As the summer time is quickly approaching, you’re probably already thinking about all of the pests and bugs that the warm, humid air brings with it. And nothing is worse than seeing bugs or pests invading your home! Well, we all know that insulation helps to keep our homes comfortable and energy efficient by keeping our inside air in and the outside air out, but did you know that your home’s insulation could also act as a safeguard against bugs? Keep reading to find out how!
What Damage Can Pests and Bugs Do To My Home?
Before we know whether insulation can help to keep pests and bugs out, it’s important to understand why preventing these pests and bug infestations is important in the first place. Listed below are a few of the biggest negative impacts that pests can have on your home:
- Structural Home Damage: Pests can burrow or chew through the wood in a home, often causing structural damage to the property over time. This can lead to certain parts of the house to suddenly give way, which can be extremely expensive to repair.
- Electrical Damage: Pests are also known for chewing through a home’s electrical wires. This is not only inconvenient for the homeowner, but it also presents a fire risk.
- Disease Spreading: Pests and bugs can carry a plethora of diseases. Being stung, bitten, or even just being exposed to the air in a pest-infested area can put you at risk for contracting a disease.
What Type of Insulation is Best for Preventing Pest Infestations?
If you have experienced a pest infestation in an insulated part of your home, you should immediately have the insulation removed and replaced. This ensures that your home’s rid of any eggs, allergens, waste, or disease left behind in the contaminated insulation material.
There are two main ways in which insulation can help to reduce or eliminate pests and bugs from entering your home: blocking and sealing and humidity control. The blocking and sealing process creates a physical barrier that helps to defend your home from pests and bugs. Additionally, insulation can help to reduce or eliminate pests in your home by controlling the humidity level inside. Because the majority of pests thrive in damp, humid environments, humidity control is incredibly important in a home. Attic and wall insulation both help to provide a physical barrier against insects and small rodents.
While spray foam insulation will not help resolve any current infestations, it is great for preventing pest infestations because it can completely fill wall cavities between studs, which seals off those areas from small pests and other bugs. Unlike other insulations, closed-cell spray foam insulation hardens into a barrier that most insects and pests are unable to break through or damage. In addition, spray foam is made from a synthetic material, meaning that it will not attract hungry pests.
At Reeves Insulation we know that insulating your home is a big investment and we want to do what we can to make your home more energy efficient! If you would like to know more information on adding insulation to your home or to schedule services, call or contact our office today!
