CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA Blog

This Upcoming Fall Is The Best Time To Check Insulation In Central PA

Fall is the perfect time to take a closer look at how your home can benefit from upgraded material. But this means our booking fills up incredibly fast! With the first day of fall landing on September 22, take a closer look at why you should consider scheduling your free evaluation sooner rather than later.

What is an Insulation Evaluation?

An insulation evaluation is conducted to determine the current condition of your home’s insulation material and air sealing quality. This includes processes like checking for material that may be old or deteriorated, looking for damages that may have affected the insulation, and even areas that may have insufficient coverage or poorly installed material.

At Koala Insulation of Central Pennsylvania, we provide a thorough breakdown of our inspection so you can see where your home is doing well and what may need improvement. One of our top priorities is to involve you and your household in this process for two reasons: you have a better understanding of your home's condition and you also have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the importance of upgrading your insulation and air sealing.

Having adequate insulation is crucial to moderate heat transfer, which is the rate at which heat enters and escapes a structure. Our team of experienced professionals conducts a number of tests to determine if the material needs to be removed and replaced in order to reduce the risk of a drafty, uncomfortable home. Updated insulation regulates temperature throughout the home and contributes to effective climate control capabilities. Once we’ve reviewed the results with you and your household, we can help you target the most critical areas based on your home’s needs, schedule, and budget to maximize comfort and safety without sacrificing cost and energy efficiency.

3 Top Reasons to Insulate In The Fall

1. Cooler Weather

Anyone that has tried to enter an attic in Pennsylvania during the summer will tell you it’s a terrible idea. Even cracking open the attic door can give you a general sense of how hot and stuffy the place can get when trapped in the topmost part of your house. As the heat rises in your home, the attic could have on average up to a 30-degree difference!

When the temperatures finally start to cool off as fall starts near the end of September, you or an insulation professional will have a much easier time inspecting the area. When taking the time to have a thorough inspection, removal, and reinstallation of the insulation materials, it’s important to stay safe and avoid extreme temperatures, regardless of whether you’re taking on a DIY project or hiring local experts. 

For most months out of the summer, attempting to trapeze insulation-heavy areas can be dangerous, especially for inexperienced individuals. Scheduling your evaluation for the upcoming fall months can not only benefit your budget and comfort, but it could also help those involved in the evaluation process stay safer.

1. Dry Air

Missing out on a fall installation could mean waiting through the winter in some areas until your next inspection, which means putting it off until spring. Unfortunately, with the weather still shifting from snow to slush to rain, there’s a lot of moisture in the air that can cause problems when trying to install new material.

It’s important to note that there are many materials that are treated during production or have natural components to help prevent moisture retention. However, this doesn’t necessarily dry out any water or condensation that may be on the surface on which you’re installing the material. For example, when laying fiberglass batts, moisture can be trapped if the surface isn’t properly inspected and cleaned or treated. This increases the risk of mold growth and water damage.

In places like Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the more humid months can last from late May to early September, so it’s crucial to pay attention to potential moisture. Additionally, weather like heavy rainfall and snow can also lead to leaks, higher moisture retention, and water damage. Being able to remove and replace insulation throughout the dryer months of the year contributes to reduced dampness and hidden moisture.

1. Winter Preparation

Did you know that insulation isn’t just installed in your attic but throughout the entire house? It plays a significant role within walls, in the basement and crawl spaces, and even around pipes. As you’re preparing for winter in a few months, you and your household aren’t the only things that could be freezing if your home doesn’t have adequate insulation coverage.

Frozen and burst pipes affect unprepared homes every winter, with an average of 37% of frozen pipes occurring in underinsualted basements. Luckily, there are a number of ways that you can prevent problematic pipes! Sometimes, it’s as simple as running to the local hardware store for safe insulation material to cover exposed pipes. However, it’s often because the insulation in these areas falls under the “out of sight, out of mind” problem for many homeowners.

One of the reasons insulation evaluations are so important before the wintertime is because you need to know just how little protection you have within the walls or in between ceiling joists. Industry practices like thermal imaging can help locate problematic areas that could let the winter chill seep into your home throughout the frigid months. If you're already experiencing uneven temperatures, drafts, and cold spots, your current insulation may need to be retrofitted to get ready for worse weather.

Where Can You Find the Best Fall Deals in Pennsylvania?

At Koala Insulation of Central Pennsylvania, we're always looking for better ways to bring cost-effective and energy-efficient solutions to our neighbors. By providing free evaluations to our community, our team of industry experts is able to help improve not only the comfort and safety of local homes and businesses but also increase savings. For more information on how insulation and air sealing can improve your environment, contact your local industry experts at Koala Insulation of Central Pennsylvania today and schedule your free evaluation.