Compression (eg. how flat your insulation has become) - if your insulation becomes compressed it's easier for heat/cold to transfer through the insulation into your home.

Rodents/Bugs - rodents and bugs love living in old insulation and can cause the following:

1. Damage to your insulation.

2. Damage to your electrical wiring (mice/rats love to eat cables).

3. Rodent faeces can leave a bad smell, plus potentially damage your ceiling.

The Wrong Rating - In older homes (usually built before 1990) the insulation fitted was of an R2 value. The Australian standard for Perth homes is now a value of R4. This has increased due to energy efficiency and climate change.

At Complete Comfort, the most common call-out jobs that we attend are requests to have blow-in insulation removed. This is due to a number of reasons: Fire hazards Cellulose insulation is made from newspaper and while it has a fire retardent in it, this is only guaranted for 12 months from the installation date. This means that things like downlights and bad wiring could contribute to your cellulose insulation catching on fire.

Compression issues Cellulose insulation needs to be fluffy to allow the air inside it to trap the heat/cold. Over time, it can start to become ineffective due to the compression that naturally occurs.

Bugs/rodents

Bugs and rodents love making their homein your cellulose insulation. This has the potential to lead to issues such as infestation, and waste matter in the roof of your family home.

The answer to this question really depends on the state and condition of your existing insulation.

For example, if the roof space is clean and free from things like rodents, bugs and debris then it may be possible to have your existing insulation topped up to acheive a better R-value for your home, and save you from needing to have it all replaced.

At Complete Comfort we work with many types of insulation, however we like to endorse Earthwool as our go-to product. Earthwool has no formaldehyde in its binders, is a non-itch product, absorbs sound, has a clean air rating and is a hardier product in terms of compression.

The insulating material resistance to conductive heat flow is measured or rated in terms of its thermal resistance - or R-value. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness. The R-value depends on the type of insulation, and both its thickness and density. The R-value of some insulation types can also depends on temperature, aging, and moisture accumulation.

Contact us on 0409 372 756, fill out our contact form here, say g'day via our online chat or send us an email at info@complete-comfort.com.au and we'll reply promptly with an answer for you!