Why should you remove ceiling insulation?

Renovations/Repairs – If you’re renovating your home or repairing the ceiling, you might need to take out the insulation to reach the structures underneath. When removing ceilings during renovations, you could end up with a lot of old and messy insulation falling down. To make things easier, it’s a good idea to get rid of the insulation before other workers come in. This helps keep your home clean and avoids hassles during the renovation process.

Pest Issues – Unwanted pests might have taken over your ceiling. Rats and mice often create comfortable nests in fiberglass batts, posing health risks due to their impolite toilet habits. Additionally, pests like carpet beetles may infiltrate the roof to consume sheeps wool insulation and even target your wardrobe contents. The small larvae can fall through small gaps in light fittings and sneak into your wardrobe, where they munch on any natural fibers they come across.

Installing New Insulation – When doing an insulation upgrade, the work could involve removing the old insulation before installing new and more effective insulation materials. This gives you a clean surface to easily install new insulation and achieve maximum results.

Electrical Safety – If your older home has loose ceiling insulation, the latest electrical standards limit the size of circuit protection devices on power circuits, which can lead to frequent tripping as they are easier to overload. To prevent the need for smaller breakers, it’s recommended to remove the loose insulation and replace it with batts which allows for the use of circuit protection devices.

Health – Over the years, the aging insulation in your ceiling can become a dust trap. With the ceiling being a dust haven, it is problematic for individuals with dust-related allergies or asthma. There is also a possibility that vermin have made the ceiling their home for a long time, further increasing health risks with their nasty habits.

Compliance – As of 1 April 2023, there is a new standard requiring ACT rental properties with no insulation or existing ceiling insulation below an R-value of R2. 0 to upgrade their insulation to a minimum R-value of R5. If you current insulation does not meet the standards you will need have it removed and replaced.