The attic insulation space is arguably the least used space by any homeowner. Out of sight, out of mind. But attic insulation has significant advantages. Besides cutting your energy bills, it widely protects your roofing system. It provides a conditioned space and eliminates drafts in your attic, therefore, boosting the efficiency of your home.
When you have problems with your attic, you can boost its efficiency to get to society’s standard R-value. The best way is by removing the entire old attic and installing a better one. That makes having a reliable insulation removal company an essential factor.
Here are things that may make this operation necessary
Smoke/Fire
Smoke and fire can make their way into your attic space. If your building(business or home) has recently encountered fire, then the chances are that your attic insulation is contaminated. Besides fire damaging the insulation, smoke may tamper with attic insulation material, permeating them and reducing efficiency. In such a case, attic insulation removal is essential for removing the smoke smell and improving air quality to restore the environment’s normal state and the living standard to the home and office.
Leaks and Moisture Invasion
A leaky roof is harmful to your attic. Typical causes of a leaky roof are low maintenance(neglect), ice dams, and age. If your attic space encounters water infiltrations and moisture build-ups regularly, it becomes susceptible to mold growth and mildew development.
Mold growths are hazardous healthwise to people living in your homestead. And to your attic insulation, mold and mildew can cause significant damage, costly to repair. To stay on the safe line, check your attic regularly for signs of water contamination. If you spot wet points, consider removing your attic and installing a new one.
Vermin/Rodent Infestation
You hardly use your attic, leaving it open for rodent infestation. Even pests will love your attic if they find it accommodating. However, the attic design does not love rodent infestation, therefore left susceptible. Critters may excrete urine, feces, and other forms of waste into your attic insulation that can damage its material and reduce its efficiency.
Getting rid of the vermin or rodents is half the solution. The remaining filth in the attic space may impact your stay and family health. And that is especially true when the air quality in your home is already contaminated with irritants and allergens. To stay safe, you have to remove the old attic insulation and buy a new structure.
Mold
Does your attic space have mold? Even the slightest? If so, you have to get rid of it. Even worse, mold may embed your attic insulation during removal, leaving the problem intact. Check whether your attic has mold. If you spot one in any corner, consider removing the entire attic insulation to guarantee a safe atmosphere for your family.
Upgrades
Attic removal may be necessary if you undertake renovation projects like electrical system upgrades and ceiling heightening. Such projects carry massive dust, dander, and dirt that may embed onto the attic insulation when spread into the attic space. The quality of your living in your home or building remains compromised in subsequent years after these operations. In that case, you may decide to get rid of the old attic altogether as part of the renovation.
Aging Insulation
Old attic insulation tends to fail with time. Therefore, you should initiate repairs as soon as possible before things get messy. You may decide to build upon old attic insulation with new pieces of insulation or remove the old insulation altogether and install a new one.
If your attic stays for long without replacing, the attic food stud starts exposing. With this in the picture, your attic space requires further installation—even if you can spot some R-value in the old insulation. If your attic is fiberglass, it’s strongly recommended to remove the entire attic insulation. That’s because old fiberglass is relatively more susceptible to insects and mold. Always check for mold, insects, and water damage signs before proceedings.
When accidentally disturbed into the air, vermiculite insulation may release asbestos spores—a widely known cancer-causing agent. In other instances with aging, a vermiculite-based attic may develop asbestos. With this type of attic insulation, consult a reputable professional for removal, restraining from the DIY approach. An established and experienced attic remover company carries with them the right tools for the job, ensuring the operation is safe and retaining the quality of air in your home.