Insulation is effective at protecting your home from many types of weather or elemental damage. However, it needs protection as well, especially from water and moisture. Whether it’s in your roofing, basement, or other areas of your home, every material is prone to fail earlier than it should if you don’t keep them safe from water. Read on to learn more.

How Does Moisture Damage Insulation?

When dry, cellulose and spray foam insulation can fill an entire space. Water causes the material to shrink or sag, leaving openings and air pockets in some areas that they’re supposed to protect. Also, although chemically treated materials are resistant to mold growth, the moisture inside them makes the wooden frames, walls, and ceilings of your home more susceptible, thanks to their proximity to the material. This could lead to both wood rot as well.

How Can You Prevent It?

Water leakage from pipes and structural cracks or holes are the most likely causes of water damage to the material. The best way to protect the material from excess moisture is to ensure that your home is in good structural condition. 

Caulk cracks in your roof, walls, ceilings, doors, and windows so that rainwater and melted snow can’t seep through. Also, ask a plumber to fix cracks, dents, or corrosion in your pipework if water is slipping out.

What Can Be Done If It Gets Wet?

Fortunately, if water finds its way into your insulation despite your best efforts, the material is often salvageable. If the moisture is limited to one small area, you may be able to remove it and then reinstall it once the material is dry. However, if the moisture is widespread or has already provoked mold growth in your home, you may need to replace it entirely.

Anytime you need assistance repairing or replacing insulation damaged by moisture, contact Advanced Seal LLC in Rossville, IN. With more than 40 years of experience installing wall, roof, basement, and attic insulation, there’s no part of your home that they can’t protect. In fact, with their skills and products, they boast the potential to reduce your energy costs by 50%. Schedule a consultation today by calling (866) 236-2648 or messaging them online.