Can Insulation Be Reused?

If you're looking for an insulation upgrade, you may have read that your existing insulation must be replaced. This can be frustrating to hear. After all, the insulation that's already in your home cost you money to have installed. Is it possible to use that insulation again somewhere?

South Central Services installs batt, blown-in, and spray foam insulation. We have clear policies about reusing insulation for product safety, which we'll outline in this article.

By the end, you'll know if your insulation is eligible to be reused based on the type of insulation.

Spray Foam Insulation Cannot Be Reused.

Spray foam insulation cannot be reused due to its design. Spray foam is one of the only insulations not sold in stores in its final form. This type of insulation must be created through a chemical reaction on-site.

Once the chemical reaction is complete, the foam product adheres in place. This adhesion is what creates spray foam's signature air-seal.

If you try to remove spray foam insulation from a cavity, you will get shreds, pieces, and chunks of foam. These pieces do not make an effective insulation. You cannot place those pieces of insulation elsewhere or recycle them into their original chemical components.

The good news is that spray foam insulation is not meant to be replaced. The only situations where spray foam would need to be removed are in cases of faulty installation.

Blown-In Insulation Should Be Removed And Disposed.

We remove and dispose of blown-in insulation for two important reasons.

1. Blown-in is often soiled with rodent droppings and insect carcasses. It is not clean.
2. We must clear the attic floor to properly install an air-seal.

There could be a situation where the blown-in insulation in an attic is clean. After it is removed, in theory, it could be reinstalled in that attic after the air-seal.

Unfortunately, any debris in that blown-in insulation can ruin a blowing mechanism. Most contractors will not take the risk of permanently damaging their equipment to save some blown-in insulation. And in most cases, the insulation wasn't clean to begin with.

As we see a trend toward proper air-sealing in construction, these practices could change in the future. For example, if we went to an attic with clean blown-in insulation and an air-seal, we would consider installing more insulation on top.

This type of attic would be incredibly rare in the current state of building practices and homes. But 20 years from now, that may be a situation we find ourselves in more often.

Fiberglass Batt Insulation Has The Potential To Be Reused.

Fiberglass batt insulation could be reused in some situations. For example, a customer with multiple garages on their property may want to reinsulate one garage with spray foam to make it more temperate. However, the existing batt insulation could perhaps be installed in a different garage to make that space slightly more comfortable.

These situations are rare, and fiberglass batt insulation is usually disposed of. We also would never install used batt insulation from one property in someone else's home.

It's Best To Invest In New Insulation.

If you plan to replace your insulation, it probably isn't working well. Moving that insulation to a different location in your home won't drastically improve its performance. For most insulations, reuse isn't even an option.

The role of insulation in a home is to provide an effective thermal barrier. Good insulation is what makes a home comfortable and affordable to live in.

The Bottom Line About Reusing Insulation

Most insulation cannot be reused. Spray foam insulation adheres in place, so it physically cannot be moved to a new location.

Blown-in insulation is often compromised with insects, rodent droppings, and other debris. The best practice is to dispose of the blown-in and replace it.

When in excellent condition, fiberglass batts can be reused in one's home. However, taking insulation from one house and reusing it in someone else's home would be unethical.

Now that you understand why insulation generally needs to be removed and replaced, your next step is to:

• Estimate the cost of an insulation upgrade using a calculator
• Discover why spray foam is considered a premium insulation
• Learn what to expect when upgrading your insulation

Disclaimer: While we strive to publish information accurate to building science, local building codes and standards supersede our recommendations.