Insulating your attic is an effective way to reduce your energy bills and the heat escaping from your roof. When installed correctly, the insulation should be able to pay for itself over and over again within its 40+ year lifespan.
Aside from reducing any heating costs, insulation makes your property feel more comfortable. Homes that can effectively trap heat inside during the winter and maintain a cooler temperature throughout the summer enjoy financial and health benefits, but how can insulation fail and what causes this?
Compressed Insulation
Compressed insulation is an unfortunate situation where the attic insulation gets squashed by either a heavy load or attic boards, this will severely reduce its thermal efficiency by up to 50%! This results in a decreased amount of airflow, preventing the insulation from breathing, leading to its failure. It’s important to enhance and protect your insulation from any mishaps or performance issues so that you can keep your home at reasonable, comfortable temperatures throughout the year.
82% of attic users have stated that they use their attic for storage purposes, so the weight of the insulation and attic boards needs to be strong enough to hold this extra weight without compressing either.
By installing raised attic boarding, you can have the recommended depth of 270mm of insulation, whilst providing an airflow gap to prevent any condensation and accommodate sufficient airflow. Especially with mineral wool-type insulation, it needs to retain its full depth to work properly. Using a patented attic boarding system that is designed to raise the attic floor above the insulation, you will also create an extra-strong storage solution whilst maintaining your energy bills.
If you are planning on installing insulation and attic boards on your own, keep in mind that your ventilation may also need increasing. Our smart storage DIY kits are lightweight, strong and simple to use with clear, easy-to-follow instructions so that you can raise the attic floor above insulation with no added stress!
Damp and Contamination
If a poor insulation material is chosen, this affects the moisture levels in the attic. Effective insulation materials and installation procedures can help prevent mold and damp-related issues.
The moisture that damp creates becomes a large opportunity for bacteria and fungi to grow; this is extremely harmful to the structure of your property and to anyone that suffers from asthma and any allergies. There is also an unwanted chance that the damp can bring in rodents and other visitors – due to the habitable space the damp is creating, causing poor performance and reduced temperatures throughout the house.
Hiring a professional installer will ensure that your attic will become a safer and more durable space to store your belongings. Once your attic boards and installation is installed correctly, you should not completely forget about it – maintain the health of your insulation and make sure it remains in good condition. It’s recommended to check your attic space once every 3-6 months to keep up with any changes. This way, you won’t keep asking yourself, ‘why is my attic damp?’.
Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)
It’s thought that 40-60% of pipe maintenance costs are due to the corrosion that’s hidden underneath your insulation. Corrosion may attack the insulation, hardware, and any piping or metalwork underneath the floorboards. This can occur through moisture, water vapor or external sources like rain seeping through small holes.
Corrosion underneath insulation is a severe form of localized external corrosion in carbon and steel equipment that has been insulated. This occurs when water is absorbed or collected within the insulation – therefore the equipment starts to corrode as it’s exposed to water and oxygen.
To prevent corrosion, coat the underneath of the insulation with thermal sprayed aluminum. This is ideal for preserving the underlying of any metal pipework or wires that cannot be moved easily. Otherwise, most elements that contribute to CUI are very difficult to control, so preventing this situation is only manageable through insulation design, installation and maintenance.
Maintain Your Insulation with LoftZone!
If you notice an increase in your energy bills, or your home changes temperature more frequently, one of these factors may be the root cause. Make sure that you regularly check your insulation and be aware of all these common failures.
Whether you want to install your own DIY Attic Boarding Kit or would prefer a professional attic boarding installer to raise the attic floor above the insulation, then give us a call on 617-765-7444, or drop us a message at sales@attic-zone.com.