Insulation Removal & Replacement in Indianapolis, IN

Insulation removal and replacement in Indianapolis is usually about attics and crawl spaces in houses that have been around a while. Most of the time new insulation can go right over the old. But when the old insulation is wet, moldy, full of rodent droppings, smoke damaged, or simply covering air leaks that need sealing, it has to come out first. Removing it lets us see and seal the attic floor or crawl space, then put in clean insulation to the depth the house needs.

Signs it is time

In the attic: droppings, tunnels or nests in the fill; dark streaks that show air leaking through; matted or wet insulation under a roof leak that has since been fixed; a strong odor; or insulation pulled apart by past wiring and HVAC work. In the crawl space: batts hanging down or lying on the ground, wet or moldy fiberglass, or a mix of old plastic and debris. If you are buying a home and the inspection report mentions any of these, it is worth getting a removal and replacement quote before closing.

How we remove it

For loose fill in an attic, we use a high-powered insulation vacuum with a hose run from a truck or bagging unit outside, so the material goes straight into bags and not through your living space. Batts get bagged by hand. We protect the path through the house, seal off the attic access, and clean up as we go. In crawl spaces we pull batts, old plastic and debris, bag everything and haul it away.

Vermiculite and other concerns

Some older homes have vermiculite in the attic, a gray-brown, pebbly loose fill. Some vermiculite contains asbestos. We do not disturb it. If we see it, we stop and recommend testing, and if it tests positive, removal goes to a licensed abatement contractor. HomeAdvisor lists asbestos removal at $1,190 to $3,255. Once it is cleared, we can do the air sealing and new insulation.

Sealing while the attic is empty

An empty attic floor is the easiest time to air seal. Every top plate, wire hole, plumbing stack, flue gap and light fixture is exposed. We seal them all with foam, caulk and fire-rated materials before any new insulation goes in. This is the part that makes the biggest difference in comfort, and it is much harder to do well through a foot of old fill.

Replacing it

After sealing, we install new insulation to the target R-value. For most attic floors that means blown cellulose or fiberglass, with depth markers so you can see what was installed. The Department of Energy recommends R-60 for an attic in Climate Zone 5 starting from zero, and OpenEI lists Marion County in Zone 5A. In crawl spaces, replacement usually means a sealed vapor barrier and foam on the walls and rim joist instead of new floor batts.

Removing spray foam

Occasionally spray foam itself needs to come out, because it was installed badly, mixed wrong, or has to be removed for a roof or structural repair. Foam has to be cut or scraped off by hand, so it costs more to remove than loose fill. HomeGuide lists it at $1.00 to $2.50 per square foot and Fixr at $1.50 to $3, with hand-chipped work running higher. We look at the situation and give you an honest picture.

Send us photos of what you are seeing, or set up a visit. The quote lists removal, air sealing and new insulation as separate lines. Get a free estimate