The insulation in your home is as essential as your home's HVAC heating and cooling system, as it helps to keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. With your home's insulation such an important part of its structure, you will need to keep an eye on your insulation and be aware of issues that can arise while you live in the home. Here are some common problems in your home's insulation and how you can repair them.

Water Damaged Insulation

Water damage inside your home is a big problem and can bring in mold and mildew growth that can cause additional problems. But when your home's insulation becomes water damaged, depending on the type of insulation it is, it can often damage it where it will no longer insulate as it needs to.

If you discover moisture damage in your home's walls or attic, you will need to inspect the insulation for signs of water penetration and discard the wet insulation. Some blown-in insulation that expands into a water-resistant surface will retain its temperature barring properties.

However, other types of insulation, such as roll batting insulation, blown-in cellulose insulation, loose-fill, and rock wool insulation can all collect and absorb moisture during a moisture problem in your home. These types of insulation will need to be replaced. Contact your local insulation professional about replacing the damaged insulation with a new insulation layer.

Shifted Insulation

Some areas of your home, such as the attic, can succumb to the insulation shifting over time. Whether you have done work in your attic and moved around insulation, or if pests have caused the insulation damage, insulation needs to properly fill the space it is intended to insulate. For example, in your attic, loose-fill or roll batting insulation is set between the framing and trusses to fill each gap to insulate against heat and cold. When the insulated is shifted to reveal an inch or two of space, it will allow the space to suffer temperature gaps. 

You can arrange for an insulation evaluation on your home to measure its quality and for the proper R-value. Your insulation professional can check these insulated areas of your home to see if your insulation needs replacement or supplementing. If there are problems and damage from pests in your insulation, after the extermination your insulation professional can restore your home's insulation to a quality upgrade that protects your home and the climate you live in.