Insulation removal in Yakima WA - a clean attic ready for new insulation
Old insulation that's wet, packed flat or full of droppings comes out in sealed bags, so your attic starts clean for new insulation.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
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What does it take to get old insulation out of a Yakima attic?
Insulation removal in Yakima means our crew takes the old, damaged or dirty insulation out of your attic and into sealed bags, so new insulation goes onto a clean attic floor instead of on top of the problem.
Most people call C&D Yakima Insulation Solutions because the upstairs runs hot, the power bill keeps climbing, or someone looked through the hatch and didn't like what they saw, and in older houses there's often more than one layer up there. Putting new attic insulation over a mess just buries it, so the old material comes out first. The price turns on how big the attic is, how many inches are already up there, whether the fill is clean or soaked and soiled, how easy the attic is to move around in, and whether new insulation is part of the job. The schedule mostly turns on what we find, because a roof leak or old wiring has to be dealt with first, and anything that might be vermiculite, the pebbly kind of old fill, has to be tested before anyone touches it. After I've seen your attic, the estimate puts your own figure on it in writing.
How do you know old insulation needs to come out?
Droppings or a musty smell
Droppings, tunnels or nesting in the fill, or a sour smell at the hatch, mean mice or rats have been living in it. Topping it up only buries the problem, and the longer it sits, the more of that smell finds its way into the rooms below.
Dark or stained patches
Stained, clumped or crusty spots in the fill usually mark where a roof or vent leaked at some point. The leak gets fixed first, because fill that stays damp keeps that moisture right up against the framing.
Pebbly gray or gold fill
Loose, pebble-like fill that's gray-brown or silver-gold is probably vermiculite, a pour-in product that gets treated as if it contains asbestos. Don't vacuum it, sweep it or set boxes on it, and call before anyone goes up there.
Fill packed thin
If the upstairs is hot and the fill is only a few inches deep, matted down or bare at the edges, it's stopped doing its job. Dry fill that's just thin can sometimes stay, but it's worth a look before you pay to add more on top.
How we handle insulation removal
I look first, then our crew parks a removal vacuum outside and runs a long, wide hose up into the attic, so old blown-in insulation, the loose fill that went in through a hose, goes straight into sealed bags instead of being carried down your hallway. We clear it down to the attic floor, working the edges as carefully as the middle, then sweep up what the hose leaves and take the bags with us. With the floor bare, I can finally see what was hiding under the old fill, and I'll tell you plainly if a roof leak, a damp spot or old wiring needs fixing before anything new goes in, even when that fix belongs to another trade. If any of it looks like vermiculite, we leave it alone until it's been tested and point you to people certified for that work.
Removal is usually the first half of a bigger fix. Once the attic is clear, our crew does the air sealing, closing the gaps around lights, pipes and the hatch, then puts down new insulation and keeps the eave vents open so the attic can still breathe. The same thing often happens under the house, where old batts sag off the joists or soak up damp, and new crawl space insulation goes in once the old comes out. If you're opening walls for a remodel, that's also the easiest time to add wall insulation.
Vacuum removal of loose fill
This suits most attics with blown-in fill, because it comes out the same way it went in. Everything goes from the attic through the hose into sealed bags, which keeps the dust out of your living space.
Pulling out old batts
This suits attics and crawl spaces with rolled or batt insulation that's sagging, wet or soiled. We pull it and bag it by hand, since batts don't go through a vacuum hose.
Removal, sealing and new blown-in
This is what I recommend for most houses, because sealing the gaps and putting down fresh loose fill does the job at a fair price. A bare attic floor is the easiest time to get that sealing right.
Removal, then spray foam
Foam costs more, but it seals air while it insulates, so it earns its price when your ductwork runs through the attic. If your ducts aren't up there, I'll usually steer you to sealing and blown-in instead.
Get a written estimate for removing your old insulation
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, look at your attic and write up a free estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
- Based in
- Yakima, WA 98901
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call about insulation removal?
Here's how a removal job runs from your first call to the final walk-through, with me on it from the first look to the finish.
Call us or send the form
Tell us what you've noticed, and we'll get back to you to pick a time for me to come out. If you can, peek through the hatch first so you can tell me roughly what's up there.
I look at the attic myself
I check how many inches are up there, what shape they're in and whether anything looks like vermiculite, then explain what I see, drawn out on the back of the estimate if that helps. You get a written estimate that says what comes out, what has to be fixed first and what it costs, so you know the price before we start.
Our crew clears and seals
The crew handles the removal and the sealing first, then the new insulation if it's part of the job. I'm on site checking the work as it goes.
We walk the finished attic
Before we leave, I go over the finished work with you, at the hatch or up in the attic if you'd like to see it. Ask anything then, because that's the best time to settle it.
Why Yakima homeowners call C&D Yakima Insulation Solutions for removal
I write every estimate myself
I come out to look at each attic and write the estimate, so nobody hands you a number off a photo. You're talking to the person who decides how your job gets done.
In business since 2017
We've been doing this work since 2017, and before that I spent years as a framing carpenter. Knowing how a house goes together helps me spot where air and water get in once the old fill is out.
Licensed and insured, honest about asbestos
We're licensed and insured. Asbestos removal in Washington takes a Certified Asbestos Contractor in Washington State, which you can check with the state Department of Labor & Industries, and if your attic needs one, I'll say so and point you there.
Problems fixed before new insulation
I'll tell you plainly when a job isn't ready yet, like when a leak or old wiring has to be dealt with first. New insulation laid over an unsolved problem is money you end up spending twice.
Call (509) 517-6081 or send us a note, and I'll come out and see what's in your attic.
Insulation removal, asbestos rules and new insulation in Yakima
When old insulation in a Yakima attic might contain asbestos, the state and the county set the order of steps, and none of it is ours to skip. The inspection comes first, and building owners and contractors face a mandatory $600 per day fine if that asbestos good faith inspection isn't done. Whoever removes the material also has to check with the local Clean Air Agency on its requirements for asbestos abatement work, and the waste can only go to the Terrace Heights Landfill, the one landfill in Yakima County permitted to take asbestos, which accepts it only from inside the county. That's a certified asbestos contractor's job, so we stop there, and once the attic has been cleared, we come back to seal and insulate it.
Most removal calls are less dramatic, like an older house with a couple of layers packed down, or a rental attic where mice moved in between tenants. We see the same attics on jobs in Selah and Union Gap, and the fix doesn't change, because we clear it down to the wood, seal the gaps and start over.
Questions about insulation removal in Yakima
How much does it cost to remove old attic insulation in Yakima?
Removing clean blown-in attic insulation across the US usually costs about $1 to $2 per square foot, and that's a national figure, not our price. Insulation fouled by water or droppings costs more per square foot to take out than clean fill in an attic the crew can get around in. A quote that includes new insulation also runs more per square foot than removal alone, so check what a number covers before you compare. Your own figure comes on the estimate after I've seen the attic.
Do I need an asbestos inspection before removing insulation in Washington?
Yes, if the old insulation could contain asbestos, a good faith asbestos inspection has to happen before anyone removes or disturbs it. It's done by an AHERA certified building inspector, someone certified to check buildings for asbestos, and it's booked as the first step before any removal work. For ordinary fiberglass or cellulose fill, I'll tell you at the estimate whether anything up there looks like it needs testing.
Can I remove old attic insulation myself?
Yes, removing it yourself can be a real option when the fill is dry and clean and the attic is one you can walk in, and one cost guide calls it a poor option otherwise. Some contractors won't warranty new insulation blown over an attic floor they didn't prepare, so if new insulation is the next step, ask about that before you start. Leave anything that looks like vermiculite alone.
What is the best way to deal with vermiculite insulation in my attic?
Leave it undisturbed and treat it as if it contains asbestos until it's been tested. Removing it may not be necessary at all if it's closed off where nobody will disturb it. If it does have to come out, the EPA recommends a trained and accredited asbestos contractor who is separate from the company that did the assessment.
Do we have to leave the house while old insulation is removed?
Usually not for ordinary loose fill, because the removal vacuum sits outside and the hose carries the old insulation straight into sealed bags. I'll tell you at the estimate if anything inside needs covering or moving. Asbestos work is different, since the area is sealed off with plastic sheeting and tape, the heating and air conditioning are shut off, and household members and pets stay out of the marked area until the work is done.
What causes old attic insulation to need removing instead of topping up?
Insulation that's wet, soiled by animals or smoke-damaged should come out instead of getting more piled on top. Wet insulation has to come out promptly to protect the house's structure, and one cost guide says experts recommend removing insulation after a fire even when the flames never reached it, because the smoke odor stays in the material. Dry, clean fill that's just thin can often stay, and I'll tell you which kind you've got.
Insulation work that often comes after removal
Crawl space insulation
Old batts under the floor often sag or soak up damp, and new insulation there helps with cold floors once the crawl space has been cleared out.
Wall insulation
Drafty rooms with insulated attics often have thin or empty walls, and a remodel that opens the drywall is the easiest moment to fill them.
Service areas for insulation removal near Yakima
C&D Yakima Insulation Solutions is based in Yakima, WA, and takes on insulation removal across the city and the cities around it, from Terrace Heights to Ellensburg. These eight cities have their own pages here, and if yours isn't on the list, call and ask.
Book a look at your old insulation
Have a rough attic size, a note on whether the fill looks pebbly and any asbestos inspection report handy when you call (509) 517-6081, and we can plan the visit around what's up there.