Thermal Insulation

One reason that people worry about adding insulation to their crawl space is that they worry that it’ll attract pests. Although this can be a potential problem, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of having insulation and to see whether you can change the pest issues if possible.

• Specific Types of Insulation Material

Certain types of insulation can indeed attract pests. For example, fiberglass is a common insulation material because it’s non-flammable and cheaper than other insulation types. However, it’s also attractive to many pests, which may include rats, raccoons, and insects. There are also other insulations with the same problem.

This is because many insulation types – especially older or ‘eco-friendly’ insulation – are made of organic materials in part or as a whole. These materials can act as food for certain kinds of pests, or else allow for the formation of mold when they become damp. 

• How to Avoid Pests From Insulation

Because insulation can have pest problems, some manufacturers will use unappealing synthetic materials to repel pests. Others will inject deterrents into the insulation material itself. One of the best ways to ensure that the insulation doesn’t attract pests is to make sure the material of the insulation isn’t a type that pests enjoy, which is what ExTremeBloc^TM does.

These materials are still incredibly effective; some more so than traditional, organic insulation materials. This means that you don’t have to compromise at all to have a safe, dry, warm home that is free from pests. This insulation material is also water-resistant, so you can expect some protection from humidity and dampness, too.

• Other Methods of Avoiding Pests in the Crawl Space

There are also other methods that you can use to avoid pests in the crawl space. Insulation is just one of the things that can attract pests into your crawl space. If you have an encapsulated and overall healthy crawl space, your chances of getting pests in your crawl space will go down dramatically, regardless of what type of insulation you use.

Encapsulation includes things like vapor barrier installation, covering unsealed crawl space vents, and installing drainage and dehumidification options. Talk to your GroundWorks team member to ensure that you have the best advice (and that you get the best products) when it comes to encapsulation.

As you start to do some research into insulation, you might see the term “R-value.” The R-value of an insulation product is something that you’ll typically see in advertisements and product listings for a specific item. To the layman, this can be very confusing. Here’s what you need to know about an R-value and why it matters.

•  An Overview of the R-Value

At a baseline, an R-value has to do with how well the insulation will work. These ratings are assigned based on how effective the insulation is at resisting heat. A low R-value means the insulation has a poor thermal resistance, whereas a high R-value means the insulation has excellent thermal resistance. R-values also vary based on how thick insulation is; you can add more insulation to increase the R-value of specific insulation.

R-values can still be very confusing even if you understand what they stand for, so you might want to take a look at the estimated R-values of various products. Drywall by itself, for example, has an R-value of .9 on average. Most fiberglass insulation has an R-value between 2.2-3.8, which is certainly higher than drywall, but it’s overall a poor rating, especially compared to ExTremeBloc’s™ R-value of 11. Generally, anything above an R-value of 5 is considered decent, but aiming for the higher R-value is always better.

• Why Should I Think About R-Value?

When you are considering insulating your home, there are so many factors at play that it can be a little confusing for those who lack specialist training and experience. However, when you are thinking about insulation you should be thinking about three main things; water-resistance, mold-resistance, and R-Value. Finding the right mix of these qualities is key.

Of course, it’s far easier and more effective to instead let a professional assess your home and its needs for you. An expert will find the right kind of insulation for your home and the climate it exists in, including the right R-value, as a matter of course when you hire them to insulate your crawl space. The results and benefits will start to make themselves known almost immediately.

You might have heard someone tell you that you need to replace your insulation regularly. In some ways, this is true; however, you definitely shouldn’t have to replace crawl space insulation every few years. Here’s a bit more to understand about crawl space insulation replacement.

•  The Lifespan of Insulation

All insulation has a certain lifespan. Insulation of a certain quality will perform admirably for 15-20 years, depending on the material and the location of your house. Toward the end of its lifespan, it may lose its ability to repel moisture and mold, however. It may even begin to disintegrate, as can the solution used to affix the insulation to the walls. That means it is crucial to look at how long the insulation can perform before you need to replace it and to make note of this information.

If you have recently come into possession of an older home, either as a development project or through a windfall, you should assume that some work may be needed and book an inspection. This will help you to get an accurate understanding of the state of the property as well as an idea of the enormity of the work that needs to be done. 

• Replacing Insulation

When it comes time to replace your insulation, you do want to replace it when it’s still marginally working. You don’t want to wait until it’s literally in pieces because that means it hasn’t been doing its job for a long time. An expert who installs the insulation will be able to tell you when, on average, you’ll have to replace the insulation. Additionally, if you get yearly inspections, that expert can let you know when the insulation is nearing the end of its lifespan.

This is less of a problem than it once was, but if there is any chance that your insulation has any asbestos at all in it, you shouldn’t try to deal with it yourself. You should also make any professionals aware of the potential so that they can take precautions. Asbestos was commonly put into homes built in the 1980s; if you have just bought an older home that has not been renovated yet, make your technician aware. 

• The Main Reason to Use High-Quality Insulation from an Expert

Low-quality insulation made from inferior materials may need to be replaced sooner than high-quality materials. One of the reasons Groundworks uses ExTremeBloc™ is for its long lifespan and the fact that it provides stable and consistent insulation throughout its life. Only accept high-quality insulation so that you can get more from your insulation.

Here at Groundworks, we use only the best products in every job we do for just this reason. We pride ourselves in offering a long-term, high-quality solution to every single homeowner that comes to us. This is also why we offer long-term, transferable warranties on many of our products (as well as guarantees on our services).