Attics and basements cleaned out after the damage.
Debris, contaminated insulation, and what pests or water left behind, removed from the areas you cannot easily reach and kept out of the living space.
Out of sight is where the problems collect.
Attics and basements collect everything the rest of the house is spared: blown insulation that has settled flat, droppings and nesting from animals that got in, and material that stayed wet after a leak long ago. Because nobody lives there, it tends to wait until the smell reaches a bedroom or a buyer asks to see it.
The hard part is getting it out without spreading it. Contaminated insulation and debris should leave through a contained path, not get carried down the stairs and through the hallway. The crew uses vacuum equipment and bags the material so the living space stays clean while the work happens above or below it.
Once the area is cleared you can see what is left: the condition of the decking or the slab, where air is leaking, and whether anything still needs repair. That is much easier to judge on an empty space than on one buried under old insulation.
Before the cleanup.
- Tell us what happened: animals, a leak, a renovation, or simply decades of accumulation. The cause changes the scope.
- Note how the space is reached. A narrow scuttle, a pull-down stair, and a walk-in door are very different jobs.
- Remove anything stored there that you want to keep, or tell us what should be moved and saved.
- If there was water, say when and whether it has fully dried. Wet material and dry debris are handled differently.
Attic and basement cleanup: quick guide
- Old insulation and accumulated debris
- Pest droppings or nesting
- Wet material after a leak
- Describe the cause and access route
- Remove valuables before work begins
- Do not disturb contaminated insulation yourself