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Vacuum Removal Of Old Insulation Is Vital In Florida, Here’s Why

If you’re looking to cut costs, save time, or both, skipping the removal of your old insulation before installing new material isn’t the way to do it. Neglecting this step is especially detrimental to Florida homes oftentimes leading to symptoms that are counterintuitive to the benefits of getting new insulation. This useful guide will show you why it’s essential to remove old insulation in Florida and how Foam Bear Orlando can get the job done right!

Is Old Insulation as Bad as People Make it Sound?

You might think that the warnings are a bit exaggerated, but ask any of our experts and they’ll vouch for the claims you see online. Old insulation must be removed as it can pose a danger to your property or lead to unnecessary costs. This is true even when your insulation is trapped behind a wall or hidden in the attic ceiling.

When you have remnants of old materials floating around, you’re likely to suffer the consequences:

• Pieces of old insulation can get in the way of proper airflow. Without proper airflow, you may experience symptoms of poor air quality like allergic reactions or illnesses.
• Old insulation won’t bring you the same r-value as when you first bought it. This means that you’ll be losing out on cash over time by making your HVAC play catch-up during extreme heat (or cold).
• Because old insulation is typically dirty, the bacteria it holds can cause mold to grow. This usually happens in places where most homeowners don’t look every day, leaving the mold to grow unnoticed.

These are just a few of the most problematic occurrences that can happen when you don’t remove your old insulation. When you consider the additional factors of being a Florida homeowner, there’s much more to worry about that can be solved by removing your outdated materials and swapping them for new insulation.

Looking to save on energy costs? Upgrading to spray foam insulation will definitely help, but you can save even more with energy-saving solutions from Solar Bear!

Installing New Insulation Over Old Materials – Is It Advised?

Plenty of homeowners make the mistake of believing that covering up old insulation with a newer layer is a way to get around the vacuum and removal process. This couldn’t be further from the truth, even with spray foam despite being the best choice for Orlando houses. Unfortunately, there is no “cutting corners” when it comes to insulation. But why not?

When you install new insulation over old insulation, you will still experience the symptoms we mentioned earlier. The previous material will get in the way of the new, causing the entire installation process to be all for naught. If you don’t want your precious cash to get lost in the wind, you need to take the necessary precautions and remove your old insulation first.

The Best Way to Remove Old Insulation

If money is an obstacle, you might be tempted to just rent a vacuum and get rid of the old insulation yourself. Unless you know exactly what you’re doing, you could be spending more hours on the task than you anticipated which can easily rack up your rental costs. Even if you have a thought-out plan, being near old insulation can be extremely dangerous. The safest approach is to hire an insulation professional near you to clean up your property for you.

For Insulation Removal and Spray Foam Installation, Foam Bear is the Best Choice Near You!

You can rely on Foam Bear Orlando for insulation vacuum and removal services near you! Our team will wipe the place clean of old insulation before equipping your property with top-quality spray foam. We offer premium spray foam products that can protect your home for an entire lifetime! Call (727) 580-1090 to learn more and to ask for a free estimate.

R-Values & Air Sealing: How To Measure Your Insulation’s Performance

It can feel impossible to tell if your insulation is working how it should without a point of reference. Many homeowners will either trust the opinion of their “handy” friend or disregard the quality of their insulation altogether. But you’re here, and that means you’re more aware than the rest. Lucky for you, you’ve come to the right place!

This short guide will teach you how to measure your insulation’s performance based on its R-value and air-sealing properties. For insulation experts near you, Foam Bear Tampa is the place to call!

The Bread and Butter of Top-Quality Insulation

Ask anyone on the street how they judge the quality of insulation and you may get different answers. Most of them will probably bring up the topic of R-value which is a valid trait. One of the lesser-known characteristics that can greatly affect your insulation is air-sealing, and that may be because most types of insulation don’t offer an air-tight seal upon installation.

You could base your decision solely on the R-value as it’s a direct measurement that works for any type of material. However, you could achieve an even greater experience by learning more about what air-sealing can do for your property.

Measuring Your Insulation’s Performance (No Tools Required)

The main factor that determines the quality of any type of insulation is its R-value. The concept is simple: The higher the R-value, the better the insulator. R-value is a universal form of measurement as every insulative material has a rating. For example, common fiberglass insulation averages at around 3.2 which actually isn’t that high compared to other materials. Take the chart below, for reference:

Fiberglass	3.1-3.4
Cellulose	3.2-3.9
Mineral Wool	3.1-3.4
Foam Boards	3.8-5
Open-Cell Spray Foam	3.5
Closed-Cell Spray Foam	6.5-7

Using R-values to determine which insulation you use can definitely help you achieve a better result, but it shouldn’t be your only deciding factor. For instance, a foam board may have a higher R-value than open-cell spray foam, but many will argue that open-cell foam is still a better insulator since foam boards don’t provide an air-tight seal and they break and wear easily under certain weather conditions.

This is precisely why we’re going over air-sealing next:

Don’t Let Your Conditioned Air Slip Through the Cracks

The only thing that can trump the R-value as a valid indicator of performance is air-sealing. Say, for example, your insulation has an R-value of 4 which can be considered above average. That rating only applies in a scenario where the wind outside has no choice but to come into contact with your insulation. If you go with a material that offers no air-sealing properties, that wind will be able to skirt around your insulation and make it into your property anyway. Imagine an open field with nothing but an impenetrable vault door placed before a stack of gold bars. Despite how indestructible the door is, any robber can simply walk around it and claim their treasure.

Before insulating your home with air-sealing insulation like spray foam, it helps to check the area for air leaks before installation so you can make sure you have all of the trouble spots covered.

Spray Foam Insulation: The Top Performer of 2024

The only type of insulation to offer a high R-value while effectively air-sealing the property is spray foam insulation. Spray foam preserves R-value in so many ways and it’s known for expanding by 1-3 inches to fill in gaps for an air-tight seal.

Experience the Best Insulation With Foam Bear Tampa!

For premium spray foam insulation installed by skilled professionals near you, call Foam Bear Tampa today at (727) 580-1090 to learn more about our products and services before receiving a free estimate. Our team is here to make sure that your insulation is performing at its best!