What Are The Effects of Old Insulation in Your South Kansas City Home?

What Are The Effects of Old Insulation in Your South Kansas City Home?

Having regularly evaluated and updated insulation in your home is crucial to a safe and comfortable home. Especially if you’ve recently experienced heavy weather, leaks, or other harm to the home, your insulation material needs to be evaluated for deterioration and damage. The material significantly contributes to your home’s ability to regulate temperature, reduce health risks, and lower costs. If the insulation is left for too long, it’s not there to protect against those factors and can even potentially contribute to them in some worst cases.

Health Risks

Poor Indoor Air Quality

Deteriorated material and unsealed cracks or holes throughout the house aren't able to protect your home from allergens, bacteria, and other outdoor pollutants. This can increase the risk of health hazards in your home, such as respiratory irritation and allergy-like symptoms. This is especially important to consider if anyone in your household has respiratory conditions like asthma. When you have properly installed and updated insulation and air sealing, these materials are better able to prevent the entrance of this debris and maintain efficient indoor air quality. 

Mold Growth

When insulation is damaged by water or moisture from leaks, holes, or poor air sealing, it can lead to the risk of mold growth. There are some materials that are chemically treated to be an effective moisture barrier or resist moisture retention. However, if there’s been significant damage from severe weather, it could still lead to hidden water damage if the insulation isn’t inspected and removed. Additionally, when homeowners attempt to take on a DIY insulation installation project, many don’t properly inspect or clean the area. This can also lead to trapped moisture beneath the new material and hide the beginnings of mold growth, rot, or wood warp.

Higher Humidity

Moisture trapped by insulation material can also increase the humidity in the building. If the older material has been exposed to leaks or condensation, it could be contributing to uncomfortable moisture levels. The moist air is what increases the risk of mold development and creates a perfect environment for other bacteria and viruses to grow. If it begins to affect your building envelope, the deteriorated wood can also attract pests like termites, carpenter ants, and other foundation damaging insects.

Higher Costs

Dangerous Material

If you haven't inspected the home's insulation, you may not be aware of potentially dangerous material. Before the discovery of its harmful effects, asbestos was used as a common insulation material until the 1980s. Asbestos particles are toxic dust that can lead to a number of health risks, primarily the development of mesothelioma. While not as toxic, old fiberglass insulation can also release particles when disturbed. Because fiberglass is made from molten glass that's spun into tiny fibers, the particles can irritate your skin, eyes, and throat if inhaled. If you're unfamiliar with how old the material is in your home, contact a professional for an experienced evaluation. If left for too long, not only can it increase the risk of health conditions, but removing and replacing the material can be more costly because of additional safety precautions.

Irregular Temperatures

One of the primary purposes of insulation is to regulate the temperature in a building and improve climate control. If you have deteriorated, damaged, or improperly installed material, the insulation is less effective against heat loss. The material throughout your home is supposed to reduce the rate of heat transfer, which is how easily heat can enter or exit a structure. If you’re noticing an increased use of your HVAC system just to keep one room or even an entire side of the house at the same temperature as the rest of your home, old insulation is a likely culprit.

HVAC System Strain

If there isn't adequate support from properly installed insulation and quality air sealing, the HVAC system is going to run constantly in an effort to maintain the desired temperature on your thermostat. Old material allows unwanted heat to enter your home in the summer and desired warmth to escape the building in the winter. Throughout the year, your unit is being overworked to keep up with the air that's escaping and entering your home because of the lack of a sufficient barrier. Not only can this send your regular heating and cooling bills through the roof, but it could also lead to an increase in maintenance fees. The unit may need to be repaired more often or, in the worst-case scenario, replaced sooner than you expected.

Find Professional Help to Protect Your Home

While many insulation types have a long lifespan - some materials can last up to 15 years! - this doesn't mean it should be left alone for that estimated lifespan. There are several variables that could increase the rate of deterioration, including pests, damages, and even regular interference (watch where you're putting those storage boxes in your attic!). Unfortunately, for many homeowners, insulation and air sealing isn't a regular topic of discussion and the idea of regularly inspecting the material throughout their home doesn't often make their spring cleaning lists.

Our team of industry experts at Koala Insulation of South Kansas City offers free evaluations to help you and your household make cost-effective and energy-efficient decisions on the best solution for your home. We're not only dedicated to improving the environment of our community but also helping our neighbors improve the comfort and safety of their homes while also focusing on savings and environmental impact. Insulation and air sealing are crucial aspects of your home's climate control and indoor air quality, which means they need to be regularly updated and maintained by trained and experienced professionals. Contact Koala Insulation of South Kansas City today to schedule your free evaluation and learn more about how insulation and air sealing can impact your environment.