Insulation Removal

Is your home not keeping the warm air in as it once used to? Do you think cold air is escaping your home during summers?

Well, your insulation might be aging, and it's probably losing its overall effectiveness. Apart from that, any degrading insulation exposes your home to various other hazardous gasses and substances, such as radon and mold.

Insulation doesn't last over, pretty much like anything else in your home. So if you think that its time is over, you will have to replace or remove it. It can be tedious for homeowners, but not if they follow certain procedures.

We will discuss these procedures in the following text, so scroll down to read further.

When Should You Consider Old Insulation Removal?

Here are some circumstances where you should seriously start considering old insulation removal.

● The first thing you need to keep in mind is mold. In case of recent roof leakage or AC condensation that dripped on your insulation, moisture can stay there for a long time. The insulation that you installed for the protection against moisture and mold becomes the very source of it. It can seriously affect the effectiveness of your insulation and allow mold proliferation in the home.

● If the area of your home where you have installed the insulation is infested by critters such as squirrels, rodents, and others, chances are these critters have left their droppings and urine on or near your insulation. These substances are toxic in nature and must be immediately removed. If some time has passed, you will have to remove the insulation altogether, as some toxicity is left inside it.

Removing and replacing your insulation will prevent mold and critters from infesting these areas of your home. Apart from that, it will also increase your home's overall air quality and energy efficiency. As soon as you see any signs of degradation in your insulation, you should start developing a plan for insulation removal.

How Long Does Insulation Removal Take?

The time it takes for insulation removal depends upon whether you are doing it yourself or hiring a professional. The typical insulation removal will take 4 to 18 hours, depending upon how much insulation you have removed and from what areas in your home.

For instance, if you have an attic around 1500 square feet in size and you hire a professional for the removal process, it will take around 4 to 6 hours. But if you choose to do it yourself, you might have to work for anywhere around 6 to 18 hours.

You might also have to consider the conditions of the space from where you want to remove the insulation and how much debris you must deal with, along with any obstacles in the way, such as pipes or pillars. Weather also has a significant role to play.

Insulation Removal Basics

You can always hire a professional to do it for you, but if you want to do it yourself, you must consider a few basics.

The essentials

Insulation removal is a tricky process, and it's usually the area of your house that is limited in space and has plenty of debris and obstructions lying around. So, safety is paramount, and you will have to get some protective gear.

You will need rubber-coated gloves to cover your hands from any hazardous substances. Plus, you will need a 95-rated mask for protecting your lungs from breathing in mold or dust.

You will also need reliable goggles or any other eye protection with an anti-fog coating. Moreover, you will need a pair of quality coveralls for clothing to keep your skin safe from any contamination or irritation.

You will also need a flashlight so you can see in the dark. A headlamp is preferred because your hands will always be free while removing insulation, and your workspace will always be illuminated.

Supplies and equipment

When you are done with the protective gear, it's time to gather the equipment and supplies. You won't have to purchase any heavy machinery, but it will surely cut down the time of the entire project. You need to pay attention to what type of insulation you have.

For instance, blown-in cellulose insulation is gray and brown in color, and it crumbles as soon as you pick it up. In contrast, batt fiberglass insulation has thicker and longer pieces and covers larger areas. Spray foam insulation has a foamy texture, and it usually is light depending upon the density. It is much more porous if you tear it up.

A commercial-grade vacuum for insulation removal is critical if you want to finish it up fast. This vacuum will run on a gas engine and has a vacuum hose and metal connectors, and vacuum bags.

Moreover, you will also need a ladder depending upon where the insulation is located in your house. Make sure to have HEPA filtered vacuum and 50-gal waste bags with you too.

Removing Insulation

● Blown-in cellulose insulation

You can begin by clearing out some space and covering everything on the path as much as possible. You can use floor and wall coverings using tape and secure them. Now, set up your vacuum and start vacuuming the insulation.

Use a rake to collect the insulation removed and put it into a dustpan. From there, you can place it into the dust bags. Make sure to rinse and repeat each area until you remove all insulation.

Also, make sure to take a break every 20 minutes to regulate your body temperature. When you are done, remove all the waste bags into the dumpster and get all your equipment out of the space.

● Fiberglass batt insulation

Setting up your vacuum for this type of insulation is pretty much the same as in the case of blown-in insulation. But here, you won't need any dustbins or rakes. After you are done with the floor and wall coverings, start rolling all the insulation and putting them into waste bags. In the end, you will have to clean any leftover insulation or debris from the floor using your commercial vacuum.

● Spray foam insulation

You will have to remove this insulation using a hard bristle brush or even a paint scraper. You will need to meticulously use your brush to get the job done and clear out the spray foam from all the crannies and nooks. Now, use your dustpan and brush to remove the debris from the floor and vacuum. Finally, remove the insulation and debris and apply lacquer thinner on the surfaces that were spray-foamed, and you are done.

Book Your Assessment Right Now

Outsource the job if you think it is too hectic to do it yourself. We provide the best insulation removal services in town.

So, book your assessment today and get rid of that old insulation in no time. We also provide insulation installation services with full customer satisfaction.

Reach out to us via email or telephone. We will be more than happy to serve you anywhere in Toronto.