Insulation should be replaced as often as every 15 to 20 years or when it actually degrades and goes bad.
In most cases there's no need to replace insulation such as in the walls but in the attic you may need to replace the insulation when it breaks down.
Replacing the insulation in your walls will require tearing out the walls and redoing the walls which is not always necessary and can be costly.
If you can replace the insulation easily in the attic or in your floors you can do that at least.
Insulation does become less effective over time as a result of settling, moisture, pest infestation and degradation of the insulation.
Over time insulation such as fiberglass insulation and cellulose insulation can compress or settle and reduce it's ability to trap air and insulate effectively.
Exposure to moisture including from leaks or high humidity can also cause the insulation to lose it's ability to insulate properly and can lead to mildew and mold growth and pests like insects and rodents can also cause damage to insulation and create gaps and reduce the insulation's effectiveness.
If your insulation is older and is compressed or worn down or moldy then you will often need to replace it if possible.
Doubling insulation does help with improving the insulation and preventing more heat loss through the walls and attic.
If you can add additional insulation in the walls, ceilings and floors it can really help to keep the heat in and the cool air in as well during the summer and lower your energy bills and keep your home more comfortable.
You can also put 2 layers of insulation in the attic which can help keep the home warmer and prevent more heat loss through the attic.
It is worth it to remove old attic insulation if the attic insulation is damaged, infested or contaminated.
However if the insulation in the attic is not contaminated, infested or damaged then you can simply add additional insulation over the old insulation to improve the insulation of the attic.
The percentage of heat that is lost through the attic is 25 percent or sometimes more.
Warm air rises and a poorly insulated attic allows that warm hair to escape through your attic and roof and causes the home to feel cooler in some cases and causes higher heating bills.
Heat and warm air rises because the warm air or heated air becomes less buoyant and dense and causes then to rise up above cooler, denser air.
To stop heat loss through the attic you should insulate the attic by laying insulation down between the boards in the ceiling to keep the heat from escaping from the home and into the attic.
To stop heat loss through walls the walls should be properly insulated and you should seal any gaps and drafts with some weatherstripping and or caulk.
If your walls don't contain insulation it can cause a lot of heat loss out of the walls and if the walls are not properly insulated it can also lead to heat loss through the walls.
Insulation is key to keeping heat in and preventing the heat being lost through the walls and ceilings.
Insulate any walls, floors, lofts and ceilings if possible to create a good thermal barrier and keep heat in where it should be.
You can also use external solid wall insulation options to minimize the amount of heat that escapes out through the walls.
If your wall has no insulation you can also drill holes in the exterior of the wall and use a machine to pump the insulation into the walls between the studs.
Windows lose more heat than walls.
Windows and especially single pane windows are poor insulators when compared to walls which are properly insulated.
A significant portion of heat in the home or building is lost through the windows.
With a properly insulated home you'll lose more heat through windows instead of your walls.
However if your walls are not properly insulated or not insulated at all then you can also lose lots of heat through the walls as well.
In older homes they sometimes don't have any insulation in the walls, especially if the house was built 100 years ago.
You can drill holes on the exterior of the walls between the studs and force insulation through the hole into the walls with a machine.
Double pane windows or other insulated windows lose less heat than single pane windows.
Upgrading your windows can help to keep your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer and help lower your energy bills as well.
Single pane or single glazed windows lose around 10 to 20 times as much heat as the same area of a wall that is properly insulated.
Storm windows or double glazed sealed windows will reduce the heat loss by almost half.