Attic insulation removal takes every layer of old batts and loose fill down to the bare joists. A trailer vacuum in the driveway pulls the loose material out through a long hose, batts are bagged by hand, and the attic floor is swept clean before any new insulation is added.
Each job opens with an inspection. We measure the depth, check what the fill is made of, and look for droppings, water stains, vermiculite and old wiring. Then the written quote records how many square feet and how many inches are coming out. The work is fully insured from start to finish.
The vacuum machine never comes inside. It stays parked on its trailer in the driveway with large collection bags hooked on, and its hose is fed in to the hatch. Indoors, we cover the floor along the path the hose takes and wrap the hatch opening in plastic.
Loose fill is pulled up the hose and lands in the bags outside. Batts are pulled out by hand, bagged in the attic and carried out sealed. When the attic floor is bare, we vacuum the last of the dust from between the joists and photograph the result.
Batt insulation removal is slower than vacuuming loose fill, because each piece is lifted, folded and bagged in the attic. Old batts in St. Thomas attics are often brittle and grey with dust on top, so they are handled gently to keep the fibres out of the air. Where loose fill has been blown over batts, the loose layer is vacuumed first and the batts come up after.
The full bags go to a landfill that accepts them. Nothing is left at the curb.
Insulation removal is priced by the square foot, from about $1.50 to $3.50 across southwestern Ontario. Most quotes land at $1.50 to $2.50. An uncontaminated attic of about 1,000 square feet typically totals $1,500 to $3,000. Fill that is soiled, mouldy or soaked runs $2.50 or more per square foot, often $2,000 to $3,500 for the same space.
Doing the removal and the re-insulation together typically comes to $3.50 to $7.00 a square foot. Attic size, fill depth, the type of material, a tight hatch or low headroom, and the amount of cleaning all push the number up or down. These are market ranges, and the figure on our written quote is the one that counts.
Most attics are cleared in one day, usually in four to eight hours. Add air sealing and new insulation, and plan on a second day. Deep fill, a small hatch or a very low roof can stretch the schedule, and we flag that in writing before the job.
For a standard job, you can stay home. The house stays usable apart from the hallway or closet under the hatch.
Taking everything out is not always the right answer. If the old insulation is dry, clean and still fluffy, a top-up costs less and works well. It should come out if it is wet, mouldy, smoky, compressed or full of droppings, or if the attic needs air sealing underneath.
Brick houses near Talbot Street often have several layers of different fill, and a top-up over that mix rarely performs well. A newer home in Harvest Run or Orchard Park may only need more depth. When the attic is empty, attic insulation replacement is the next step.
Phone us or fill in the form with the address. We will book a visit to measure the fill, and you will get a written price without paying for the visit. The home page lists everything else we do.
These are the other attic jobs we quote in St. Thomas and across Elgin County.
Blown-in insulation removal clears settled cellulose and loose fibreglass out of an attic through a wide vacuum hose. The fill rides the hose down to collection bags parked beside the driveway, which keeps it off the stairs, the carpets and the furniture in the rooms under the attic.
View Blown-In Insulation Removal
Attic cleaning begins by stripping out insulation that mice, raccoons, squirrels or bats have fouled with droppings and urine. The soiled fill is dampened, bagged and hauled off, and then the joists and roof boards are sanitized and deodorized so clean insulation has a fresh surface to sit on.
View Attic Cleaning and Decontamination
Wet, mouldy and smoke-damaged insulation removal is for attics hurt by a roof leak, an ice dam, a bath fan exhausting into the attic, or a house fire. The ruined fill comes out, the wood underneath is checked, and each stage is photographed for the insurance file.
View Wet, Mouldy and Smoke-Damaged Insulation Removal
Vermiculite in an attic is left alone until a lab result comes back, because this fill may contain asbestos. We halt the job and have a sample analyzed. When asbestos is confirmed, we coordinate a trained asbestos abatement contractor to take it out, and we re-insulate after the air clearance.
View Vermiculite Insulation Removal
Attic insulation replacement follows the removal while the attic floor is still bare. Gaps around wires and pipes get sealed, baffles hold the soffit vents open, and fresh loose fill is blown in to R-50 or R-60, the depth Ontario's code packages set for new homes.
View Attic Insulation Replacement
Pre-sale attic work clears up whatever a home inspection finds overhead, from droppings to soaked fill to something that might be vermiculite. Buyers, sellers and realtors receive a written quote, and before and after photos of the finished attic are theirs to pass along.
View Pre-Sale and Home Inspection Insulation RemovalSend a few details about the attic, and we will book a free visit and write up the quote.
Fill in the form with your address and a short note about the attic. Photos of the hatch or the problem area help if you have them. We read every request and reply with a time for the visit. You are also welcome to call us at +1 (226) 400-3338.
