Old insulation that's damp, flattened or full of droppings comes out first, so whatever goes in next starts in a clean attic with nothing hidden.
Insulation removal in Aliso Viejo means taking the old insulation out of your attic before new insulation goes in. That clears out damp, moldy or pest-soiled material and opens up the gaps it was covering so they can be sealed.
Most calls start with a hot room upstairs or a power bill that keeps climbing. Then someone looks through the hatch and sees insulation that's flattened, stained or full of droppings. Putting new material over that leaves the problem in place, so the old layer comes out first and the bare attic shows us what was going on underneath. We're based in Aliso Viejo and work in cities across Orange County, including the ones on our city pages and plenty more nearby.
The price and the schedule depend on how big the attic is and on what's up there, how much of it there is and what shape it's in. Blown-in insulation, loose fill that was blown in through a hose, can usually come out with a large vacuum if it's in good condition. Batts, rolls and rigid boards have to come out by hand, which takes more labor. When I come out I write down what I find, so your estimate shows what has to happen first in your attic.
I won't give you a price over the phone, because the price depends on what's in your attic. Here's how it goes from the first call to a finished job.
I've run this business in Aliso Viejo since 2013, and I still climb into most attics myself. Once we've set a time, I check what kind of insulation is up there, how deep it is, and whether there's moisture, mold or droppings under it.
The estimate lists each step and anything that has to be fixed before new insulation goes in, like a leak or a gap at the hatch. It also says which parts of the old layer can stay, so you're not paying to pull out good material.
Our own crew does the work, booked within the hours Aliso Viejo allows for construction. That's 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, with no work on Sundays or federal holidays. We're licensed and fully insured. I look the attic over before we call the job finished.
First I decide what actually has to go. Not every old layer does, and I'll tell you when what's there can stay. If I spot anything that looks like vermiculite, we stop and leave it alone until it's been tested. Then our crew takes out the damaged material, cleans the attic floor and deals with whatever it was hiding. Next comes air sealing, which means closing the gaps around can lights, pipes and the hatch. New insulation goes down only after that, because insulation over an open gap just fights a draft.
Sometimes the bare attic shows that the hot room upstairs or the cold floors have more than one cause. If they do, we'll tell you, and we can add wall insulation or crawl space insulation to the same estimate. If they wouldn't help, we leave them off.
Each step comes before the next for a reason, and most of those reasons come down to not hiding a problem under new material.
We lay covers from the hatch to the door before anything comes down, because old insulation sheds dust on the way out. If the hatch is in a closet or the garage, we clear that space first.
Loose fill goes out through the vacuum hose into bags, and batts get rolled up and carried out by hand. We work all the way to the edges, because the thin spots at the eaves are where trouble usually hides.
Once the floor is bare, we sweep it and check the framing for water stains, damp wood and signs of pests. If something needs fixing, you hear about it before anything new goes in.
We close the gaps around can lights, pipes and the hatch, then put the new insulation down at an even depth all the way to the edges. We leave the eave vents clear so the attic keeps breathing and moisture doesn't collect in the framing.
Tell us the rough size of your attic, what kind of insulation is up there if you know, and any signs of moisture, mold or pests. We respond within 1 business day to set up a free estimate at your home, and there's no pressure to book. I'll look the space over in person and write down what has to happen first.
(949) 619-8040National cost guides put attic insulation removal at about $1,600 to $3,600 per job across the US. That's a national range for attic removal, not our price. Where your job falls depends on the attic's size and what's up there, as described above, and your estimate gives you the figure for your house.
No. Insulation damaged by moisture, mold, fire or pests should come out, but insulation in good condition can stay and have new insulation installed over it. Often only part of an attic needs clearing, so we go area by area.
Leave it alone. The EPA advises assuming vermiculite may contain asbestos and keeping it undisturbed, and says that if you choose to remove it, a trained and accredited asbestos abatement contractor should do the work. Vermiculite is a pebble-like, pour-in fill, usually gray-brown or silver-gold. In California, asbestos work on 100 square feet or more of asbestos-containing material requires a contractor with the C-22 asbestos abatement classification, or a license qualifier who has passed the asbestos certification exam.
National guides put attic insulation removal at anywhere from about 4 hours to 2 days or more. A small, simple attic sits at the short end, and a large or complicated one takes longer. Your estimate tells you what to plan around.
Here and in cities nearby, like Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo, most removal calls start the same way. The upstairs runs hot, someone finally looks in the attic, and the insulation is flattened, stained from an old roof leak or full of droppings. Every attic is its own job, so I go by what's in yours.
Asbestos is the one thing we don't touch. South Coast AQMD, the regional air district, has an asbestos rule with survey, notification and work practice requirements for renovation and demolition. That's another reason suspect material stays put until it's tested and then goes to a contractor set up for that work.
A look in person shows what's worth removing before you spend anything on new insulation, so call (949) 619-8040 or use the form.
If you're not sure whether your old insulation can stay, send us a message and we'll talk it through.
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