Removing Wet Attic Insulation

When a leak allows water to seep in through.

Removing wet attic insulation.

To clean up droppings you need good respiratory protection masks and clothing that can be bleached or discarded. If your leak is very small you may be able to simply remove the affected area of cellulose insulation and let it dry out that will take a while. For walkthrough areas place a sheet of plastic over the opening and secure with tape. How to remove attic insulation asbestos testing.

Wet insulation is inefficient but more immediately it can be a hidden risk. Wet insulation is bad for your roof your building and its occupants. During that time it will also degrade wooden structure and trigger attic mold growth. Believe it or not there are situations in a home when you should remove the old attic insulation before adding more over the existing and in this short video.

Once the dehumidifier s storage tank is full it won t be able to remove any more moisture. Blown in insulation comes in two types. Lift the insulation in this area to find the pooling water. With these in place you ll be able to walk around the attic while removing the insulation.

Soaked cellulose insulation will retain absorbed water for an extended time and resists drying. Some attic spaces are very small and tight finding creative ways to maneuver the vacuum inside the attic will go a long way. Use the tape measure to roughly locate where the water is dripping through the ceiling below. When a roof leak leads to saturated insulation that insulation almost always needs to be replaced.

Drying out a wet attic placing a dehumidifier inside the attic will help to draw out moisture from the surrounding environment. Find the water leak. Gradually pull the vacuum toward you as it sucks up the insulation. If the attic is not large enough for a person to move around try tying a rope to the vacuum.

Wet cellulose is generally not salvageable and needs to be removed then new material blown in to replace it. Batt and blaket insulation. Insulation sits just below the roof s membrane. Coping with wet insulation if the fiberglass within your wall cavity or in your attic becomes wet from a leaky roof or burst pipe it will lose insulating effectiveness until the material dries out.

Place a large tarp wherever you plan to unload the filled garbage bags. The plant fibers of cellulose wick water right up. If the leak is more extensive the cellulose will have wicked up the moisture and spread it throughout a large area. However you ll need to drain it frequently in order for it to function properly.