When it comes to our insulation, we generally do not pay attention unless things are going terribly. Many have prescribed rules that they follow that they believe make sense. For instance, that re-insulating your house is only necessary if the house was built before 1980. This is simply factually incorrect, and here at Urban Environmental, we want to clear a few things up. Thus, we have brought together 5 things that you need to know for when you need to re-insulate in your home.
1. Your air conditioner or furnace is running continuously.
Re-insulating your home is not just about keeping warm air inside your home, it is about maintaining a steady temperature inside the home, no matter the weather outside. If you are noticing that your furnace or air conditioner is running continuously even when your thermostat is set to automatic, it may be time to look at re-insulating.
2. Rising Energy Bills
A great clue on whether you need to look at re-insulating your home is your energy bill. First, look at last year’s energy bill and compare it with your current one. There may have been rate changes or ridiculously hot or cold days, but the median should reflect that they are very similar. If you notice an upward trend you may have discovered the fact that your insulation is failing or you have air leakage within the building envelope.
3. Visible ice
If you live in a northern climate, the visibility of icicles or ice dams could be an indicator of poor or failing insulation for your home. Ice is able to form on the edge of your roofline when there is poor insulation and/or air leakage in the attic space, which makes for perfect ice making conditions. These are not only dangerous for people down below but can severely damage your roof if not taken care of! Proper insulation can ensure that ice dams are not able to be formed, and more importantly your roof and family will be safe from ice-related injuries.
4. Warm Attic or visible condensation
If you are noticing water forming in your attic and running down through your ceiling, it is directly caused by inadequate or failing insulation. If you have failing insulation you will have a warmer attic than normal, and this will lead to moisture that can condense and trickle down. Without detection, or changes to your insulation, this will lead to the growth of mould and rotting wood. Make sure to look for brownish water stains on the ceiling or wall, as well as soft spots in the drywall or plaster.
5. Varying Temperatures throughout the house
A home will have some small differences in temperatures depending on the positioning of the room, but massive temperature differences could suggest issues with insulation. A home that is well insulated should feel uniformly warm throughout. If you crank up the heat in one room, and another room feels cooler, it could be an issue of sub-standard insulation within your home.
When you need insulation removed, the only team you need to call is Urban Environmental. We have been providing the Greater Vancouver area with removal and cleaning options that fit every budget for years and cannot wait to help you and your family out with your insulation needs.
