Wet Insulation In The Attic

Prolonged wetness will rot out the roof sheathing.

Wet insulation in the attic.

Believe it or not there are situations in a home when you should remove the old attic insulation before adding more over the existing and in this short video. Coping with wet insulation. You can replace the insulation after the attic is dry. If the fiberglass within your wall cavity or in your attic becomes wet from a leaky roof or burst pipe it will lose insulating effectiveness until the material dries.

Put on protective gear such as gloves safety goggles and a breathing mask to remove wet insulation and discard it in the trash. Wet insulation is bad for your roof your building and its occupants. Handy homeowners can install blown in insulation in the attic. There are many signs that an attic is wet.

Saturated insulation typically loses at least 40 of its insulating r value. If you can ensure good air sealing and insulation the attic will remain cool and dry as if it were outside. You can also identify moisture problems in the attic by the formation of condensation on windows and glass surfaces. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation.

Blowing insulation into walls is best left to the pros because it involves drilling into stud spaces that may contain electrical. For example it is rare to see moisture problems or ice damming on the roof of a detached garage or unheated barn. What to do about a wet attic. Wet insulation no longer performs its primary function of inhibiting heat transfer.

Loss of insulating value. The two most common types of insulation fiberglass batts and blown in cellulose loose fill are vulnerable to attic water damage in two specific ways. If you choose to install cellulose yourself you can buy the insulation in bags from your local home improvement store. Drying out a wet attic.

For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. Cellulose recycled ground up paper with boric acid added for insect control and fire resistance offers a better attic insulation option than batts. Pros and cons of cellulose attic insulation. When a leak allows water to seep in through.

Insulation sits just below the roof s membrane. Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product. Wet insulation is inefficient but more immediately it can be a hidden risk.