Good question—honestly, fiberglass insulation can be sneaky. It absorbs water slowly, so you might not notice until you've got a real mess on your hands. Spray foam's better at showing leaks early, but it has its own headaches if repairs are needed later...
Yeah, fiberglass insulation can definitely make leak detection tricky. Ever had a situation where you thought you'd fixed a leak, only to find out weeks later it was still damp underneath? Happened to me once—turned out the insulation was holding moisture way longer than I'd expected. Spray foam does help spot leaks quicker, but like you said, it's a pain if you ever need to open things up again. Have you tried using a moisture meter to pinpoint fresh leaks versus old ones? Might save you some headaches down the line...
"Spray foam does help spot leaks quicker, but like you said, it's a pain if you ever need to open things up again."
True, spray foam can be a hassle when reopening walls, but honestly, I've found it less problematic than fiberglass in the long run. Fiberglass insulation tends to wick moisture and hold onto it, making it tough to distinguish between old and new leaks—even with a moisture meter. I've had situations where the meter readings were ambiguous because the insulation was still damp from a leak I'd fixed weeks earlier.
One alternative I've had success with is mineral wool insulation. It doesn't absorb moisture as readily as fiberglass, and it's easier to remove and replace sections if you suspect a leak. Plus, it dries out faster, so you're less likely to get false positives on your moisture meter. It's not perfect—nothing is—but it strikes a decent balance between ease of maintenance and leak detection accuracy. Might be worth considering if you're frequently dealing with tricky leaks...
True, spray foam can be a hassle when reopening walls, but honestly, I've found it less problematic than fiberglass in the long run.
I've had similar headaches with fiberglass. Had one job where the moisture meter kept giving me weird readings, drove me nuts until I swapped it out for mineral wool. Like you said, nothing's perfect, but mineral wool's saved me some frustration for sure.
I've been thinking about mineral wool myself, but the price difference always makes me hesitate. Fiberglass is definitely a pain sometimes—had a similar moisture meter issue last year, thought I was losing my mind until I realized it was just condensation trapped in there. Does mineral wool really justify the extra cost in your experience, or is it more of a convenience thing? I'm all for fewer headaches, but budget's tight these days...
