Insulation removal in Castle Rock CO - a clean attic ready for new insulation
Old attic insulation that's flattened, dirty or full of droppings comes out by vacuum hose, with the mess kept out of your living space.
Does my old attic insulation need to come out?
Insulation removal in Castle Rock clears the old insulation out of your attic, so whatever goes in next sits on clean framing and not on top of an old problem. On most jobs a hose runs from a truck-mounted vacuum up through the attic hatch, and the old material is collected in bags back at the truck.
Most people call because the insulation up there is flattened, dirty, stained from an old roof leak or full of mouse droppings, or because they just bought the house and have no idea what's above the ceiling. The price moves with how big the attic is, how deep the old layer runs, what shape it's in and how easy the hatch and the space are to work in. The schedule turns on those same things, plus whether the insulation turns out to be vermiculite, which goes to a separate company. I'll give you your own number when I come out to look, and if the attic needs new attic insulation afterward, I can price that on the same visit.
How we handle insulation removal
Before anything comes out, I look at the old insulation from the hatch with a flashlight and don't stir it up, because the first thing to know is what it is. If it looks like vermiculite, we leave it right where it is and point you to a separate asbestos abatement company, for the reasons covered in the questions below. Otherwise our installers run the vacuum hose through the hatch, work the old material out from the far edges back toward the opening, and keep the dust and mess out of your living space. Once it's out you're looking at bare framing, and that's the one time the gaps around can lights, pipes and the hatch are easy to see.
That cleared attic is where the next job starts. I'll usually recommend air sealing, closing those gaps before new insulation goes in, because insulation laid over a draft just fights it. Sealing and then topping up with blown-in insulation, the loose kind we blow through a hose, usually beats foam on cost, unless your ductwork runs through the attic, where foam's higher price earns its keep by sealing and insulating at once. If the insulation under the house has fallen down or gotten wet too, we can pull that out the same way and redo the crawl space insulation. And if certain rooms stay cold no matter what's overhead, wall insulation is often the missing piece.
Why Castle Rock homeowners call Reliable Castle Rock Insulation Services to clear their attic
I write your estimate myself
I come out, look at the insulation from the hatch and write the estimate on site, and our own installers do the removal. You talk to the person who actually saw your attic, and the crew that shows up works the way I described to you.
Commercial habits, brought home in 2017
I spent my first years with a big commercial insulation company before starting this business in 2017, and the habit I kept is doing things in the right order. Pulling old insulation out is often step one, because new material laid over a problem just hides it.
Permits checked for your address
We're based in Castle Rock and work in the cities around it, from Monument up through Parker, Highlands Ranch and Centennial, so before we start we check which city or county office covers your address, and when a permit is needed we apply for it and set up the inspections. Inside Castle Rock that office is the Town of Castle Rock, and its Building Counter answers permit questions at 720-733-3527 if you'd like to ask yourself.
Licensed and insured for this work
We're licensed and insured. Before a contractor applies for a permit, the city requires current registration with it, a license from a place that uses a building code exam, liability insurance and workers' comp where it applies, so it's fair to ask any crew you're comparing about each one.
What matters most on this job is knowing what's up there before anyone stirs it up. Call (720) 408-0974 or send us a request with your attic's rough square footage and a photo of the insulation taken from the hatch without touching it.
Get your old insulation looked at before it comes out
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. I'll look at the insulation without disturbing it and write you a free estimate on site, with no obligation to go ahead.
What insulation removal looks like
Questions before you book insulation removal
How do I tell if the insulation in my attic is vermiculite?
Vermiculite is a pebble-like insulation that was poured in, usually gray-brown or silver-gold, and EPA's vermiculite guidance says to look at it without disturbing it. Shine a light from the hatch and take a photo instead of reaching in or walking across it. If it looks like vermiculite, leave it be and read the answer below on who should remove it.
How much does insulation removal cost in Castle Rock?
Removing dry, non-asbestos insulation in good condition usually runs about $1.50 to $3 per square foot in the Denver area, which is the closest figure we have for Castle Rock. Because it's priced by the square foot, the size of your attic does most of the work in setting your number. I'll give you your own figure once I've seen the attic.
How long does attic insulation removal take?
One Denver-area insulation company says a typical 1,200 square foot attic of loose insulation takes 4 to 8 hours to clear. That's a fair window to plan your day around, and I'll tell you at the estimate whether yours looks like a shorter or longer job.
Who should remove vermiculite insulation in Castle Rock?
EPA recommends leaving vermiculite undisturbed, since stirring it up could release asbestos fibers you might breathe in, and owners who still want it out hire a trained, accredited asbestos abatement contractor that's separate from whoever looked at the insulation. In Colorado that contractor applies to the state health department for the abatement permit, and when the work is done an independent air monitoring specialist checks the area by eye and with air tests. EPA guidance also keeps family members and pets out of the work area until the job is finished.
Do I have to remove old insulation before adding new insulation?
Not always. One Denver-area insulation company says new insulation can go over old material that's sound, clean, installed after 2000 and not in the way of air sealing the attic needs. The contractor looking at the attic makes that call, so I'll tell you at the estimate whether yours should come out and show you why.
What should I do about mouse droppings in my attic insulation?
Don't sweep or vacuum the droppings dry yourself, because one Colorado county health department advises airing the space out for at least 30 minutes and spraying droppings with 10% bleach first. If you've seen mice up there, tell me when you call and ask how we'll deal with the droppings, since that's a fair question for any crew.
Work that often comes after removal
- Crawl space insulation
If the insulation under your floors is sagging or wet and the floors feel cold, the crawl space is often the next place worth clearing and redoing.
- Wall insulation
When a room stays drafty or hot upstairs even with a clean, sealed attic overhead, the walls are usually where the heat is getting through.