Why do you want to consider Attic Insulation Removal

Leading Attic Insulation Service Orange County

If you are anything like most of our customers, you probably can’t recall when the attic insulation was installed. We don’t blame you, half the homes are over a century old, and you may have just purchased yours. Also, there aren’t as many old homes being replaced by new ones, which is creating a whole different type of problem in the state.

    If you can’t recall when your attic insulation was last installed, you might want to remove it. There is a limit to how much your insulation can be supplemented, but if it’s been stuck up there for longer than you know, it may be damaged, even if it does not show signs of it. Not to mention, it may have become a breeding ground for infestations, water damage, and mold, amongst other issues.

    As attic insulation professionals, we’ve gotten our hands, feet and faces dirty trying to remove insulation older than the homeowner cares to remember. Yes, it becomes one of the dirtiest places in your home, which, if you don’t watch out for it, can be the leading cause of everything from allergies to rats taking a dump above your head.

    While it is possible to remove attic insulation all on your own, after all, it just needs to be torn out after; there are numerous risks to your health and that of your family. Only a team of skilled professionals with special clothing, who have proven to be impervious to dirt, should handle it.

Identifying the Attic Insulation 

If you don’t know when the existing insulation was installed or how old it may be, you also probably don’t understand what types of attic insulation was used. However, a quick inspection will reveal what we’re dealing with. Plus, the inspection will reveal if the insulation needs to be removed or if it can be reinforced. Click here to book a free attic work estimate&inspection at home.

    Before we can remove the insulation from your attic, we need to figure out what base material was used and its format. The more common types of attic insulation include:

Batt and Roll – These are often grey, yellow or pink in color. Batting is also referred to as a blanket because it looks like a blanket but is not something you want to cuddle up to in the winter. The flexible, quality Owens Corning  R-38 batt inso is our NO 1 choice for homeowners in Orange County, CA! Please click here to know more about what types of insulation you should use for your attic.

Blown-in – If we notice that the insulation is lumpy and loose, it is probably a blown-in or a loose fill. These are usually made from cellulose or mineral wool.

Spray foam – You should be able to find hand-held spray foam, which is mainly meant to fill small leaks. But this has been used as insulation for now, several years. While it has a ridged yellow surface color, this insulation does not last as long.

Combo platter – While this may sound mouth-watering, and we don’t blame you for it, it is not meant to be eaten. The so-called platter is composed of several layers. This means digging a little deeper to determine its true identity.

If you live in a century-old home and your inspection does not reveal any of the above, you’re probably dealing with one made from asbestos. Professionals should remove these immediately as they are hazardous to handle without special equipment.

#1 Attic Inspection

After we’ve determined the type of attic insulation we are dealing with, the next step is to determine if it is damaged beyond removal and hence merits removal. We are usually looking for signs of:

• Mold and water damage
• Pest infestation
• Tears, punctures and signs of aging
• Foreign objects like nails or wood chips may have infiltrated it
• Asbestos or other chemical-based insulation

#2 Create an Attic Insualtion Removal Plan

We can’t just go in there and start tearing the insulation apart by hand. Speaking of hands, it can also be done using a machine, which will factor into the cost and the hours it takes to complete the job.

Removal using a machine will require using a high-powered, commercial grade vacuum that can be stuck into the attic to suck up all the insulation. This has proven to be the most efficient method for us and is used when we need to:

• Remove blown-in insulation
• There are no other hazards like animal waste, mold or chemicals present
• The space is accessible for our worker

However, we’d have to get our hands dirty if:

• We are dealing with roll or batt insulation
• Blown-in insulation with construction detritus and other materials mixed in
• Foam insulation
• Attic areas that have too little space and way too many obstructions
• Potential hazards that can be stirred up by vacuuming

Common Q:

How long does it take to remove attic insulation?

It depends on the size of the attic and what exactly we end up dealing with. If blown-in removal is across 1500 square feet, you’re looking at 4-6 hours. However, if it requires hand removal, this will take longer.

Other factors that may affect the time it takes include:

• The number of obstructions like debris, ducts, pillars and pipes
• If there are any hazards in the attic
• The volume of the insulation that need to be pulled off
• The type of insulation we are dealing with in the attic 

The Attic Doctors have the best pros in the field and we have streamlined our attic cleaning and insualtion installation process so that we don’t waste more of homeowners’ precious time. Don’t you think it’s such a dread when you have a home improvement project that lingers days? We got you covered! Most of our attic projects were completed within 1 day! We’re super efficient!