Wet attic insulation on a home inspection: remove it?

Does wet attic insulation need to be replaced?

Yes, wet attic insulation should come out. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water damage cleanup table, written for schools and commercial buildings, lists both wet fiberglass and wet cellulose insulation as "Discard and replace." Ask the seller to fix the leak first, then remove and replace the wet section. Don't count on it drying out: EPA's table is written for water damage handled within 24 to 48 hours, and it still says to discard and replace. EPA's home mold guide explains why porous materials are hard to save: mold "can grow on or fill in the empty spaces and crevices of porous materials," so it "may be difficult or impossible to remove completely."

If the report also flags an uninsulated attic hatch, that is the smaller line. Ask for an insulated, weatherstripped hatch as its own item.

If the report flags thin or low R-value insulation instead of wet insulation, the wet-insulation steps here do not apply. Ask the inspector for the R-value note and get an insulation contractor's bid to add insulation.

Key takeaways

• If the old insulation looks like vermiculite, leave it undisturbed and get an asbestos contractor's bid for removal.
• Wet insulation can also come from a kitchen, bath or dryer vent that ends in the attic, so ask the roofer to check vents too.
• Removal is priced per square foot on top of new insulation, and the Dallas-Fort Worth column is one contractor's prices, with a new-insulation high end ($4) above the national one ($3.25).

How serious is wet attic insulation?

The insulation is the symptom. The water is the problem. ENERGY STAR's attic air sealing guide reads "wet or damp insulation" as a sign of "a leaky roof." It also flags kitchen, bath and dryer vents that "exhaust moist air directly into the attic space instead of outdoors." For both, and for "moldy or rotted attic rafters or floor joists," it recommends that you hire a professional.

If the report also notes rotted framing or knob and tube wiring, those come before any money talk. Rotted rafters or joists go to a structural engineer or licensed contractor before your deadline. Knob and tube wiring "can be a fire hazard when in contact with insulation," ENERGY STAR warns, so a licensed electrician looks before new insulation goes in.

Check the old insulation before anyone removes it. EPA's vermiculite insulation page describes vermiculite as "a pebble-like, pour-in product and is usually gray-brown or silver-gold in color." It says "you should assume this material may be contaminated with asbestos," and to treat it that way "by not disturbing it or by using a trained professional if it needs to be removed."

What does it cost to remove and replace wet attic insulation?

Removal is priced by the square foot, on top of the new insulation. Fixr's attic insulation cost guide gives national figures. TaylorMade Heat and Air, a Dallas-Fort Worth contractor, publishes local ones.

Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote.

Here is one wet patch priced at national figures. Say the inspector flags about 300 square feet of wet insulation under a roof leak.

• Remove and replace: the table's low ends add to $3 a square foot ($1 + $2), and its high ends to $6.25 ($3 + $3.25). For 300 square feet, that is $900 to $1,875.
• Insulated hatch, part only (priced below): about $169 to $404.
• Total before the roof, the hatch install and any mold: about $1,069 to $2,279.
• If the contractor finds mold, add $1,500 to $3,500.

The roof repair is not in that total. A roofer's written bid fills it in.

Should an attic hatch be insulated?

Yes. ENERGY STAR lists the "attic hatch" among the common places attics leak air. Oklahoma Living, an electric co-op magazine, says hatches "should be insulated close to the same R-value as the rest of the attic." It also says to add weatherstripping around the edge so the hatch seals when closed. Pull-down ladder hatches get the same treatment: "install a dam, air seal and insulate."

A ready-made insulated hatch is a small line. A Sealin' Hatch ceiling door costs $169.47 in its smallest size, 14 by 22.5 inches, and $199.23 at 22.5 by 30.5. An E-Z Hatch R-50 scuttle door for a 22 by 30 inch opening lists at $404.27. Those are part prices. The insulation contractor's bid adds the install.

Who can price this before my deadline?

Call these trades in this order:

• A roofer finds and prices the leak. If the water comes from a vent that ends in the attic, get the vent fix priced too.
• An insulation contractor measures the wet area and prices removal, new insulation and the hatch.
• A professional asbestos contractor, only if the old insulation looks like vermiculite. EPA says not to remove it yourself.

Ask each for a written figure before your deadline. How to get repair estimates during the inspection period covers getting bids fast.

What do I ask the seller for?

Ask for the source first, then the damage, as separate lines so each has its own number:

• Repair the leak or vent the report names (roof leak, bath or dryer vent ending in the attic), per a written bid.
• Remove and replace the wet attic insulation, per an insulation contractor's written bid.
• Only if your report flags the hatch: replace the uninsulated hatch with an insulated, weatherstripped one, per the same bid.

If the seller does the work, ask for the roofer's and the insulation contractor's invoices before closing.

What to ask for after a home inspection shows how these lines sit with the rest of your list. The buyer repair request letter template gives the wording around them.

What if the seller won't fix it?

Ask for a credit for the bid total instead, and hire the work yourself after closing. Your contract sets the dates and terms for the request, so confirm them with your agent or attorney. If the leak source or the framing can't be priced before your deadline, read when to walk away after a home inspection.

If your report has a wet attic and a page of other findings, upload it to Kept and spend your remaining days on the bids that need a contractor.

Sources

• EPA, Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, Table 1: Water Damage Cleanup and Mold Prevention
• EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home
• EPA, Protect Your Family from Asbestos-Contaminated Vermiculite Insulation
• ENERGY STAR, Attic Air Sealing Project
• Oklahoma Living, How to insulate your attic hatch
• Fixr, Attic Insulation Cost
• TaylorMade Heat and Air, Attic Insulation Cost Guide
• Eco-Building Products, Sealin' Hatch Insulated Attic Access Door
• Conservation Mart, E-Z Hatch R-50 Insulated Attic Access Scuttle Door