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.
Loose fill shows up in old and new houses alike, from the Courthouse Area to Shaw Valley, because it was easy to blow over whatever was already there. It is also the hardest attic insulation to remove neatly by hand, which is why we use a vacuum. Every job is fully insured, and the quote is free and written.
Blown-in insulation loses depth as it ages. Cellulose is made from shredded paper, and it packs down under its own weight, especially if it has ever been damp. Loose fibreglass settles less, but it gets crushed wherever someone has walked on it or stored boxes over it.
A layer that was blown in at 12 inches might measure 7 or 8 inches now, and the R-value falls with the depth. If the fill is also dusty, stained or full of mouse tunnels, a top-up is not worth the money, and taking it out is the better choice.
Cellulose that has been wet at some point also tends to clump and form a crust on top. That crust means the fill has been damp, and it is worth finding out why before new insulation goes in. A roof leak or a bathroom fan venting into the attic are the usual causes, and both are covered on the wet, mouldy and smoke-damaged insulation removal page.
The removal vacuum stays outside on a trailer. A hose about six inches across runs from the machine, through a door or window, and up to the attic hatch. In the attic, we feed the end of the hose into the fill, and the material is pulled out and carried down to the bags.
The bags fill up outside, get sealed and are taken away. Because the machine pulls air out of the attic, dust is drawn toward the hose instead of drifting down into the house. We still cover the floors and seal the hatch opening, since a little dust always escapes while the hatch is open.
The same vacuum handles both kinds of loose fill. Blown fiberglass is light and moves quickly through the hose. Cellulose is heavier and dustier, so it takes longer and fills the bags faster. If batts are mixed in with the loose fill, they are pulled out by hand and bagged on their own.
In older houses near Kettle Creek Village, we sometimes find loose fill blown right over much older material. The vacuum clears it all, as long as none of it is vermiculite. If a handful of the fill looks like pebbly, grey-brown flakes, the hose goes off and the vermiculite insulation removal process takes over.
Most loose-fill jobs in St. Thomas finish in one day, often in four to eight hours. A deep or very dusty attic takes longer. If new insulation is going in right after, the whole job usually takes one to two days.
Phone us or send the form, and we will come out to measure the fill at no cost. The written price spells out how deep the layer is and how many square feet will be cleared. You can find our other attic services from the home page.
These are the other attic jobs we quote in St. Thomas and across Elgin County.
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.
View Attic 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.
