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Serving Santa Rosa, CA and surrounding areas. (707) 867-4942
When attic or crawl space insulation has been damaged by rodents, moisture, or wildfire smoke, adding new material on top only hides the problem. Santa Rosa Insulation removes contaminated insulation safely and completely before any new installation begins.
Not every old insulation job requires removal. If material is simply thin or settled but otherwise clean, adding new material on top is often the right call. But when insulation has been compromised by rodents, roof leaks, or wildfire smoke, covering it with new material traps the problem below the surface.
Rodent-contaminated insulation carries health risks from dried droppings and urine. Moisture-soaked insulation loses its thermal value and promotes mold growth in the wood framing around it. Smoke-permeated insulation can off-gas odors that return every time the attic heats up in summer. In all three cases, removal is the right first step.
We combine removal with reinstallation in the same project when possible. After the attic is cleared, we inspect the framing for moisture damage before recommending the right new material - usually blown-in fiberglass or cellulose for attics, or crawl space insulation and vapor barrier work for the space below the floor.
If a musty, ammonia-like odor rises through your home - particularly in the morning or when the heat turns on - rodent activity in your attic is the most likely cause. That smell does not go away on its own, and adding insulation over the source will not eliminate it.
Santa Rosa homeowners who were near the 2017 Tubbs Fire or subsequent smoke events sometimes notice that smoke odor returns each summer when the attic heats up. Insulation that absorbed smoke particles during a fire season will continue off-gassing until it is removed.
Droppings visible from your attic hatch, insulation that appears tunneled or matted, or evidence of nesting are all signs that rodents have been living in your attic. This insulation needs to come out, not be supplemented.
If your home has had a roof leak - even one that was repaired years ago - the insulation below the leak may have absorbed moisture and never fully dried. Wet insulation mats together, loses its R-value, and creates conditions for mold growth in the surrounding wood framing.
We respond within one business day. Let us know what you have noticed - odors, visible damage, or a known history of roof leaks or rodent activity. This helps us arrive at the assessment prepared.
We go into your attic and show you what we find. If contamination is present, we explain what it is, where it is, and why removal is or is not the right call. You get a written estimate before anything is scheduled.
We use a high-powered industrial vacuum to remove all material. The crew wears full protective gear, and all contaminated material is bagged and disposed of properly. We clean the attic surface before any new material is discussed.
If new insulation is being installed, we proceed directly after removal with air sealing and new blown-in material. If you are coordinating other contractors for repairs first, we leave the attic clear and ready for them.
We will go into your attic and show you what we find. Free assessment, honest recommendation, written estimate - no obligation to proceed.
(707) 867-4942The most common removal situations we encounter in Santa Rosa involve rodent contamination in older pre-1980 homes where gaps in the attic perimeter allowed animals to nest in the insulation over years or decades. The second most common is moisture damage from historic roof leaks in homes where the roof was repaired but the wet insulation below was never addressed. A third pattern - smoke-contaminated insulation from the 2017 Tubbs Fire and subsequent wildfire seasons - is specific to this area and affects homes that were not directly damaged but were close enough to the fire zone to absorb smoke particles into attic material.
In all three cases, the fix is the same: remove the compromised material, inspect the underlying framing for damage, and reinstall new insulation after air sealing the attic. We also pair this work with attic insulation installation in the same visit whenever the framing is in good condition and ready for new material.
We respond within one business day. Free in-home assessment - we show you what is there before recommending anything.