Six Signs You Need To Replace The Insulation In Your House

Living in a well-insulated house is a luxury, and it’s hard to go without it. However, like everything else, insulation degrades over time, even if it isn’t always obvious. That’s why we assembled some essential signs that indicate you need to replace your home’s insulation.

You can tell the insulation in your home is going bad if your energy bills suddenly increase. Widespread drafts throughout your home, cold walls, and temperature fluctuations between rooms also indicate insulation problems. If you find ice dams on the edge of your roof, you must immediately insulate your attic to prevent roof damage.

Pay attention to the airflow throughout your home to see if you feel any unexpected drafts. Follow along as we highlight six signs you need to reinsulate your house. 

How To Tell If You Need New Insulation

1. Temperature Inconsistencies

In a well-insulated home, the temperature should be fairly consistent between rooms. The second floor may be slightly warmer than the first floor, as heat rises, but that’s not necessarily a problem. However, you shouldn’t feel like you’re going between climates when walking from one room to another.

For example, you need new insulation if one room is colder than another room on the same floor. That’s especially true if you feel a draft in a room, even when the windows are shut. This can indicate the insulation in some or all of the rooms has degraded over time. Insulation can go bad within 10 to 15 years in some cases, but it can degrade sooner due to physical trauma. Temperature inconsistencies between rooms indicate that at least one of these rooms is poorly insulated.

2. Consistent Air Movement

Feeling a draft in one room is bad enough, but consistent air movement throughout the entire house indicates serious problems. If you can feel a draft throughout the whole house, you likely have widespread gaps in the insulation between rooms and floors. Persistent drafts throughout a house indicate that air is leaking through the walls. You will likely notice drafts coming from around plumbing fixtures, outlets, wall intersections, and baseboards. Sometimes, these drafts are subtle, but they’re easy to identify when the AC or furnace isn’t running. Even if the insulation isn’t fully degraded, persistent drafts indicate problematic gaps.

In this case, you may not need to replace all the insulation in your house. However, it’s worth getting a professional opinion, as whole-house drafts can make your home feel uncomfortable.

3. Excessive Moisture Or Water Damage

Excessive moisture is a homeowner’s worst nightmare, as it can damage the paint, wallpaper, wood, and insulation in a home. Because insulation is trapped behind walls, it typically stays damp for a long time when it gets moist. Not only does this damage the insulation, but it can also cause mold and mildew to grow behind your walls.

Insulation can get damp in parts of your home that aren’t well ventilated. However, the worst-case scenario is that your insulation got wet because of a leak. You can tell that is the case if you notice dark, damp spots in the floors or ceiling in front of, or beneath the insulation. In extreme cases, your insulation can be ruined by a burst pipe. The irony is that pipes are more likely to burst if they aren’t properly insulated in the first place. It’s worth replacing wet insulation, as it’s ineffective and prone to mold growth.

4. The Walls And Floors Feel Cold

When your furnace runs during the winter, you probably don’t expect the walls of your house to feel cold. However, they will feel cold if cool air easily enters your home due to poor insulation. If the cold spots are isolated, it likely indicates air pockets in the insulation in certain areas. The can also apply to your floors, which can make your home lose 10% of its heat. You’re most likely to notice this on walls connected to the garage or entry doors. It’s worth replacing the insulation if the walls and floors feel cold, as it will reduce the temperature in your house.

5. Your Bills Increase

It’s important to pay attention to your energy bills and look for patterns. Most people expect bill increases during the dead of winter or the peak of summer. However, some bill increases indicate problems within your home, such as poor insulation. As insulation degrades, it lets air-conditioned or heated air escape your home. Naturally, cool or warm air from outside can also more easily enter your home when the insulation is degraded or poorly installed. This can significantly increase your bills and waste a lot of money throughout the year.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, proper insulation can help you save up to 20% on heating and cooling bills. Contact an insulation contractor to inspect your home’s insulation if you feel drafts and your bills increased.

6. Ice Dams Form

Does your home have an attic? If so, you may notice ice dams on the roof if your attic is poorly insulated. Air can easily escape from your attic if it isn’t insulated well, and ice dams can form along the edge of the roof. The endless cycle of warm air escaping your attic and cool air entering the attic is quite problematic. The warm air that escapes can melt ice and now on your roof, which will then re-freeze. Once this happens, ice dams form, causing water to pool as it runs down the roof. That’s where the real problems begin, as the water can damage your roof and cause leaks. It’s worth the cost of reinsulating your attic to prevent ice dams from forming. You can expect to spend an average of $1,750 to insulate your attic.

What Type Of Insulation Lasts The Longest?

Spray foam insulation is the most durable option, lasting up to 80-100 years. However, it’s worth hiring a professional to install spray foam insulation. Improper installation can cause moisture problems, which aren’t worth the risk. Mineral wool insulation and rigid foam board insulation last roughly as long as spray foam insulation. Fiberglass and cellulose insulation have the shortest lifespans, but they’re cheap and convenient. They each typically last 15 years, but can last up to 30 years under ideal circumstances. That said, it’s worth spending the extra money to get insulation that will last decades. Long-lasting insulation is also more durable.

Summing It Up

You can tell you need new insulation if there are temperature inconsistencies between the rooms in your home. Exorbitantly high bills, cold floors or walls, and persistent drafts can also indicate you need to replace the insulation. Replacing your insulation can make your home feel much more comfortable and reduce your bills.

Related Guides:

• Rubber Vs. Foam Pipe Insulation: Which One Is Better?
• How to Get Rid of Mice in Attic With Blown Insulation