Attic Insulation 

Has it been nearly 20 years since you’ve upgraded your attic insulation in Toronto? It’s time to revisit it. 

It’s easy to forget about attic insulation in Toronto and elsewhere in the GTA since it’s nestled away from sight. But inadequate attic insulation in Toronto can lead to many problems around the home from declining air quality to expensive utility bills. 

Have you noticed these signs of attic insulation decline? 

• Higher Heating & Cooling Bills 
• Mold Infestations or Outbreaks
• Water Damage 
• Fluctuating Home Temperatures
• Ice Damming on Roof
• Drafty Rooms

Because attic insulation is “out-of-sight” in most homes, homeowners pay little attention to the space. But from time to time, certain signs appear that are linked to the insulation’s performance. These signs should not be ignored. 

When it comes to attic insulation in Toronto and the surrounding area, it’s important to be aware of what your home is telling you. And it’s equally important to consider professional attic insulation services to correct performance issues from attic inspections and attic mold remediation to attic insulation removal and attic insulation upgrades.

Improve your home’s energy-efficiency, enhance your indoor quality, and cut unnecessary heating and cooling costs, with help from the attic experts at EcoComfort.

Signs That Your Attic Insulation is Not Performing 

If your heating and cooling bills seem quite high, it could signify that your attic insulation isn't performing at peak. The same is true if rooms in the home are unreliably comfortable in summer or winter. In some cases, drafty areas in certain parts of the home are a sign of poor insulation performance. And quite often, large icicles on the roof signal insulation and ventilation issues. 

Is Old Attic Insulation Costing You?

Before addressing insulation removal or considering insulation upgrades, it’s a good idea to arrange for a professional attic inspection. This will identify problem areas in the attic, including damaged insulation, deteriorating materials, structural issues, and even attic ventilation. Indeed, a good attic inspection will address problems at a very early stage before bigger issues develop. Because most attics are concealed, insulation performance is often overlooked, and potential problems can ensue. A professional inspection offers an opportunity for problem-solving and allows for possible remedies to ensure that attic insulation services will perform at peak year after year.

• Energy Bills: as attic insulation in Toronto and the GTA deteriorates, homes become more drafty and climate control becomes more challenging. As a result more energy is required to heat up your home, which is reflected on utility bills. 
• Appliance Maintenance: failing attic insulation puts a strain on appliances and air conditioners which have to run longer at higher settings to achieve the desired temperature. This can cause breakdowns and maintenance issues that are costly to be fixed.
• Mold Outbreak: Mold contaminated attic insulation that isn’t removed early contaminates other areas of the home. The further a mold infestation spreads without detection and removal, the more intense and the more costly remediation will be.

Do You Need New Attic Insulation?

If you’re not sure whether your home is in need of an attic insulation upgrade, an attic inspection will assess your insulation and other factors that affect its performance. Attic Insulation in Toronto and homes in the surrounding area often decline because of a few common factors. With an attic inspection, you can identify which of these are interfering with the efficiency of your attic insulation in Toronto, and figure out your next steps accordingly. A professional attic inspection from EcoComfort assesses the current state of attic insulation in Toronto and GTA homes.

During an inspection our team of trained technicians will look for any factors contributing to a decline in insulation performance. 

• Ventilation: is there adequate opportunity for moisture and contaminated air to escape? 
• Water Damage: are there leaks, spills, or cracks allowing moisture in the attic and compromising attic insulation performance?
• Pests: have birds, rodents, and other pests nested or left droppings and bacteria that interfere with attic insulation? 
• Mold & Mildew: are there contributing factors to mold or mold outbreaks affecting air quality and health of the attic insulation? 
• Insulation: has the existing attic insulation aged or deteriorated and caused R-Value to drop? 
• Drafts: is there uneven climate control throughout the home as a result of attic insulation? 

If attic insulation in Toronto and the surrounding areas are due for an upgrade, the attic experts at EcoComfort are here to help. Following an attic inspection, we will recommend cost-effective next steps that will get your attic backup and running. We use high quality, Canadian-made materials and offer expert installation from our team of experienced professionals. 

Ventilation: 

Proper ventilation systems in your attic and throughout your home play a crucial role in protecting attic insulation in Toronto and extending its lifespan. During an attic inspection, insufficient ventilation will be highlighted by excess heat and humidity. Early detection of inadequate attic ventilation can prevent the deterioration of attic insulation in Toronto and the onset of various other problems including mold infestations, ice damming, leaks, expensive utility bills, and more. 

Water Damage:

Water damage has the potential to be detrimental to attic insulation in Toronto, but it is very difficult to detect early on before the effects become major.  More often than not, water damage in the attic is the unexpected result of an unidentified leak or storm. Since attics are virtually out of sight, the best way to identify that there is water damage is with an attic inspection. Early leak intervention can help spare damage to attic insulation in Toronto and even repair areas in the attic vulnerable to water damage before there is ever an incident. 

Pests:

Pests have a tendency of getting comfortable and nesting in attic insulation in Toronto, especially during colder months where an attic makes for a warm and comfortable home. Without an attic inspection, pests can take over the attic for an extended period of time without getting caught. The problem is that during their stay rodents, birds, and insects can destroy attic insulation, leave droppings, cause mold, and contaminate the air quality for the entire home. Raccoons and rats will often shred insulation into pieces ultimately inhibiting its functionality. 

Time: 

Attic insulation in Toronto only has a certain lifespan. Once that period is surpassed, the r-value or performance of the insulation will exponentially decline. Depending on the type of insulation, the lifespan can range from 15 to 80 years. Deteriorating attic insulation will begin to cause drafts and uneven temperatures around a home. Most of the time, homeowners will see a steady rise in their utility bills or notice more strain from furnaces. 

Attic Inspections should always be conducted by a trained and experienced professional. Attics are loaded with hazards like wires, pests, mold, asbestos, and more. With an attic expert on your team you can assess your attic insulation safely and improve the energy-efficiency of your home.

Cost of New Attic Insulation Around Toronto

If you’re worried about upgrading attic insulation in Toronto, consider the cost of retaining old and deteriorating insulation. Homeowners pay the unnecessary cost of higher heating bills in the winter and cooling bills in the summer, when attic insulation begins to perform poorly. If an attic inspection determines that your attic insulation needs to be replaced, installing new insulation is a cost-effective investment resulting in significant monthly savings. At EcoComfort, we deliver high quality services and affordable pricing to give homeowners throughout the city access to energy efficient homes. 

The cost of installing new attic insulation in Toronto depends on a number of factors: 

• Type of Insulation 
• Installation Technique 
• Size of Attic 
• Number of services 
• Tools & Equipments 

For a free estimate, contact the attic experts at EcoComfort directly. 

The Important Role of Attic Insulation in The Home 

Attic insulation makes a huge impact on the entire home. Understandably, high-quality insulation provides optimal indoor comfort from season to season around the year. As for energy efficiency, homeowners who upgrade their attic insulation in Toronto and the surrounding cities experience significant heating and cooling savings throughout the year. In fact, the cost of upgrades is offset by the energy savings.

What Happens When Attic Insulation is Overlooked?

It's no wonder that attic insulation is often overlooked – we simply don't see the space in front of us, so it's all out of mind. We take the benefits of insulation for granted until something attracts our attention – like unpredictable indoor comfort, higher than average energy bills, or even signs of mold. That’s why an annual insulation inspection can be valuable in discovering problems.

What to Expect from Our Team 

When we install cellulose insulation, the process usually looks like this:

• We arrive and set up our equipment. A big hose is usually run up into the attic, where a technician waits for their colleague to start the insulation blower, a machine that remains parked outside in your driveway or on the lawn. Bales of cellulose insulation are fed into this machine, which fluffs them up.
• The hose sucks the fluffed up cellulose up and sprays it into the cavity or attic through an application nozzle. It works just like your garden hose does, just a lot bigger!
• Once your attic is full, our equipment is removed and the hatch can be sealed again - there’s no fussing or tinkering with the insulation once it’s installed.

Why is Blown-In Cellulose Highly Recommended? 

At EcoComfort Insulation and Contracting, we highly recommend blown-in cellulose for the attic. With a professional install, the application provides long-term performance with satisfactory R-Values. And with proper air sealing and ventilation, energy efficiency is enhanced, along with dollar savings on heating and cooling. Blown-in cellulose is fire resistant and mold resistant, both essential features in the attic and roof cavity. At EcoComfort, our in-house professionals recommend blown-in cellulose simply because the finished installation delivers long-term results. It means year-round comfort in the home and energy efficiency for a reduced carbon footprint.

Concerned about your attic insulation in the Greater Toronto Area? Optimize performance with professional attic insulation services.

Call the attic experts at EcoComfort to schedule an attic inspection today.