level while also filling in any gaps left behind by the compaction of the old material. It's also a faster, more cost-effective option because there's no need to go through the removal process, and you don't need to purchase as much insulation. How long you can go before needing a top up depends on the type of insulation you have installed. Fiberglass batt insulation, for example, will typically last around 20 years, but cellulose will need retrofitting or insulation replacement after about 12 to 15 years.

But if the old material we're talking about has suffered more serious damage than just compression or is contaminated by substances such as mold, mildew or animal feces, retrofitting is not a viable option. Severely damaged insulation just can't do its job properly anymore, and contamination can cause further problems, such as moisture damage, or even pose a threat to the health of your household. In those common types of scenarios, complete insulation replacement is absolutely necessary to prevent risk to your Olathe property and family members. The experienced team at Koala Insulation of North Kansas City will take care of safe, thorough removal of contaminated material and dispose of it according to local regulations. We'll then install insulation replacement material, taking the time to ensure it's fitted properly, and all gaps are closed up for maximum energy efficiency and indoor comfort.

What Are the Signs That Insulation Replacement in Olathe, KS is Necessary?

By this point, you may be wondering how you can tell for sure if it's time for insulation replacement. Olathe, KS homeowners who have noticed an increase in their energy costs probably already suspect that their current insulation installation could be the culprit—and they're absolutely right. But there are a lot of other warning signs that insulation replacement may be in the near future, and if you know what they are, you can get the proper insulation services you need before the problem spirals out of control.

Frequent Temperature Fluctuations

If you notice that the indoor temperature in your house seems to change as often as the weather outside does, that's a big sign that something's not right and you likely need insulation replacement. Olathe, KS homeowners will know that their existing insulation isn't doing much to prevent heat transfer, and their HVAC system is struggling to keep up with frequent fluctuations as the thermometer goes up and down in sync with outdoor weather patterns. Before you think you might be due for a professional energy audit, take note of potentially outdated and deteriorated fiberglass or loose-fill insulation.

Uneven Temperatures

Hot or cold zones throughout your Olathe home can be another big sign that insulation replacement is needed. The temperature should be fairly even throughout the house, so if there's a noticeable change from room to room, or one side of the house is always much colder or warmer than the other, that's a problem. It doesn't just make parts of your home uncomfortable, though that's bad enough—it also indicates that your interior living space is losing thermal energy in certain places and needlessly increasing the amount you have to pay on your energy bills.

Recent Pest Infestation

Suppose you've recently had exterminators or exclusion experts on your property dealing with insect or rodent infestations or getting rid of a colony of bats in your attic. In that case, it's very likely that insulation replacement in Olathe, KS is the necessary next step. Animals will often burrow into insulation or tear it apart, which naturally makes it a lot less effective. But the more serious problem is that they spread feces and urine everywhere, which soaks into insulating materials and rots away. It releases spores into the air and can create mold and moisture that leads to wood rot. This is most commonly an issue that calls for crawl space insulation or attic insulation replacement. Olathe, KS technicians have found that those are the parts of a house where pests and bats are likely to spend the most time and where they have the most access to insulation materials.

Unpleasant Smells

Have you noticed musty, gross odors at home in Olathe that don't go away, no matter how much you clean? That could very well be an indication of wet insulation that is encouraging mold and mildew growth inside your walls or floors. The moisture that is affecting your insulation is likely impacting other nearby components of your building as well, like the wooden framing inside the walls, drywall, flooring and other materials. If it's bad enough to create a noticeable odor, it needs to be dealt with as soon as possible by the insulation replacement professionals at Koala Insulation of North Kansas City.

Poor Indoor Air Quality

If you have allergy sufferers in your house, they've probably already been complaining about this problem. Contaminated material that needs insulation replacement releases spores and other allergens into your air space, where it can cause downright misery for allergy sufferers but also impact the health of everyone else in the household as well. Complete insulation replacement will give everyone the relief they're looking for and make your indoor air cleaner and safer to breathe.

Frozen Pipes

Frozen plumbing pipes can be a big problem in winter when temperatures dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. There's always water sitting in your water supply pipes, and if it freezes, it expands and puts an incredible amount of pressure on the inside of the pipe that can cause it to burst. Plumbers should install pipes in insulated areas of your house to prevent this problem from occurring, but if your insulation is no longer effective and needs to be replaced, your pipes may be vulnerable to freezing in the chilly, uninsulated or under-insulated parts of your building such as the crawl space.

Inadequate Sound Separation

It's normal to hear some sounds from outdoors, like the occasional shouts of playing kids or a honking car horn, but if you have sufficient insulation in your exterior walls, those outdoor noises shouldn't be loud enough to disturb you when you're inside with all your windows and doors closed. If they are, it could signify that you need insulation replacement. Olathe, KS homeowners often report a noticeable difference in sound separation following insulation replacement services.

Attic Rain

Most homes in Olathe and other parts of the Kansas City area have unheated, ventilated attic spaces that are designed to help the roof dry out on its own by venting out excess heat and humidity. When the attic space is under-insulated or the insulation has deteriorated and can no longer prevent heat transfer, that space is flooded with heat and humid air from the living space below, and that can form dams of ice around the ventilation slats that prevent air flow. At that point, the humidity condenses on all surfaces, including the rafters, and drips down onto the insulation on the floor of the attic space.

Cold Surfaces

When you touch a floor, ceiling or wall surface in your Olathe home, does it feel cold to the touch? Those surfaces should be more or less room temperature—they may feel slightly cooler than the surrounding air, but they shouldn't be cold. That's a sign of inadequate, poor insulation inside your exterior wall cavities, crawl space or attic, depending on the surface. If just the uppermost parts of your walls feel cold, it might be possible to solve that problem with retrofitting, but if it's the entire surface, you'll likely need insulation replacement. Olathe, KS service technicians at Koala will be at your disposal.

What Are the Benefits of Insulation Replacement?

Olathe, KS residents may not always think of their insulation and may not have a totally clear idea of where it is in their house and why it's so important. We all understand on a basic level how insulation works, but it's good to have a sense of how it benefits you, your family and your property, so you understand why insulation replacement services are necessary from time to time. Here are two of the biggest advantages of insulation replacement Olathe, KS residents should consider. Put your trust in our reliable insulation professionals at Koala Insulation of North Kansas City!

Lower Energy Costs

If the energy charges on your utility bill seem to be steadily increasing, even though your household's routines are the same, and you don't think you've increased your energy consumption, it's likely because your house is not properly insulated. There are plenty of factors that can cause energy loss in a residential building, but inadequate, damaged or contaminated material that needs insulation replacement is at the top of the list.

Heat transfer is a natural process that causes thermal energy to move from a warmer place to a colder place—like when heat from your furnace escapes outdoors during the winter or heat from the sun seeps into your house in the summer while your air conditioner is on. Heat transfer compromises the efforts of your HVAC system, so it has to operate for longer periods of time to compensate, using more electricity or natural gas, and that lack of energy efficient operation really adds up on your energy bill.

Insulation is designed to increase energy efficiency by preventing heat transfer, and a house that is properly insulated can save a considerable amount of money on energy charges by making it easier for your hard-working HVAC system to keep your house at the temperature you have set on your thermostat.

Safer, More Sanitary Home

Your bank account isn't the only thing that can be affected by deteriorated material that needs insulation replacement. Olathe, KS homeowners know better. Flattened, ineffective material can let in drafts that will make your home less comfortable for the members of your household. It can also give off unpleasant odors that no one wants wafting through their house and compromise your indoor air quality. Insulation replacement will solve those issues and make your house not only more comfortable and livable but also safer with better air quality and less risk of structural damage from issues such as wood rot.

Does Your House Need Insulation Replacement? Olathe, KS Can Count On Koala Insulation

If you live in Olathe, KS or a nearby community like Parkville, Blue Springs or Smithville, and you're searching for a reliable, professional insulation contractor or insulation company, look no further than the team of experts at Koala Insulation of North Kansas City. We offer a full range of experienced insulation services, including insulation removal, air sealing and insulation replacement.

Olathe, KS residents are invited to give us a call today at 913-675-6722 to find out more or book a consultation with one of our experts. Learn more about the benefits of our high-quality spray foam insulation or how a solar attic fan installation can help cut emissions with huge rebates!