Have you ever felt that your home is not retaining warm air? Do you feel that cool air quickly escapes your rooms? Both these could be signs of ineffective attic insulation. Old attic insulation can spread hazardous substances like mold in your home. You must replace your insulation if it is getting old. Read on for tips on removing old attic insulation:
Types of Insulation
There are two primary types of insulation. They are:
Cellulose Insulation
Cellulose insulation is an old method of home insulation. It can be applied as blown-in or loose-fill insulation. The tiny particles create an insulation material that sticks to almost all surfaces without disturbing their finish or structure. Typically, cellulose insulation consists of mostly 80% recycled newspaper and 20% aluminum sulfate or borax. Most of the time, you should be able to remove the cellulose insulation by yourself. But suppose you suspect mold growth or asbestos. In that case, it is best to contact professionals like Stellrr Insulation & Spray Foam, specializing in attic insulation removal and spray foam insulation installation, to help you. They have years of experience with attic insulation removal and installation. They will visit your home for a diagnostic consult and make recommendations based on your insulations’ condition.
They might not be aware of the significance of insulation removal in their homes, particularly during the coldest and hottest months of the year.
Fiberglass Insulation
Fiberglass insulation is found in most homes and is composed of marvelous glass fibers. It is frequently used in two forms of insulation: loose-fill and batts and rolls. Additionally, it is present in duct insulation and stiff boards. Fiberglass insulation is an excellent choice for homes since it helps limit the transmission of cold and heat in commercial and residential construction. Insulation is found in most homes that have fabulous glass fibers. It is commonly used in two types which are loose-fill and batts and rolls insulation. It is also found in ducts and insulation, and rigid boards. Fiberglass insulation helps slow the spread of cold and heat in commercial and residential projects and is a good option for homeowners.
Removing Attic Insulation
Read on to learn how to remove both Cellulose and Fiberglass insulation.
Cellulose Insulation
Begin by keeping all the equipment in the garage. Clear out the space between the front door and attic entrance. Ensure everything in the way is covered correctly.
Place a ladder in the attic. Get the commercial vacuum ready and extend its hose from your house to the attic. Place the dustpan, rake, and HEPA filtered shop vac in the attic.
Ensure you wear suitable protective gear and take someone’s help to check the vacuum once it is on. Once on, begin vacuuming the cellulose insulation. Put it into waste bags using the rake and dustpan.
You can use the Shop-vac to clean any remaining insulation. Rinse and repeat the process in every part of the attic till it is free of any old insulation. Ensure you take regular breaks from the process every 15-20 minutes to regulate your body temperature.
Once done, you can throw the garbage bags into a dumpster. Remove all the equipment out of your attic and house. Cautiously remove your wall and floor coverings, and protective gear, away from family and furniture.
Fiberglass Insulation
The process of removing fiberglass insulation is almost similar to cellulose insulation. However, you won’t need dustbins and rakes to collect the insulation material when removing fiberglass insulation.
You can roll up the insulation material and put it in waste bags. Once done, you can use the shop-vac and commercial vacuum to clean up the floor. However, you still have to be careful when removing this as fiberglass can get on your skin and can be hard to remove. You can check out this guide on How to Get Fiberglass Out of Skin if this happens to you.
Precautions to Take While Removing Insulation
Attic insulation removal is not easy. All attics may not have enough space for multiple people to walk around for long periods. Ensure you keep your eyes on the floor and only step on the floor joists. Be careful not to step on the drywall. If you put too much pressure on the drywall, your foot or entire body may go through it. Wear protective gear on your head as your roof can have nails protruding from the attic. Ensure you protect your eyes from the dust and dirt of the attic.
Discarding Attic Insulation
Once you have removed the insulation, you can put it in garbage bags for disposal. However, you cannot leave the bags on the side of the road for your garbage trucks to pick them up unless you have made prior arrangements. In most cases, you will have to contact your local waste management authority to see if they accept insulation materials. If they do, you can drop off the waste and pay a fee for its further processing.
Attic insulation removal is ideally left to the professionals as you risk inhaling harmful substances and getting injured. Insulation companies have experienced and knowledgeable teams who have the right equipment and protective gear that will help them conduct the insulation removal and installation safely and successfully.
