Wet, mouldy and smoke-damaged insulation removal deals with fill spoiled by roof leaks, ice dams, a bath fan that exhausts into the attic space, or a fire. The damage is photographed for any insurance claim, the ruined material comes out, and the roof boards are left open to dry and be checked.
All of the work is fully insured. Damaged insulation rarely fixes itself, and in an attic it can stay wet for months without anyone knowing.
This work is most common after a hard winter. London sits on the edge of the Lake Huron snowbelt, with about 76 inches of snow a year and plenty of freeze and thaw. Heat escaping into the attic melts the roof snow, which then refreezes at the eaves and backs water up under the shingles.
That water drips into the insulation right where the roof is lowest and hardest to reach. A slow roof leak around a chimney or a vent does the same thing. Wet insulation holds very little heat and takes a long time to dry.
Soaked insulation in an attic can stay damp for weeks, even in summer. Cellulose packs into a heavy mat, and fibreglass holds water against the drywall, which can stain the ceiling below or make it sag. The longer it sits, the more likely the roof boards are to grow mould.
Once the leak or the ice dam has been dealt with, taking the wet insulation out lets the attic dry quickly. We leave the area open until it is dry and check it again before anything new is blown in. Early insulation removal also keeps the damage smaller and easier to document for a claim.
When a bathroom fan dumps its air into the attic rather than through the roof or a wall, the steam lands on cold roof boards. It condenses, drips back into the insulation, and black mould spots start to form on the wood. On American sites this is often called attic mold.
Taking out the wet fill is the first step, because mould cannot be dealt with while wet insulation is sitting against it. The fan duct then has to be run properly to the outside, and the roof boards can be cleaned or treated once they are dry.
Insulation catches soot and smoke odour even when the fire was in a room below. The odour returns on every hot or humid day, and paint on the ceilings will not hold it in.
We take out the fill, clean and deodorize the attic, and new insulation can go in once the smell is gone.
Adjusters want to see what was there. We photograph the attic at every stage and hand you a written scope that lists what was taken out. Sudden water and fire damage is often covered, although no contractor can tell you in advance what an insurer will decide.
After everything has dried and been cleaned, new fill goes back in through attic insulation replacement.
Phone +1 (226) 400-3320 to have the attic checked. The written price comes with a set of photos you can forward to your insurer. You can see what else we do on the home page.
Droppings, water and thin coverage often turn up in the same attic, so one visit can price several of these at once.
Attic insulation removal clears out insulation that has flattened, gone dirty or stopped holding heat. A vacuum machine parked outside pulls loose fill through a hose into large bags, and batts are rolled up and bagged by hand, leaving bare joists that are ready to be checked, sealed and filled again.
View Attic Insulation Removal
Blown-in insulation removal clears away old cellulose and fibreglass loose fill that has sunk, compacted or been spoiled by leaks or animals. A long hose draws the fill from between the joists into big bags standing outside, so nothing is carried through the house and the attic finishes empty.
View Blown-In Insulation Removal
Attic cleaning and decontamination removes droppings, nesting and soiled insulation left by mice, squirrels, raccoons and bats. The old fill is wetted or treated and taken out with respirators on and the exhaust outside, and the empty attic is then disinfected and treated for odour before anything new goes in.
View Attic Cleaning and Decontamination
Vermiculite insulation removal is a job for trained asbestos abatement workers under Ontario rules. We spot the pebbly grey-brown fill, stop work in the attic, arrange a test through a proper lab, coordinate the abatement contractor if the test is positive, and re-insulate after the air clearance.
View Vermiculite Insulation Removal
Attic insulation replacement puts the attic back together after the old fill comes out. While the joists are bare, leaks around wiring, plumbing and ceiling boxes are sealed, eave baffles are fitted, and fresh loose fill is added until it reaches R-50 or R-60, which matches Ontario's new-home standard.
View Attic Insulation Replacement
Pre-sale and home inspection insulation removal handles attic problems that surface during a house sale, such as droppings, soaked insulation or possible vermiculite. Buyers, sellers, agents and inspectors receive a quick written price, then a set of before and after pictures they can pass along.
View Pre-Sale and Home Inspection Insulation RemovalWe climb into the attic, measure it and put the price in writing. Nothing is owed for the visit, and saying no costs nothing.
Describe the attic and anything you have noticed, such as droppings, a smell, water stains or thin insulation. Your name and phone number are all the form needs. If you would rather talk it over, you can call us at +1 (226) 400-3320.
