When Should You Replace Your Home’s Insulation?

Insulation plays a vital role in keeping your home warm during the winter and cold during the summer. Depending on the insulation material used in your home or business, you may need to replace it every 15-20 years. Likewise, if the insulation gets damaged due to inclement weather or property damage, you may need to replace it sooner. But before you consider insulation replacement, you should consider any air leaks in your home. 

Finding & Dealing with Air Leaks First

Before we talk about replacing your insulation, one of the first steps you should take is finding and addressing any air leaks in your home or business. Air leaks are one of the largest contributors to inefficiencies in HVAC systems. A simple air leak caused by cracks in ductwork or gaps in siding can lead to a large waste of electricity when it comes to heating or cooling your home. 

How Do You Find & Fix Air Leaks? 

An insulation specialist can usually help you find air leaks in a few different ways. Air leaks can be found by using certain devices that create a heat map of a building in order to see what areas of a building are experiencing drafts. Another common solution is a blower door test, which involves creating a pressure differential between the inside and outside of a room. If the room cannot maintain that pressure differential, there is likely an air leak. 

In terms of fixing air leaks, it depends on the size of the leak. For example, Aeroseal, which is an air barrier sealing method, involves using pressurized air to push atomized sealant throughout a building towards any air leaks. Small air leaks are plugged up as the sealant naturally gets pushed into them. For larger leaks, you may need to have ductwork repaired/replaced. 

When/How To Replace Insulation 

If your insulation is damaged or you are noticing issues with moisture, pest infestations, high energy bills, or uneven temperatures in your home or business, you may need to replace your insulation. Insulation can last over a decade and even longer, depending on the material that was used. But over time, insulation can get damaged. When replacing insulation, one option is to use blown-in insulation to shore up your existing insulation. Blown-in insulation can be done on top of fiberglass batts or other insulation materials as long as the other materials are dry and not damaged. If there is damage or moisture, those sections will need to be fully removed. 

Insulation & Air Sealing Contractors in Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Heat Loss Management helps homeowners and business owners decrease their utility bills and improve the comfort of their buildings by providing high-quality insulation services. If you are interested in insulation or air leak sealing services, please contact our team.