FAQ & Tips on Home Insulation | All Seasons Insulation

Is home insulation toxic?

It depends on what insulation you use. Today, neither fiberglass nor cellulose insulation is made with toxic materials, but that wasn’t always the case.

In the past, fiberglass used to be made with toxic chemicals, such as formaldehyde. While these chemicals are no longer used, fiberglass itself is harmful to your lungs when inhaled and can irritate the skin.

Cellulose, on the other hand, consists of paper fibers treated with boric acid — a safe chemical that can be found in the ingredients of many beauty and hygiene products.

Is home insulation tax deductible?

It depends on rebate programs that are offered locally by our city or county. These rebate programs often have highly specific parameters for what type of insulation work qualifies, so make sure you check with the appropriate officials.

Can home insulation get wet?

No. If your home insulation has gotten wet, whether it is fiberglass or cellulose, it usually means it is time to remove and replace it.

How long does home insulation last?

Depending on the type of insulation you use, it can last between five years and the lifetime of the structure.

What is the best type of home insulation?

Cellulose is more efficient, more environmentally friendly, and less prone to animal infestations than fiberglass. For a full comparison complete with a pros and cons list, visit our page on different types of home insulation.

When do I need to remove my existing insulation?

We recommend removing insulation if it has ever had an animal infestation, if it gets wet, or if you simply want to start fresh with an all-new product. If your attic’s old insulation is not damaged, you can keep it in place and add more new insulation to it.

Not removing the old insulation won’t affect performance in any negative way.

What R-Value Insulation Do I Need?

Insulation is always a smart investment. You want as high R-value materials as possible.

Based on where in the US you live, there are different minimum recommendations for rooms/spaces that should be well insulated. They give you an idea of what R-value do you need.3

You need to check in which Insulation Climate Zone you live (there are 8 of them; South Florida is 1, North US is 7, etc.).

Click Here To See R-value Recommendations

Tips on how to improve the performance of your new upgraded insulation

Because glass is a conductor of both hot and cold one of the ways it will transfer the outside temperature into your home is by the way of your windows. To help prevent this transference it is suggested that you dress your windows with draperies. Although draperies are not as popular as they once were they really do an excellent job of helping to keep your home more comfortable and energy efficient throughout the year. The heavier and more tightly woven the fabric is what will determine the effectiveness.

Keep in mind that each time you open an exterior door you allow the outside air to come into your home and the inside conditioned air out.

Insulation helps to keep the air that you have conditioned inside your home from escaping. Before you set the thermostats to your desired temperature, you must first bring the temperature of your home to your desired comfort level. Now the insulation will help you maintain that temperature.

Insulation is very affordable and is one home improvement that pays for itself. It then continues to pay you by saving you money every month on your utilities.

Cold Weather

Manually turn up your heat to say 75 or 80 for a short time maybe 10 to 20 minutes. Then turn it down to your normal setting. Now the insulation will help keep that warm air in. You must condition the air to your comfort before the insulation can do its job.

Close your fireplace damper down tight when not having a fire. A chimney is designed specifically for smoke to escape. Leaving it open 24 hours a day allows the warm air in your home to escape too. Keeping the damper open is like a 48″ window wide open during the winter and you would never do that so close it up when not in use.

Be sure all windows and doors are sealed, weather stripped and do not have leaks.

Warm Weather

As early as you can open up all the doors and windows that you can as well as turning on bathroom and kitchen fans to draw in the cool morning air. Shut it all down once it starts to get the slightest bit warn. Most days you can just run you fans to keep air moving and remain comfortable.

If you have an attic fan turn that on the night before and then again in the morning to push the hot air out of the attic. Having hot air in the attic day after day has a great impact on the temperature of your home in the summer because that hot air eventually permeates the sheetrock and into your living space.

Tips on how to improve the performance of your new upgraded insulation

Cold Weather

Warm Weather

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