What Causes Insulation to Sag in My Crawl Space?
This is a common issue that Jersey Shore homeowners experience in their crawl space. Over time, you may see your nice batted insulation start to sag and fall. To the untrained eye, it may not seem like a serious issue—but there are many things that can cause sagging insulation, as well as many problems that come with it.
Causes
Sagging insulation could be from many things such as rodents or poor installation, but the most common factor is moisture damage. Fiberglass insulation is especially absorbent, so it will suck up any humidity or moisture that’s present in the crawl space.
Did you know that the ground takes in water during rain and evaporates back up into the atmosphere? This is referred to as the stack effect. The stack effect is the movement of warm, dry air rising and exiting your home through the upper levels while cool, wet air finds its way into the lower levels in order for the home to equalize.
If you have falling or moist insulation, your insulation is not doing its job. Insulation often begins to fall when it absorbs moisture and becomes too heavy. Once your insulation retains moisture, it loses its retention value, rendering itself useless.
Negative Effects
Wet, sagging insulation is a serious issue. The wet material creates conditions that are suitable for mold to form on the wood framing of your home and elsewhere in the basement and/or crawl space, in addition to producing a soggy mess.
Mold can lead to wood rot and even endanger your health with a wide range of allergic reactions and respiratory problems. To summarize, wet insulation and the stack effect create:
- Mold Growth
- Musty Odors
- High Humidity
- Poor Indoor Air Quality
- Pest Infestations
- Damage to the Property
How to Resolve
On the Jersey Shore, it is imperative to have an insulation installation in your crawl space to properly limit energy spending throughout the year. Insulation helps to close your building envelope, keeping cool air in in the summer, and warm air in in the winter.
Before insulating, we perform an evaluation of your crawl space to identify any issues related to indoor air quality. Replacing old insulation helps reduce the flow of harmful air particles into your home—but that’s only half the battle. We make sure the insulation is not covering up any existing problems with the wood structure such as damp rot, mold, mildew, or fungus.
Our inspections include moisture testing to determine if there are any issues that can lead to mold or mildew growth as well to help protect your family and your investment. If there is sagging insulation in your home, Jersey Shore Crawlspace Enhancement can help!