If you walk into the attic of most modern homes, you’re going to find fiberglass insulation protecting the topmost portion of that home from heat loss. Fiberglass is a smart choice because it’s so hugely effective at not only trapping heat, but also because it’s sustainable, retaining its R-value and efficiency for longer periods of time.
The downfall of fiberglass insulation, however, is that it’s a huge draw for all sorts of critters and pests! From squirrels and rodents to ants and roaches, fiberglass is a prime breeding ground for all sorts of things you don’t want living in your home!
Luckily, if you’re diligent in protecting your attic and your insulation from these critters, you won’t have much to worry about. Take a look at a few important steps that can and should be taken to keep your home safe:
- Make sure your roofing has a drip edge. This is a piece of wood that hangs over the end of your roofing to bridge the gap between the roofing material and the gutter. Without a drip edge in place, there might be a gap here, which is a prime entry point into your attic for rodents and other small mammals who may be looking for the ideal place to start a nest in your insulation!
- Make sure your attic has proper ventilation! Hot and humid conditions in your attic during the summer months could result in mold and mildew growth, and could also invite in bugs of all sorts. Proper ventilation will keep your attic at an acceptable temperature, inhibiting growths and deterring pests from disturbing your insulation.
- Have a routine inspection of your attic done every spring or summer by a pest control professional. This person will be able to spot signs of an infestation within your fiberglass insulation and can a) help eradicate the issue and b) help you prevent it from occurring again in the future. If an infestation or nest is found when you have your inspection done, it’s also paramount you call an insulation professional to assist you in remediating the damage and getting your attic re-insulated.
- Keep your attic as clean as you can! For most people, this is a storage space or generally unoccupied. Keeping your attic clean and tidy will deter pests and small animals from nesting there, which will save your insulation from being disturbed or destroyed.
Bugs and rodents will eat, tear, rip and remove your insulation if they get the chance to enter your home, which makes it paramount to stop them from getting in and make sure they’re eradicated if they do manage to intrude. Moreover, they can reproduce, leave droppings or die within your insulation, which causes all sorts of trouble beyond just repairing and replacing your fiberglass.
Contact a professional at Chase Insulation today if you’re dealing with the aftermath of an attic infestation. We’ll help you assess the scope of damage to your insulation and recommend replacements that will help you restore your fiberglass insulation in West Lorne, ON to a true level of protective efficiency.