Blown in insulation blown in insulation comes in two types.
Do you need to remove old attic insulation.
A good contractor will want to remove that old fiberglass or cellulose so the spray foam can get into every nook and cranny creating an air barrier.
If you have asbestos in your attic s insulation you will need to hire a professional to remove the insulation.
The attic insulation removal equipment and supplies needed for your project will be determined by the type of insulation to be removed.
Once you regulate the air in your attic this problem goes away with or without the insulation in the attic floor.
You will rarely have to remove your old insulation when setting up a new one.
Any new roll or batt insulation.
What equipment and supplies do you need to do attic insulation removal.
Removal and replacement of attic insulation including sealing penetrations from below assuming you already have the standard vapor barrier on top of the topfloor ceiling drywall should run in the 1 2 sf range in a normally accessible attic if low headroom less than 5 feet or so down the middle or low headroom flat roof then closer to 3 sf.
But most attics are not retro fitted by a a c company after spray foam is.
Any space that will have spray foam insulation installed like the attic crawl space rim joist or open walls during a remodel will need to be completely emptied of the old insulation.
Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor.
Faced insulation should not be placed on top of existing insulation in the attic.
Below are 3 steps to removing insulation from your attic.
If asbestos is present you will have to hire a professional to remove the insulation and ensure it is disposed of properly.
Stop using your attic for storage.
We need to think of spray foamed attics as conditioned attics.
Once there is no asbestos mold or rodents it is generally.
Samples of the insulation may need to be sent to a lab for testing.
Removing the old insulation for the attic floor will solve this problem.
Although insulation professionals will handle the installation for you here are some things to keep in mind about removing old insulation and installing new insulation over old insulation according to energy star.
On a side note.
The answer is no.
While heavy duty commercial grade equipment is not necessary having proper equipment will ensure a thorough attic insulation removal.
But if the floor is covered in plywood you can t stuff enough insulation beneath it to do the job sufficiently not even in warm climates.