Insulation Removal & Replacement in Galveston, TX

Insulation removal and replacement is often the first step after a storm, a roof leak or a pest problem in Galveston County. Wet insulation holds water against framing and drywall, encourages mold and stops insulating. Insulation fouled by rodents or other pests carries odors and contamination. Adding new material on top of either just hides the problem.

Storms and floods

Hurricane Ike in 2008 and Harvey in 2017 both left many homes in the area with soaked insulation. Under raised floors, wind-driven rain and surge can soak batts. In attics, a damaged roof lets water into the insulation for days before anyone notices. After any of these, we check what got wet, remove it, and give the framing time to dry before reinsulating.

What we remove

We vacuum out loose-fill attic insulation, bag and remove batts from attics, walls and under floors, and cut out damaged foam where needed. Closed-cell foam that stayed intact often does not need to come out, but we check it. Old vermiculite insulation may contain asbestos and is handled by a licensed abatement contractor after testing, not by our crews.

Replacing it right

After removal and drying, we reinsulate with material suited to the risk: closed-cell foam under raised floors and below flood elevation, blown-in or foam in the attic depending on the layout, and dense-pack or foam in walls. Air sealing comes before the new insulation.

Signs insulation needs to come out

Stained ceilings, a musty smell in the attic or under the house, batts hanging or lying on the ground under a raised floor, droppings or nesting in the insulation, and insulation that feels damp or matted are all signs. A roof leak that went unnoticed for a while almost always means some attic insulation should be replaced. We check and tell you how much really needs to go.

Cost

HomeAdvisor lists insulation removal at $1 to $2 per square foot, with a typical job of $600 to $1,200 and removal plus replacement averaging about $1,852. Spray foam costs more to remove: $1.00 to $2.50 per square foot (HomeGuide) and up to about $5 hand-chipped (Fixr).