Specialty cleanup

Nationwide

Wet Insulation Removal in the United States

Our building recovery team removes saturated insulation that cannot dry safely, exposes the cavity for cleaning, and supports faster structural drying.

Restoration phone support around the clock
Residential and commercial loss response
Measured extraction, cleanup, and drying
One restoration team from assessment to dry standard

Call (877) 361-7453 Browse services

Signs to look for

When to call us for wet insulation removal

As materials are evaluated, if you notice any of these problems, call us before water has more time to spread into nearby materials.

Batts have dropped out of the joist bays

As materials are evaluated, water adds weight the insulation hangers were never sized for, so a batt slides free and lands face down.

Blown in material has packed into a low dark patch

As materials are evaluated, dry loose fill is even and lofted.

A room has turned cold or the utility bill jumped

From the building building assessment, insulation only works while it holds air in its structure. For sound structural recovery, once water replaces that air, the thermal envelope in that area is effectively gone.

The kraft facing is stained, torn or curled

For sound structural recovery, that paper is a vapor retarder, and it fails once it has been soaked and dried.

There is a silt or tide line across the material

Across the affected building area, a visible dirt line means the water carried sediment, so this was not clean water.

Poly wrapped batts have water sitting inside the bag

Across the affected building area, encapsulated batts are sealed in plastic, which keeps water in as effectively as it keeps it out.

What happens

How we handle wet insulation removal

Our building recovery team adjusts the work to what got wet, how far the water traveled, and which materials can be saved.

A decision for each material, in writing

For sound structural recovery, every insulation type in the wet area is identified and given a call: out, or dried and kept.

The wet area measured before anything moves

For sound structural recovery, we meter and mark the boundary of the affected area so removal stops where the water stopped.

Blown in material vacuumed out

Across the affected building area, loose fill cellulose and blown fiberglass are pulled through an insulation vacuum hose into filter bags or a truck outside.

Batts bagged at the source

Across the affected building area, wet batts go straight into bags where they hang, sealed before they travel.

Wall batts taken out through the opening

From the building building assessment, in walls, insulation comes out through the drywall opening while the wall cavity is exposed.

Crawl space batts and their hangers removed

As materials are evaluated, sagging floor batts come down along with the wire hangers and supports holding them. For sound structural recovery, new supports are part of the replacement construction-aware scope, because reused wire rarely holds fresh material well.

Talk with a restoration specialist

Water loss in the United States?

Describe the source, the impacted rooms, and when you first noticed the damage.

Call (877) 361-7453

What to expect

What to expect from our building recovery team

Across the affected building area, here is how we usually handle wet insulation removal near the United States.

1
Tell us where the insulation is and leave it in place

Across the affected building area, we ask what got wet, what the water was, and what type of insulation is in each area.
Your call
2
Access safety before anyone goes up or under

Across the affected building area, attics and crawl spaces are crew tasks, not homeowner tasks.
Before we arrive
3
Decisions walked with you on site

Across the affected building area, the technician identifies each material, takes readings, and tells you which sections come out and which can be dried and kept.
On arrival
4
Sealed work area, protection and equipment staged

From the building building assessment, pathways and floors are covered, the work area is closed off, and the insulation vacuum and filter bags are set up outside where possible.
First hour
5
Material removed by the method that suits it

From the building building assessment, loose fill is vacuumed, batts are bagged where they sit, and saturated open cell foam is cut back.
Same visit
6
Bays cleaned and the assembly prepared

Across the affected building area, framing, sheathing and joist bays are HEPA vacuumed, and hangers, staples and debris come out.
Same visit
7
Debris out and the load documented

From the building building assessment, sealed bags are carried out on the protected route and loaded by container.
End of visit

Understanding the cost

What can affect the price

As materials are evaluated, we explain the recommended work and price before you approve the job. As materials are evaluated, these examples show what may change the estimate.

Common situation	What the estimate may include	Typical range
Wet insulation removal and disposal, per square foot	As materials are evaluated, national estimate covering removal, bagging and haul away. Across the affected building area, replacement is priced separately.	$1.00 to $2.50
Whole attic blown in insulation vacuumed out, 1,000 to 1,500 square feet	For sound structural recovery, national estimate for vacuum removal with sealed work area and filter bags.	$1,000 to $3,500
Insulation vacuum setup with sealed work area and filter bags, per visit	Across the affected building area, national estimate for equipment staging on loose fill work, where it is billed separately.	$250 to $700
Blown in insulation reinstalled to code depth, per square foot	From the building assessment, national estimate. Across the affected building area, depth and R value are set by your local code and climate zone.	$1.50 to $3.50
New faced batts supplied and installed, per square foot	From the building assessment, national estimate for walls, floors and accessible joist bays.	$1.00 to $2.00
Crawl space floor batts removed and replaced with new supports, per square foot	As materials are evaluated, national estimate covering removal, new hangers and fresh faced batts.	$2.00 to $4.50
Saturated open cell spray foam cut out of a cavity, per square foot	From the building assessment, national estimate. From the building assessment, closed cell foam normally stays and is not priced here.	$2.00 to $5.00
Debris removal and disposal, per container load	From the building assessment, national estimate. As materials are evaluated, contaminated loads go to controlled disposal and sit at the top of the range.	$400 to $900
After hours or overnight dispatch charge	Across the affected building area, national estimate applied once per emergency call out, not per crew member.	$100 to $400 nationally

Square footage inside the wet area
As materials are evaluated, everything scales with area, so an accurate boundary is the cheapest thing on the job.
Material type
For sound structural recovery, batts pull out fast, blown in loose fill needs a vacuum and filter bags, and saturated open cell spray foam has to be cut.
Water category
For sound structural recovery, clean water material is ordinary construction waste. From the building assessment, drain water, sewage and floodwater material needs sealed bagging, controlled disposal and cavity treatment.
Access and headroom
For sound structural recovery, a stand up basement is quick.
Weight and disposal volume
Across the affected building area, wet insulation weighs several times its dry weight, so container loads fill faster than people expect.
Whether removal happens with other demolition
From the building assessment, wall batts taken out while a flood cut is open are usually priced inside that removal line.

Why timing matters

What can happen when the area stays wet

For sound structural recovery, water can keep moving into nearby materials even when the surface looks dry.

The cavity stays wet for weeks

For sound structural recovery, saturated material holds water directly against framing and sheathing and releases it slowly.

Compacted material never regains its loft

Across the affected building area, cellulose and matted batts that packed down under the weight of water stay packed down.

Organic material becomes a growth surface

For sound structural recovery, cellulose, cotton batts and kraft facing are all food sources, and microbial growth can begin within 24 to 48 hours while damp.

The ceiling below is holding the water too

For sound structural recovery, soaked material resting on ceiling board turns an insulation problem into a load problem.

Helpful service information

What to know about wet insulation removal

From the building assessment, start with the short explanation. For sound structural recovery, open a card if you want a little more detail.

What is happening inside the property

From the building assessment, what differs between materials is whether the loss is temporary or permanent.

Read the explanation

For sound structural recovery, insulation works by holding still air inside a structure, so anything that replaces that air with water stops the material working.

How the next step is decided

Across the affected building area, compaction, because material that lost its loft cannot get it back.

Read the explanation

For sound structural recovery, there are only four honest reasons to remove insulation after a water loss. Across the affected building area, compaction, because material that lost its loft cannot get it back.

What may change the work

Across the affected building area, rigid foam board is usually washable and reusable, since closed cell material does not soak water into its core.

Read the explanation

From the building assessment, the foams are their own conversation. Across the affected building area, rigid foam board is usually washable and reusable, since closed cell material does not soak water into its core.

Help near you

Wet Insulation Removal near the United States

Choose your area below, or call (877) 361-7453 and describe what happened.

Available in Alabama

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Common questions

Questions about wet insulation removal

Does wet insulation always have to be replaced?

Across the affected building area, no, and the answer depends entirely on the material. As materials are evaluated, blown in cellulose mats down permanently and comes out.

Does fiberglass insulation lose its R value when it gets wet?

From the building building assessment, not permanently from clean water. As materials are evaluated, fiberglass itself does not absorb water into the glass, so a batt that dries and regains its loft performs again.

Why does cellulose have to come out when fiberglass sometimes does not?

As materials are evaluated, because cellulose is ground paper. Across the affected building area, it absorbs water into the fiber, packs down under the weight, and stays packed once dry, so the loft that did the insulating is gone.

How much does wet insulation removal cost?

For sound structural recovery, nationally, removal and disposal run about $1.00 to $2.50 per square foot. As materials are evaluated, a whole attic of blown in material vacuumed out typically lands between $1,000 and $3,500.

How do you get blown in insulation out of an attic?

From the building building assessment, with an insulation vacuum. From the building building assessment, a large hose runs from the attic to a machine and filter bags staged outside, so the material never travels through your rooms loose.

Can I pull the wet insulation out myself?

Across the affected building area, do not do this in an attic or a crawl space. From the building building assessment, attics combine live wiring, junction boxes, extreme heat and ceiling drywall you can fall through, and every year people are hurt doing exactly this.

How heavy is wet insulation?

Across the affected building area, much heavier than it looks, because it is carrying water rather than air.

Talk with a restoration specialist

Water loss in the United States?

Describe the source, the impacted rooms, and when you first noticed the damage.

Call (877) 361-7453

Areas we serve

Water-damage help across the United States

Identify your state to reach building recovery building assessment, extraction, cleanup, and drying service in your area.

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Wet Insulation Removal in the United States

When to call us for wet insulation removal

Batts have dropped out of the joist bays

Blown in material has packed into a low dark patch

A room has turned cold or the utility bill jumped

The kraft facing is stained, torn or curled

There is a silt or tide line across the material

Poly wrapped batts have water sitting inside the bag

How we handle wet insulation removal

A decision for each material, in writing

The wet area measured before anything moves

Blown in material vacuumed out

Batts bagged at the source

Wall batts taken out through the opening

Crawl space batts and their hangers removed

Water loss in the United States?

What to expect from our building recovery team

Tell us where the insulation is and leave it in place

Access safety before anyone goes up or under

Decisions walked with you on site

Sealed work area, protection and equipment staged

Material removed by the method that suits it

Bays cleaned and the assembly prepared

Debris out and the load documented

What can affect the price

What can happen when the area stays wet

The cavity stays wet for weeks

Compacted material never regains its loft

Organic material becomes a growth surface

The ceiling below is holding the water too

What to know about wet insulation removal

What is happening inside the property

How the next step is decided

What may change the work

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