Should old insulation be removed?
Today, the concerns of the environment are growing bigger every day in every aspect of our lives. From reusable drinking straws to electric cars and solar power for our homes. The environmental concerns have also brought our attention to the landfills and how quickly they are filling up. With many things we purchase and use today can be recycled, but what about used insulation removal?
Insulation removal and replacement has gained some great concern over the past few years as more people are buying older homes and flipping them. If you have purchased an existing older home, the Insulation removal from attic is probably a concern, and for good reason. Some insulation materials are unsafe to breath, like fiberglass, there are cautions to take with insulation removal.
Well, the answer it depends. How old is the insulation and is the existing insulation damaged or currently wet? Remember, the purpose of insulation in the attic is provide energy-efficiency and to make your home more comfortable. It is damaged or wet, then yes, you need to remove it before you install new insulation.
ENERGY STAR® suggestion that if you find damaged or wet insulation, find out why it is damaged or wet and resolve that before installing new insulation. If you just put new in without finding the source of the problem, then you’re just setting up the new insulation to be damaged or get wet too. Wet insulation will become problematic as it mildews and grows mold. This leads to rotting the rafters in your attic and then the ceiling.
Is removing insulation dangerous?
Insulation removal from walls or ceilings may seem easy, but because insulation degrades as it ages, it is more involved than it seems. Some of the insulation is fastened to the drywall, rafters, and studs, making it challenge to remove the stuff completely and safely. Reasons you want to search for “a company that offers Insulation removal near me”, are many, including the possible damage you could cause to your home if you’re not careful. Other reasons that hiring a company are:
- The Mess: Before attempting to insulation removal is messy, and the older the home and insulation, the messier it gets. Fiberglass based insulation become corroded and decays, turning into a dusty substance that even a professional has challenges to remove the material sufficiently.
- The Mold: If your home has every had a plumbing or roof leak where the attic may have been affected, the insulation is probably molded. This may not seem like a big issue until you start removing it and the toxicity of the mold begins to float into the air.
- Expertise: A insulation removal company will have the experience with insulation removal, and with their level of experience and knowledge, they can advise you of possible structural issues that should be addressed before installing new insulation.
- Efficient and Fast: Insulation removal isn’t going to go as quick as you may think. An experienced company will have the property equipment and tools to remove it correctly, safely, and thoroughly, and faster.
How do I remove loose insulation?
Hiring a professional company for insulation removal from the attic or your walls is recommended. However, nobody is unaware of budgeting and if you need or want to go the DIY route, the following steps are required to do a complete, safe, and thorough job.
Cellulose Insulation Removal Steps:
Take safety precautions and wear a mask and gloves, using only a high powered 1500 HP-plus shop vac with adequate suction power for insulation removal.
- Cover all the furniture throughout your home with plastic to keep the cellulose insulation dust off.
- Purchase large plastic trash bags, construction quality is recommended and available at home improvement stores. Each bag will need to have all the squeezed from them once full.
This process will take up to 10 hours, longer if you have more than one attic.
Fiberglass Batt Insulation Removal Steps:
Again, wear a mask, gloves, and also googles and long sleeves.
- Start at the attic corner farthest from the access point and begin folding/rolling the batts.
- As you get to the attic access, stuff the rolled insulation in a large plastic garbage bag.
Depending on the roof pitch and the number of attic you have, this insulation removal can take up to 8 hours.
Can you burn old insulation?
You can try, but it will just melt because insulation is made from shredded glass that is simply spun after being melted. Think of it as cotton candy. So, fiberglass is non-combustible, but with a really hot fire, it will melt. What will burn is the foil facing and kraft paper which are combustible, household fires are often caused or fueled by the foil and paper parts.
How do I dispose of old insulation?
Once your blown-in cellulose or fiberglass insulation removal is complete, not what? You have dozens of bags filled with insulation sitting in the driveway. Well, you can be fairly sure the sanitation department staff won’t be collecting them.
You can take them to the local waste management location, but some aren’t equipped to accept and process insulation materials. They will probably redirect you to an insulation dump site where you’ll be charged a hefty fee, could be a few hundred dollars. That is money you could have paid a professional to do your insulation removal for you. Call 817-781-8781 today for your insulation service needs in , TX.
