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How Can I Tell if There’s Mold in my Home’s Insulation?

Did you know that your insulation could be hiding mold? Under the right circumstances, mold can grow in your home right under your nose. How can you tell if your house is contaminated? The experts at Foam Bear Orlando are here to teach you how to tell if there’s mold in your home’s insulation and what you can do.

How Mold Forms in Homes

Mold requires the perfect ecosystem to thrive, and poor insulation can help expedite the process. This is because outdated insulation, especially fiberglass, is more likely to contain gaps in-between the seams where air can travel through. Under certain outdoor temperatures such as on warm and humid days, moisture can be carried through the air causing a wet environment inside of your home. This is how mold can grow indoors.

Finding Traces of Mold

Since your insulation is meant to be the barrier separating the outdoors from the indoors, it’s the first place that’s affected by mold. If you suspect mold is growing in your home, take a look at your insulation first and foremost. Just be sure to wear protective gear like gloves and a mask so you don’t come into contact with or ingest any hazardous spores. With the help of a flashlight, you can check your insulation for discoloration like black, green, or gray. If your insulation is behind a wall, the surrounding wood will be soft and give into pressure when you poke it. You’ll also notice a pungent smell similar to that of old wet paper or dirty laundry.

Mold Inspection Checklist

● A strong, noticeable smell ● Discoloration in the insulation ● Weakened material around the insulation

Bodily Reactions to Mold

If you find traces of mold in your home, it’s best to get it treated immediately as it could affect your health. Many people who have been exposed to mold spores have experienced the following:

• Coughing / Asthma
• Irritated eyes and skin
• Dry and scratchy throat
• Tiredness and fatigue

Some people don’t realize they’re exposed to mold until they begin to develop more drastic symptoms that can turn into chronic illnesses. Spending the time to clear your home of mold is better than letting your symptoms evolve to the point of being untreatable.

Switch to New Spray Foam Insulation!

You can easily avoid mold altogether by switching your old and ineffective insulation to brand-new spray foam insulation. Spray foam provides a tighter seal than traditional fiberglass insulation, so there’s less chance of air leaking into your home and creating the ideal conditions for mold. Since spray foam expands, it can easily close up hard-to-reach spots, making it much more reliable than precut sheets which don’t always line up right for adequate protection.

The Best Spray Foam Company in Orlando

Foam Bear Orlando is the best place in Florida for the best quality spray foam with expert insulation. We’ve been serving the area for many years by providing tight insulation to last a lifetime! Call (727) 580-1090 today for a free estimate. We can clear your home of your old insulation before equipping your walls with an impeccable line of defense against the elements to keep you and your loved ones safe.

Spray Foam vs Cellulose Insulation

Spray foam and cellulose insulation may appear identical on the surface, but there’s much more to consider when it comes to the effectiveness of each. Nowadays, there’s a reason why people are talking about spray foam more often than cellulose, and the Foam Bear Orlando team is here to bring you all the details.

Which Has the Higher R-Value?

Since the processes between spray foam and cellulose insulation seem similar, you may not be able to guess that one has a higher R-value than the other. The R-value is what determines the heat-absorption properties of insulation, which is basically the point of insulation in the first place. In that case, you’ll want to go with whichever option has the higher R-value and that would be spray foam insulation. The transfer of outside heat into your home can be done in a few different ways, and spray foam accounts for every way possible with its impeccable thermal resistance. Meanwhile, it would require an extra layer of cellulose to match the quality of spray foam and that will only take up more space plus the higher cost for additional materials.

Less Damage to Your Home

A major downside to cellulose insulation is that it’s more practical for buildings that are currently under construction. For homes that are already built, installing cellulose insulation would require your contractor to drill holes in your wall in order to get to the areas where it’s most effective. On the other hand, spray foam can easily be applied wherever it’s needed without having to compromise the structure of your walls. It also provides a better seal since open-cell foam can expand into tight spots that would otherwise be difficult to reach.

Better Structural Integrity

Spray foam insulation is designed to work as a single entity for the most durable and structurally-sound protection. Cellulose insulation, however, is made up of various compounds that don’t always hold together, especially over time. Pieces of cellulose will eventually begin to break off, and the application as a whole becomes much less effective since gaps are formed this way. When it comes to insulation, even the smallest gaps and cracks can render the entire application useless since it doesn’t take much for air and moisture to come through. For the best possible durability, closed-cell insulation is definitely the way to go.

Soundproof Capability

Some people may argue that cellulose insulation is more soundproof than spray foam. However, the expansive nature of open-cell spray foam insulation is more than capable of blocking outside noises from traveling inside your home. By expanding up to three times its size, open-cell foam is able to absorb and trap incoming sound waves so you can experience peace and quiet. Considering this alongside all of the other benefits that spray foam has to offer, there is a clear winner in our book.

Get Spray Foam Insulation in Orlando!

If you want to take in all of the amazing benefits that spray foam insulation can bring to your home, call up the best spray foam company in Orlando! Foam Bear Orlando carries high-quality products for the best insulation that’ll last you a lifetime. Call (727) 580-1090 today for a free estimate!