Do You Need To Remove Old Attic Insulation

Although insulation professionals will handle the installation for you here are some things to keep in mind about removing old insulation and installing new insulation over old insulation according to energy star.

Do you need to remove old attic insulation. We need to think of spray foamed attics as conditioned attics. You will have one of two types of insulation in your attic sometimes both. Wet insulation will mold which can spread to. Once you regulate the air in your attic this problem goes away with or without the insulation in the attic floor.

Even though the insulation might look worn or battered it is rarely necessary to remove old material unless it has been affected by the specific circumstances discussed above. Your attic will have been previously insulated with blown cellulose insulation or fiberglass batt insulation. Removing the old insulation for the attic floor will solve this problem. But most attics are not retro fitted by a a c company after spray foam is installed.

In fact adding new insulation on top of old insulation will give you a better r value resistance to heat flow and save you money. Attic insulation damaged by an infestation of rodents or by water from a leaky roof requires removal to prevent further contamination in the home. The vapor retarder on top of or between layers of insulation can. Removal and replacement of attic insulation including sealing penetrations from below assuming you already have the standard vapor barrier on top of the topfloor ceiling drywall should run in the 1 2 sf range in a normally accessible attic if low headroom less than 5 feet or so down the middle or low headroom flat roof then closer to 3 sf.

Any new roll or batt insulation installed over existing insulation in the attic needs to be without a vapor retarder face. This is a confusing situation and you will probably question yourself if you need to remove the old insulation before you set in the new one. We recommend a specialized hepa filter rated high powered large capacity vacuum. Make sure you have the right protective clothing goggles and a good mask or respirator before you start.

On a side note. Having old attic insulation can also affect the structure of your house. You will rarely have to remove your old insulation when setting up a new one. When its times to adding new insulation they are surprised an old insulation already exists.

Faced insulation should not be placed on top of existing insulation in the attic. These can be purchased or. Here is a checklist of things to do when removing the insulation. The attic insulation removal equipment and supplies needed for your project will be determined by the type of insulation to be removed.