Should I Put New Insulation Over My Old Insulation?
Here at EZ Attic Insulation, we have heard countless questions from homeowners over the years. Among that long list of questions includes one covering one of our regular services, insulation removal. Many customers ask if we even need to remove their old insulation before upgrading their attic with new insulation. This is a great question and we’d love to answer it in today’s blog!
This is because, at EZ Attic Insulation, your family’s year-round comfort is our top concern. We want to help you make the right insulation decisions for your Houston home. Read on to learn the answer to today’s question. The result may surprise you!
First - Let’s Assess Your Current Insulation:
If you’ve read our blog covering signs of poor insulation, you might have an idea of some basics to look for in determining why your insulation needs an overhaul. But when EZ Attic arrives at Houston area homes to assess the scope of the work, we often see the same trending issues.
Does your attic have damaged or compacted Insulation ?
As insulation ages, it compacts down over time. It also gets compressed by improper storage solutions. Unfortunately, being squished through time or abuse can lower its effectiveness by as much as 50%!
Did you know that attic insulation should have a depth of at least 10-14 inches, depending on the climate zone, to meet minimum recommendations?
Does your insulation retain moisture?
When insulation becomes wet, often from leaks due to poor attic sealing or plumbing, it can result in poor performance. Wet insulation quickly loses R-value as the materials degrade, leading to an ineffective thermal barrier for your home.
But an even more serious concern is that moist insulation creates mold, mildew, and even rot if left unchecked. This prolonged exposure results in illness to you and your family.
Is your insulation a nest for PESTS?
Speaking of concerns resulting in illness, we often see existing insulation that has turned into a breeding ground for bacteria! This is because of all the nesting rodents, insects, and other wildlife actively harming the attic’s insulation.
Besides the obvious damage they can do shredding the material, these pests leave all manner of bacteria and virus-inducing waste products behind!
Is your insulation made from hazardous materials?
Older homes often have outdated materials like vermiculite, which have been found to contain asbestos! This problem is only worsened with time, as the materials break down and lead to worse chemical exposure.
Was your insulation job done wrong the first time?
Poor installation by fly-by-night operations is another common issue we see. Uncertified or unqualified service technicians simply don’t give attics the treatment they deserve. We often see issues like A/C ducts touching insulation, insulation at uneven levels, and attics with improperly sealed gaps and openings.
Now that we’ve gone through some initial questions, we can make a solid determination on how to go about your insulation install.
Generally speaking, if you answered YES to any of these questions, you should…
Our Recommendation - Remove the Old Insulation First
With so many attics we see having the same concerns as we’ve gone through in this blog, we always recommend removing the old insulation before installing anything new. It’s simply the only way to ensure your attic performs its job the best from season to season.
Installing new insulation over old often acts as a bandage-fix for serious problems. This is especially true with moisture damage and pest infestations! Simply slapping on new insulation does not fix this problem, and can often make it worse down the road.
What’s more, with EZ Attic Insulation, we provide a multi-step process with every attic insulation removal service! Besides just taking out the old insulation, which can be hazardous and taxing if done DIY, we also provide proper sealing and sanitization of your attic. This ensures a clean, well-performing attic for years to come.
We hope you enjoyed this Q&A read. Interested in learning more? Give us a call with any questions you have or visit our other resources on the topic of insulation!
Need YOUR Old Insulation Removed?
Pick EZ Attic Insulation to install your new insulation the right way! We don’t just toss new onto old. We know old insulation removal is vital to every attic’s success story. Call us today at 713-909-0390 or message us on Facebook or Instagram!
