Posted by Roofco May 7, 2019
Roofs are designed to keep rainwater and moisture from penetrating into the house. To enhance proper functioning, qualified roofing contractors incorporate insulation to the roofing structure of your home. Roofing professionals install roofs in such a way that the insulation has absolutely no contact with moisture. However, a burst in a water pipe, an improperly welded seam or a puncture on your roofing system could lead to the insulation getting wet. Fixing the source of the leak is unfortunately not enough. Once insulation is wet, it needs to be completely removed. Otherwise, it could lead to certain ramifications. Left unaddressed, the issue will easily become catastrophic.
Wet insulation poses risk to the attic and ceiling. The two are usually the first casualties as they are part and parcel of the roofing structure. Early signs of wet insulation include darkening of the paint along the attic or ceiling which also leads to expansion of the ceiling plaster. In advanced cases, wet insulation could eventually lead to rot, which in turn damages home appliances such as fans and lights that are mounted on the ceiling.
Additionally, wet insulation creates a conducive environment for the growth of mold and mildew. As it is, mold notoriously spreads fast and could find its way across the entire structure of your house and further into your furniture, carpet, and clothes. Signs of mold and mildew are dark green, almost black spotting along the walls and ceiling of your home. Black mold is a health hazard in itself. It causes various respiratory issues such as nasal congestion, inflammations, asthma, and rhinitis. The invasive nature of mold makes remediation quite complicated and if not addressed promptly, the structural integrity of your house stands compromised.
Aside from mold growth, wet insulation increases moisture content in the house. Wooden surfaces may rot and wither away at a faster rate than concrete surfaces. In adverse cases, the rot could lead to the complete collapse of the structure of the house. Moisture intrusion in the insulation compromises the warranty of having a new roof installed. As a homeowner, you may find yourself leaning more towards retrofitting a new roofing system in order to minimize the cost of an entirely new roof. However, the moisture present in the existing roof can get into the new roof and compromise its stability.
The thermal residence capabilities in insulation are responsible for maintaining room temperatures. When it gets wet, it loses up to about 40% of its thermal residence. In ripple effect, your home HVAC system will have to work overtime to maintain warm temperatures in your home during winter and cool temperatures during summer, which in turn leads to high electricity bills.
It’s clear that the repercussions of wet insulation are dire. In most cases, wet insulation is only discovered after signs of paint discoloration and wood rot. Since prevention is always better, infrared roof surveys at least twice annually will help identify any wet insulation before it causes wreck to the house. Also, because wet insulation also has a lot to do the initial roof installation, having your roof installed by competent roofing professionals will save you a whole lot of roofing problems. Well-trained roofing professionals have the technical know-how of designing a roofing structure that is more resistant to moisture.