Attic insulation removal cost : how to remove attic insulation

Attic insulation is an important thing. It is responsible for the balance of keeping cold or warm air in the room. In addition, faulty or outdated attic insulation can lead not only to the fact that it will be physically unpleasant for you to be at home but also to the fact that you may have serious health problems.

Faulty attic insulation must be removed immediately. So, in this article, we will talk about attic insulation removal cost and about the attic insulation removal process in common.

What is insulation?

A lot of people have insulation in their attics, but in reality, they are not even aware of its existence and purpose. Now we will explain in simple words what it is.

To put it briefly, the attic insulation is the thing that will not allow it to be too cool or hot in your house in summer or winter.

If there is too much cool air or hot air in your home then your air conditioner needs to work over strength and this, in turn, affects the utility bills.

How does insulation removal work?

Before you start calculating the attic insulation removal cost estimate, let’s get acquainted with the process of replacing the insulation. Of course, we clearly understand that it is impossible to calculate the same estimate for each house, but we can describe the steps by which you can calculate the attic insulation cost for your home.

Preparation

Remember, we said above that a damaged home’s insulation can lead to health problems? So, this may happen because some kind of infection may begin in your insulation or mice may settle there with squirrels. How to get rid of squirrels in the attic?

Rodents and pests leave their waste products in insulation, which can be toxic to humans. In this case, before you start removing the insulation, you will first need to prepare.

Preparation will take from your budget such an amount that will depend on the initial state of insulation and how much prep work must be done.

Removal

There are many types of insulation and we will talk about them in detail later in the article. The bottom line is that each insulation type – fiberglass batt insulation, foam insulation, blown-in cellulose insulation, batt insulation, or blown-in insulation – can affect the price.

Also, there are the following reasons that can affect attic insulation cost estimates.

– How much old attic insulation is currently in place

– Levels of the contaminated insulation, mold, and moisture

– The amount of labor needed to get the job done

Replacement

Know that you can’t remove your attic insulation and just leave it as it is. Be sure to install new insulation as soon as possible. In addition, do not forget that you do not always need to change the old insulation to a new one. You can just install one more layer of insulation on top of the existing insulation.

Don’t forget about some other facts that affect the attic insulation removal costs.

– How much insulation materials you’ll use

– The R-value of the materials

– Any rodent-proofing procedures needed

– Decontamination measures

– Attic cleaning/Clearing of debris from the area

Why install insulation in your attic

A lot of people don’t even understand why they need insulation. They consider it a waste of money. But it turns out that if you once perform insulation installation by paying any amount of money for it, you can save a lot of money because without insulation you will have to spend tens of times more on paying bills for your conditioner work.

Install insulation to keep a comfortable temperature in your home.

How much does it cost to remove old attic insulation?

Outdated insulation of the attic needs to be replaced with a new one if the following factors take place.

We all know how harmful mold can be to the human body. So, mold can form inside the insulation for example, if you have a roof leak and moisture has formed inside. Then you will need to carry out a removal.

Check if there are squirrels and other rodents and pests in your attic. Yes, got you! The droppings of these rodents can be toxic and harmful to human health. Change the insulation as soon as possible with these droppings/urine.

Know that you can improve energy efficiency and overall air quality by insulation removal.

How much does it cost to remove and replace attic insulation?

Actually, we have good news for you. Be aware that it is not recommended to completely remove the insulation. You should resort to this only in the most extreme cases. These include cases where mold or animal excrement has appeared in insulation.

Square footage plays a big role in this issue. The estimated cost of removing old insulation is $1 to $2 per square foot.

You will ask about DIY insulation removal and we will answer that it is possible but in such cases when the mold or rodent infestation has appeared you will have to call the professional.

Average cost of attic insulation removal cost

– Total cost: $1,700-$2,100

– Price per foot: $1.50-$3.50

– Professional installation per hour: $70

– Professional installation per foot: $1.50-$3.50

– Electrician services (if needed): $80 an hour

– Loose-fill insulation, total cost: $1,796

– Spray-foam insulation, total cost: $2,208

– Batt insulation, total cost: $2,091

– Removal of old insulation: $1-$2 per foot

No one wants to have a house in which it is simply unpleasant to stay. We are used to the fact that a house is a space in which comfort and warmth reign. In order to achieve this, homeowners need to always provide proper maintenance to their homes on time.

Removal of old insulation and installing new insulation in the attic is an important procedure that should not be ignored in any case. It improves energy efficiency, saves money, and prevents heat loss.

Keep reading the article to learn more about all the details of this process, the cost, and other information.

How long does it take to remove attic insulation?

You can do the existing insulation removal by yourself or by hiring a professional. 4-18 hours you will need to finish all the procedures.

Remember, that attic insulation removal costs depend on some factors such as:

– insulation type

– attic condition

– old insulation condition

– how much free space

– how much debris

– how many obstacles

How much does it cost to insulate a 1500 square feet attic?

You will need from 1000 to 3000 dollars in order to insulate a 1500 square feet attic. The final cost will be affected by what type of insulation you want to apply.

How much does attic insulation cost?

We’ve already said that you can expect to pay anywhere between $1.50 and $3.50 per square foot for insulation. But have you forgotten about paying your workers? Installers usually should get about 70$ for their work, while an electrician which you will also have to hire to make sure that all the wires and other things are safe will request $85 per hour for his job.

In fact, it is very difficult to calculate the accurate estimate cost because different states have different wages, as well as each homeowner, has an individual attic. You can just prepare about 1500-3000 dollars to remove the insulation in the attic. To determine how much insulation you need for your climate, consult a local insulation contractor.

In addition, do not forget that different types of insulation can be either cheaper or more expensive, and you may also need to pay for any additional services that you may need during the work.

How to remove attic insulation

In any matter, it is important first of all to protect oneself from any dangers. Please, for the sake of protecting your own health from any hazardous materials, prepare well. To do this, you will need to purchase a good protective mask, gloves, glasses, protective suit, and helmet. Take a flashlight to see everything well.

VIDEO WILL HELP YOU:

Tools you’ll needy that you will not need any expensive or heavy equipment, but then we would be lying. Definitely, special equipment will help you save time and energy.

We would like to show you need to find out what type of insulation you have installed.

Take a commercial-grade insulation removal vacuum to remove all the material. Also, prepare a ladder, a HEPA Filtered Shop-Vac, and 50-gallon waste bags, rakes, and dustpans, floor and wall coverings along with tape to secure it.

Safety precautions

Check how strong the floor in your attic is because if you walk there not alone or do it for a long time in some places, your leg or body may fail and you will injure yourself very much. You need to make sure that the floor is reliable enough. Also, don’t forget to wear all protective gear. Check if there are any sharp obstacles sticking out. Make sure you don’t get hurt or swallow dust. If it is possible walk only on the floor joists.

Now we can figure out how to remove attic insulation.

Blown-in cellulose insulation

Removing insulation is not the cleanest and neatest process, so most likely you will need to first collect all the tools and equipment in the garage, and then remove all obstacles on the way from the front door to the attic. Also, cover the territory with some kind of protective material so as not to damage your floor and not to breed a lot of dirt.

Put a ladder so that you can easily climb into the attic, and also prepare tools that should always be at hand (commercial vacuum, HEPA filtered shop-vac, rake, and dustpan). Extend the hose from your home into the attic.

Protect yourself with special equipment, then use the equipment to get rid of the blown-in insulation material and then collect all the garbage in specially prepared bags.

After you finish the whole procedure, you can start to clean up and tidy everything up carefully.

Fiberglass batt insulation

In this case, the method of removing the insulation is the same. However, there is one difference. You won’t need to vacuum right away. First, roll up all the batts and put them in garbage bags. Only then will you have to use your vacuum cleaner to clean the floor after batt insulation was removed. Also, do not forget about all precautions and preparation.

How do types of insulation differ in cost?

Different types of insulation have different properties and differ greatly not only in quality but also in price. Let’s look into each type separately, find out their pros and cons, and talk about the price.

Batt and roll 

That is the most popular material. The reason is the main component of the material. It is fiberglass. This insulation material is easy to use so many homeowners use it for their standard attics. But the cost of the fiberglass batts may be a bit pricey.

The average cost of this type of insulation installation for homeowners in the United States is $2,091.

Blow-in or loose-fill

You are the owner of the old home? Well, it’s OK. We have a suitable option for you. Blow-in or loose-fill insulation will be ideal for old attics. It is cheaper than the previous type. Also, it may be difficult for you to use batt and roll insulation in the old house attic because there are many obstacles here.

So that is the reason why you have to choose blow-in insulation. Please, notice that this type of insulation requires a special properly trained blowing machine while installing insulation.

The final cost of installing loose-fill insulation in your attic is $1,796.

Cellulose

We suppose that this is the cheapest option, but there is a huge disadvantage and reason for the cheaper cost. The main component of this insulation is the shredded newspaper and because of this, it is very difficult to work with this material, and also it is so messy.

In addition, probably you will have to pay extra money because standard cellulose insulation may settle after some time and become less effective and you will have to use a densely-packed installation which is more expensive.

Spray Foam Insulation

That is the most expensive insulation material but it is very convenient for use in newly built houses with new construction.

The average cost for spray foam insulation installation costs $2,208.

Final words

In this article, we described in detail the process of removing insulation in your attic, talked about prices, as well as about installing insulation. We hope our article was useful for you.

Do not forget that the installation of insulation in the attic should not be ignored. It helps to save money and also makes your stay at home more comfortable.