Insulation is an absolutely vital part of any home, creating a barrier between the interior and exterior temperatures of your home. Without insulation, you can end up paying much higher energy bills each month to heat and cool your home. Many homeowners neglect their insulation, believing that it will last without issue for decades. But insulation can have many problems, causing it to be replaced or added to over time. Insulation can play a huge role in how well your roofing in Ann Arbor Michigan also performs. Improper insulation and ventilation of the attic can lead to roof failure and even mold growth in your home. Here are some tips to help you ensure your insulation is protecting your home enough or whether you need to add some.

Signs You Need to Replace Your Roof’s Insulation in Ann Arbor Michigan

For the most part insulation is not able to be directly viewed. Most insulation resides in the walls and flooring of your home. The attic insulation or roof insulation is a different case however. For most homes that don’t have finished attics the insulation is able to be inspected by simply going into the attic. Sagging insulation likely means a problem. Other indicators are higher energy bills, saturated insulation and sometimes pests can move insulation causing it to protect your home less. Be sure to look for the following signs when it comes to the insulation in your home.

To help you determine whether you need new insulation, consider these factors:

Age of Your Insulation

If you have an older home, you may have the ugly pink insulation that we have all come to picture when we hear the word insulation. This older insulation can be problematic both in the level of efficiency it provides, and the chemicals inside it. Asbestos is common is older insulation, and will need to be removed by a professional team to avoid any asbestos being breathed in.

Increased Energy Bills

Energy efficiency isn’t just about your windows and doors. Your roof and the amount of insulation inside it greatly impacts how much you can expect to pay to heat and cool your home. It is recommended that your get a professional to come out to your home and inspect your insulation’s quality and how much of it you have. They will be able to tell you if you need to fully replace your insulation, or if you can simply add to the existing insulation to create the barrier you need.

Roof Replacement

If you are getting your roof replaced anyways, it can be beneficial to go ahead and replace your insulation at the same time. This is because everything will be opened up and it will be easier to inspect every inch for damage. This is especially important if you are replacing your roof because of ongoing damage.

Roof Leaks/ Moisture Damage

Moisture and insulation do not mix. If you have a leak in your roof and moisture is able to get in, it can end up in your insulation. Because of how dark and humid your attic can be, moisture does not dry quickly, or completely. Instead, you can end up with moisture turning into mold and mildew growth in your insulation.

Because insulation is a porous material, you cannot fully irradiate the mold from it, and the entire insulation will need to be removed. Otherwise, you can end up with mold spores spreading to the rest of your attic and home, creating a costly and dangerous situation. This is because mold, especially black mold fights hard to stick around, and can cause health problems like allergies, respiratory issues, and skin irritation.

Pest Problem

If there are animals or insects getting into your roof, you can end up with pests in your insulation. It is not only problematic that they can be leaving urine and feces in your insulation, but also creating holes in it through burrowing or eating it. You will need to remove the insulation to both remove the pests fully, and repair any holes the pests were able to get through.

Get an Inspection Done by a Qualified Contractor

If you think there may be a problem with the insulation in your home’s attic be sure to call a qualified roofing contractor to inspect it. A2 Roofing can inspect, and replace insulation if needed. Call them today if you need an inspection at 734-548-9915