When you move to a new home, you’ll no doubt try to
inspect every nook and cranny to see if there is any damage you should know
about or repairs that need to be made. But there are several things that aren’t
so easy to check unless you tear down the walls and get under the floorboards.
Too often, it’s only when you buy the house and start living in it that
problems in these areas start to rear their ugly heads.
One issue that may arise is poor insulation. If your
home’s insulation is old or simply insufficient, you’ll likely notice higher
energy bills than you expected, or that your home’s HVAC system doesn’t seem
able to properly heat or cool your home, despite the unit being in good working
order.
Whether you’ve lived in your house for several years or
have recently bought it, it’s a good idea to check the insulation. Before you
start tearing down walls, there are a few signs you should know that can let
you know that your insulation needs replacing. Keep reading to learn the signs
to watch for.
1. Unpleasant Odors
Unpleasant
odors can be very off-putting, especially if they linger and refuse to go away,
even after you have tried everything to get rid of the smell. A moldy odor in
your walls and attic can be a sign that your home’s insulation has suffered water
damage.
Chances are
that your roof is leaky, and the moisture has seeped through the insulation,
thus causing the moldy smell. If a home is already suffering from moldy
insulation, you may notice the odor as soon as you walk into a new home.
Whether the insulation is to blame or not, it’s important to get to the root of
the odor if you’re thinking about buying the home. It could be the first sign
of serious damage hiding behind the home’s walls.
2. Increasing Allergy Problems
Water
damage can make your insulation less effective. In addition to the smell, moldy
insulation can also affect you and your family’s health. People with allergies
often react quickly to problems with insulation. If someone in your home seems
to have symptoms that aren’t going away, or if you move into a new home and
allergy symptoms suddenly start, it may be time to check your insulation.
3. Draft Inside the House
Another
thing to look for when moving into a prebuilt home is whether or not there is a
draft inside it. Drafts commonly occur around windows and door frames. While
old windows or doors that don’t fit tightly in the frame could be to blame, a
lack of insulation around the frame of that door or window can also lead to a
draft.
Drafts
can also be caused by a lack of insulation in the crawlspace or outer walls of
your home. As insulation breaks down, it can’t block out the chilly air outside
as well as it once did. Fixing these drafts can not only help you stay
comfortable, but could also help to lower your home’s energy bills.
4. High Energy Bills
When you
are moving into a new home, you should always check previous energy bills to
get an idea of the average energy costs in previous months and years. You can
also get an idea of the average energy bills for the neighborhood, which will
help you find out if the energy bills are higher in your home than in other
nearby houses of a similar size and age.
If you notice
that your home’s energy bills seem unusually high, there might be a problem
with the insulation that needs to be checked as soon as possible.
5. Presence of Pests and Rodents
If
the home you’re moving into has a rodent problem, there’s a high chance of its
insulation being damaged. That’s because rodents can feed off or even nest in
old insulation. It’s easy for these creatures to tear apart damaged
insulation and create even bigger holes in certain types of insulation. If the
pests have been the home any amount of time, they’ve likely begun attacking and
chewing away the insulation.
So
if you notice pests or rodents in your new home, then it is time for you to get
your insulation replaced.
Upgrade Your Home Insulation with Superior
As you can see, insulation plays a major role in
keeping your home at the right temperature, while also maintaining a healthy
and safe environment for you and your family. Therefore, you shouldn’t
compromise on your home’s insulation. If you are looking for the best
insulation services, Superior
Insealators is the name you can rely on. Get in touch to learn more about
our insulation products or request
a free estimate.
