How To Remove Blown In Insulation
Whether you are upgrading the insulation or need to take out damaged or moldy insulation blown in insulation removal is a dirty job but can be a necessary one.
How to remove blown in insulation. Unhook the hose remove the blockage and reattach the hose. Bags of both cellulose and loose fill fiberglass insulation are readily available at most lumberyards and home. It can create respiratory problems and cause contact dermatitis if proper precautions aren. Adding a layer of sheetrock is probably the easiest solution in your case but in cases where you must remove the ceiling installing ac ductwork or repairing ceiling or attic structure you can rent an insulation removal vacuum.
If you need to remove insulation that has been damaged by water or mold this may be a job best suited for a professional. The next step is to vacuum up the blown in insulation. Set up tarp and trashbags. Luckily homeowners are more likely to find the easier kind which is blown in fiberglass or cellulose insulation.
If you get a clog stop vacuuming and find the blockage. This will mean a significant amount of particulates in the air which is why we stress the use of a respirator and other safety gear. Blown in insulation is messy since it s loose. Use rakes to collect insulation on to dustpan place collected insulation into waste bag without commercial vacuum usage.
Use the commercial vacuum hose to remove the insulation and clean the attic floor. If you opt for a hepa industrial filtered vacuum the. Vacuum out the blown in insulation. They use a 20 hp motor attached to a turbine to create suction and 20 ft long bags to capture the insulation.
Some insulation is easier to remove than others. Vacuum the insulation slowly because cellulose is dense and may clog the vacuum hoses. Our certified technicians worked for hours to make sure this homeowner was. Blown in insulation can be purchased from lumberyards home improvement centers.
You can use a wet dry vacuum or you can rent a hepa industrial filtered vacuum. You will need a high powered shop vacuum. This will give you a safe and steady area to walk on. If you use your own wet dry vacuum you ll need to stop periodically and empty the blown in insulation into your large trash bags.
You ll want to tape the hose back up so you don t lose pressure. Since blown in insulation is usually found in older structures the floor is not always a safe place. If necessary reinforce the floor with wooden planks across the floor joists. The insulation can either be thrown away or reblown in after the work is complete.
Remove old insulation once there is no asbestos mold or rodents it is generally safe to proceed with attic insulation removal yourself.