8 Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Insulation

Adequate insulation is your best defence against the cold weather. It keeps your warm air from escaping and prevents cold air from seeping into your home. But how do you know if you should add or replace your insulation?

If you’ve ever wondering why it’s so cold in your house, you may already be suspecting that it’s time to add or replace your insulation. But there are some additional signs you can look for that would indicate it’s time for change:

• High energy bill. There is absolutely no reason why you should accept a high home heating bill! If you’re not sure if your energy bill is high, consult with your neighbours and see what they’re paying per month. Most likely, the cause of a high energy bill is poor or damaged insulation. The good news is … updated insulation can reduce your energy cost up to 50%.
• Roof ice dams. Ice dams are formed when heat escapes from the home and causes snow to melt. The water formed from this heat loss will then freeze as it flows from the roof, causing ice dams and icicles. This is a dangerous situation that can be costly – and it’s also one of the most visible signs of poor insulation and ventilation.
• Changing temperatures within your home. Does your home feel hot at one minute, and then cold shortly after? This can be a sign that your home is allowing cold or warm air to enter or escape, often through the attic or basement, and sometimes even through the walls.
• Inconsistent temperatures in different rooms. What if you’re living room is warm and cozy, but your bathroom or bedroom are freezing cold? This is a sure sign of an insulation concern.
• Wet insulation. If you’ve recently had a flood or leak, it’s imperative that you allow your insulation to dry out completely. If your insulation does not dry properly, it can lead to mould.
• Damaged or aging insulation. Insulation used in older homes may not be as effective as the insulation available today. Not to mention that many types of older insulation, such as vermiculite, is considered unsafe to use today. If your experiencing the signs of poor insulation and/or have notice damage to your current insulation, it’s time to move forward with a retrofit.
• Cold drafts, cold floors or cold walls. If your floors or walls are cold to the touch, or you notice a cold draft when all windows are doors are closed, your insulation is not preventing cold temperatures to entering your home.
• No “air barrier”. The purpose of an air barrier is to prevent the movement of interior or exterior air through the insulation system. Homes lacking an air barrier (most older homes were not designed with air barriers), or homes that have a improperly installed barrier, should investigate insulation options to prevent air leaking to and from the home.

If you experience any of the signs of poor insulation listed above, it’s time to insulate your home before the cold weather hits again.

Ready to get started? Contact us today for a free quote!

Georgian Insulation Systems is Central Ontario's premium spray foam insulation contractor. We're recommended by leading custom home builders, commercial design/builders, architects, home inspectors and our many customers. We provide Polyurethane Spray foam, Cellulose, Fibreglas, Roxull, Fireproofing, Insulation Removal, concrete slab lifting with injected polyurethane and epoxy crack filling.

Protect Your Home or Commercial Building with Grace Monokote Fireproofing

A fire is one of the most devastating and destructive disasters that can happen in your home or business. That’s why protecting a building from a fire is serious business.

Modern building codes require fireproofing in new buildings as a thermal barrier over spray foam. While spray foam has fire inhibitors blended into the material, it can still burn if other combustible materials are burning. So if spray foam is exposed to an occupied area of a building, it must be covered with a thermal barrier. This thermal barrier adds an extra line of defence to protect the building and its occupants.

Fireproofing products are used to prevent or delay the failure of steel and concrete structures exposed to fire. They insulate the structure during the event of a fire, delaying loss of the integrity of the structural membranes.

We offer Fireproofing Service using Grace Monokote® Fireproofing.

Grace Monokote® spray applied cementitious fireproofing is specified by architects and favoured by applicators to protect a building's structural steel from failure in the event of fire. Recognized worldwide for their in-place performance and superior durability, Monokote products can be found in all types of buildings including high-rise construction, manufacturing facilities, schools, hospitals, airports and sports facilities.

We will assist you in choosing the correct Fireproofing product to protect you home or commercial building. We consider the size of the building, exterior exposure, building materials and type of room.

Click here to learn more about Grace Monokote® Fireproofing or contact us today for more information.

Georgian Insulation Systems, is Central Ontario's premium spray foam insulation contractor. We're recommended by leading custom home builders, commercial design/builders, architects, home inspectors and our many customers. We provide Polyurethane Spray foam, Cellulose, Fibreglas, Roxull, Fireproofing, Insulation Removal, concrete slab lifting with injected polyurethane and epoxy crack filling. Contact Us for a Free Quote - Or Call 1-866-576-9338.

What Should You Do If You Find Vermiculite Insulation?

Summer is a peak season for renovations. Many people choose to include new insulation in their renovation plans since it goes a long way in reducing your energy consumption and can increase your home’s resale value.

But what should you do if you discover vermiculite in your attic or inside your walls?

Vermiculite insulation was used for many years as home insulation. It was installed in thousands of homes in attics and walls. For years it was believed to be a safe and harmless product. Several years ago researches discovered that some of the vermiculite contained low levels of asbestos.

What is Vermiculite Insulation?

Vermiculite was mined from the Libby Mine in Montana and from several mines in South Africa. It is the vermiculite that came from the Libby Mine that contains harmful asbestos fibers.

There are two distinct types of Vermiculite insulation. It may resemble expanded multi coloured “popcorn” or “chopped brown rice”. The smaller chopped brown rice style is typically from the Libby mine and may be contaminated with asbestos. However, the only way to be sure is to have a sample analyzed at an approved laboratory.

What Should You Do If You Discover Vermiculite?

Asbestos fibers may be disturbed during renovations, electrical projects, or entry into the attic. Air leakage from the attic into the occupied areas of the home may also allow asbestos fibers into the home. It is very difficult to completely seal all attic penetrations. Air leakage around the attic trap-door, wiring, chimneys, exhaust pipes, vent pipes and penetrations through the top plate of the wall can all allow asbestos fibers to enter the occupied area of the home.

If you find vermiculite, you should contact a professional vermiculite removal company.

How Will You Remove the Vermiculite?

We have developed a safe and efficient way to mechanically remove the vermiculite insulation.

Utilizing a truck mounted, HEPA filtered vacuum system and ministry approved abatement procedures, the vermiculite insulation is quickly and safely removed from your home. The power of the 85 hp diesel vacuum system ensures that all vermiculite material is extracted from your attic through a vacuum hose. 

Other companies manually shovel the vermiculite into garbage bags for disposal.  This can release large amounts of asbestos fibers into your home. The garbage bags are then carried through the house for placement in a dumpster, these bags may tear releasing asbestos into the occupied area of your home.

Our vacuum truck system protects you and your home.

Contact us today for a free quote or for more information on vermiculite removal.

Georgian Insulation Systems is Central Ontario's premium spray foam insulation contractor. We're recommended by leading custom home builders, commercial design/builders, architects, home inspectors and our many customers. We provide Polyurethane Spray foam, Cellulose, Fibreglas, Roxull, Fireproofing, Insulation Removal, concrete slab lifting with injected polyurethane and epoxy crack filling.

What Types Of Insulation Are There?

There are many types of insulation products and options available, all with competing claims, making it a challenge to sort the facts from the advertising. There’s also no shortage of self-proclaimed experts ready to weigh in on what they believe is the best insulation system.

While there are a large number of materials that could be used to insulate a home, the most used forms of insulation on the market today are:

Cellulose
Fiberglass
Spray Foam
Cotton / Denim


Cellulose

Cellulose insulation has been a tried and true method of insulating homes for decades. It is made from recycled newsprint and other recycled paper with one of the highest percentages of post-consumer waste content of any insulation. It is treated with recognized safe fire retardants. Numerous tests have shown that cellulose insulation is better at preventing the spread of fire in a building than other insulation products.

Its excellent sound insulating properties, its ability to provide an effective 1-hour fire rating, high R-value per inch, and industry leading environmental properties, makes cellulose insulation a perfect choice for insulating attics and sidewalls.

Cellulose insulation is blown onto attic floors or into wall and ceiling cavities, or is sprayed into open wall cavities. It is an excellent choice for adding insulation in walls of older existing homes due to the ease of installation.


Fiberglass

Fiberglass insulation is made from molten glass that is spun or blown into fibers. The recycled content of fiberglass insulation ranges from 0-40%, but that includes waste generated during manufacturing. Its most common forms are rolls and batts, which are used in wall cavities and attics and also in a loose-fill form that is blown-in.

Fiberglass is non-combustible, but it will melt in a fire, potentially allowing that fire to spread. Care should be taken when installing fiberglass to wear protective clothing and a respirator, per the manufacturer’s guidelines, to avoid direct contact with, or inhaling of, the glass fibers.


Spray Foam

Spray foam insulations are petroleum-based products and typically have little or no recycled content. They require professional installation, using special equipment to measure, mix, and spray the foam. Due to their ability to help reduce air leaks, they are often used in selected areas where the reduction of air leaks is critical, although it can be used throughout a structure. The cost to insulate using spray foam is typically significantly higher than other materials. Excess sprayed foam insulation from the job site can’t be reused, nor can it be recycled.


Bio-Based Foams

Ingredients derived from soy or castor beans are being added to some foam products in an attempt to produce a less environmentally harmful product. They also require professional installation and provide similar air leak reduction as standard spray foam insulations. According to Environmental Building News, these products contain approximately 40% bio-based ingredients and 60% petroleum derived products. It should also be noted that petroleum is used to drive the farm equipment and to produce the agri-chemicals used to grow beans.


Cotton / Denim

Another high recycled and more unusual product is recycled denim insulation. The insulation is primarily made with pre-consumer recycled cotton or denim waste collected from factories manufacturing jeans and other denim products. There are now some with programs targeting post consumer recycling of jeans and other denim products from consumers.

This product is environmentally friendly as it is made from a rapidly renewable resource. Performance is similar to other insulation batt products. It is easier to install than fiberglass since it does not contain the glass fibers. The cost to insulate cotton/denim is typically significantly higher than other materials and the product is not as readily available to consumers in many areas.

Georgian Insulation Systems is Central Ontario's premium spray foam insulation contractor. We're recommended by leading custom home builders, commercial design/builders, architects, home inspectors and our many customers. We provide Polyurethane Spray foam, Cellulose, Fibreglas, Roxull, Fireproofing, Insulation Removal, concrete slab lifting with injected polyurethane and epoxy crack filling. 

Increase Your Home’s Value with Green Insulation

Spring is a popular time for home renovations, and one of the best investments you can make in your home is new insulation. While this type of “behind the scenes” renovation may not produce the same interest as a brand new kitchen or bathroom, it can have a huge impact on your family’s comfort and dramatically reduce your home’s heating AND cooling bill.

A well-insulated home will allow you maintain your home’s temperature easier. Your energy bill will decrease since your furnace and air conditioner won’t have to work as hard – proper insulation prevents hot air from entering your home in the summer months, and also prevents the comfortable, cooled air in your home from escaping.

Replacing your insulation can also increase you home’s resale value. And if you choose “green” insulation, your home’s resale value will increase even more! Homebuyers are becoming increasingly interested in green features that have proven value. 

New insulation is already a value-added feature, but choosing an eco-friendly insulation option will increase the value of your renovation even more.

There are many environmentally friendly insulation options on the market. Our top two choices are:

Blown Cellulose

• Cellulose has the largest amount of post-consumer recycled content in the industry - up to 85% recycled newspaper. Paper is the largest component of landfills and producing Cellulose insulation diverts waste from the landfills thus saving valuable space.
• Cellulose takes less energy to make than any other insulation material. In green circles this is known as “embodied energy” which is the energy required to transport raw materials and the energy used to make the final product. Fiberglass, the most widely used insulation, has 10 times more embodied energy than cellulose.
• Making cellulose insulation from newsprint prevents the release of greenhouse gases such as methane, which is released as newspaper decomposes in landfills.

Walltite Eco Spray Foam

• Walltite Eco is made from renewable vegetable oils and recycled plastics, and blended into a high performance spray polyurethane foam.
• Monthly energy and utility savings of 40% or more can be achieved when compared to the traditional fiberglass products. The cost of insulating with spray foam insulation can often be recovered in less than 5 years, simply through energy savings alone.
• As a lower density, closed-cell foam, it takes less material to produce the performance you need. It burns less fuel during transportation because it’s transported as a liquid, then expands over 30 times its volume during application.
• Walltite Eco contains significant rates of recycled content. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is among the most common plastics used for packaging, bottles and containers. Post-consumer and post-industrial recycled material is processed to make raw material for new applications.

Both Walltite Eco and Blown Cellulose can be used in a variety of applications. Contact us today for more information or a free quote!

Georgian Insulation Systems is Central Ontario's premium spray foam insulation contractor. We're recommended by leading custom home builders, commercial design/builders, architects, home inspectors and our many customers. We provide Polyurethane Spray foam, Cellulose, Fibreglas, Roxull, Fireproofing, Insulation Removal, concrete slab lifting with injected polyurethane and epoxy crack filling.

Save Energy in the Summer with Insulation

Everyone knows that insulation is key to helping keep you and your family warm and cozy throughout the cold winter months, but not everyone knows it’s an important tool that can help keep you cool in the summer months. Spring is a great time of year to get your home ready for energy savings throughout the summer.

Improving your home’s insulation is one of the most effective ways to save energy. Focusing your attention on insulating your attic, improving ventilation in your attic, and improving insulation in your home’s walls will not only improve the temperature in your home during the hot summer months, but will also dramatically reduce your energy bill.


Here are 5 reasons why you should insulate your home this summer:

• Insulation in the walls and attic prevent outdoor heat from entering your home.
• Attic insulation creates a barrier between the sun and roof and your home. Without adequate insulation, the sun heats your attic and will allow sweltering temperatures to seep into your home.
• Insulation reduces trapped heat in your attic, allowing you to decrease your air conditioning system usage. 
• Lack of proper insulation can lead to high levels of moisture in the air, which can eventually lead mould growth.
• Decreased use of your air conditioning system not only saves you money, but also contributes to a quieter environment. Insulation can also act as a sound barrier between you and the outdoors.

Since heat naturally moves from warm to cold, the outside temperatures are drawn into the interior of your home. Without an insulated barrier between your home and the outdoors, your air conditioner will have to work harder to keep your home cool. This has a direct impact on your energy bills.

“Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and costs more money than any other system in your home -- typically making up about 48% of your utility bill.”- U.S Department of Energy

There are many insulation types that can be used to make improvements in your home’s attic and walls. Georgian Insulation has several insulation options to choose from. We have expert knowledge of different products and would be happy to go over the advantages of different materials. Contact us today for a free quote!


Georgian Insulation Systems is Central Ontario's premium spray foam insulation contractor. We're recommended by leading custom home builders, commercial design/builders, architects, home inspectors and our many customers. We provide Polyurethane Spray foam, Cellulose, Fibreglas, Roxull, Fireproofing, Insulation Removal, concrete slab lifting with injected polyurethane and epoxy crack filling. Contact Us for a Free Quote - Or Call 1-866-576-9338.

If you discover pests in your attic you may need to replace your insulation

This spring if you discover that you've had unwanted guests over the winter in your attic you may need to have your insulation removed and replaced.

In addition to insulation getting damaged from fire, water, and mould, animals such as bats, birds, racoons or rodents can cause a big problem.

Bats are common in Southern Ontario and they are commonly found residing in attics. The colony size can vary from a few to several thousand. They are known to help control the mosquito problem. In fact, everyday they consume their own weight in mosquitoes. This can lead to huge waste problems if bats choose your attic for a roost. Bats can squeeze through a roof vent or a small hole about the size of a quarter. Typically bats tend to live in colonies and often these colonies can grow to number in the thousands. Large numbers of bats if left unchecked can leave behind large mounds of faeces and urine in your attic. Hot summer temperatures can cause a distinct unpleasant smell in your home. Furthermore, bat droppings may contain parasites harmful to human health. These parasites can cause diseases such as Histoplasmosis, when workers are exposed to elevated concentrations. Personal protection and good hygiene measures should be followed whenever bat droppings are removed or disturbed. Pigeons and other birds can cause similar damage, and also may be harmful to your health. Our employees are fully trained and protected with the appropriate personal protection. 

Wildlife animals such as squirrels or raccoons may be enticed to live in an attic. It is a warm, dry and comfortable habitat. However, these animals can do a lot of damage to your home and the insulation. They tend to move the insulation around; leaving cold, bare spots that can lead to ice damage, water intrusion, mould and general discomfort in your home. Furthermore, animals leave behind urine and faeces which can also lead to foul smells and water stains on ceilings. These droppings must be treated with the utmost care. Parasites and bacteria within the waste, can lead to severe illness if inhaled or ingested.

If wildlife has been living in your attic the insulation should be removed and all electrical wiring inspected by a qualified electrician.

Georgian Insulation Systems', modern removal system and trained professionals will quickly and safely remove your old insulation. All debris is safely vacuumed from your attic, eliminating the risks associated with old fashioned manual removal methods. Other companies manually scoop the insulation into plastic garbage bags. These bags are then carried through your home they could potentially burst or tear, releasing contamination into the occupied space.

Georgian Insulation Systems, utilizes a 95 hp custom built; truck mounted vacuum system to remove all types of old or damaged insulation. The insulation is vacuumed through an eight inch hose, and then pumped into an enclosed disposal container. The container is fitted with high efficiency filters that ensure a clean safe operation. HEPA filters can be added for hazardous materials. Once removed the insulation is properly disposed of at a suitable waste recycling facility.

Give us a call to investigate any problems you have with attic insulation.  1-866-576-9338. Or visit our website and request a call-back quote.