Vermiculite removal
Vermiculite removal, before your attic is reinsulated
If you think you have it, don’t touch it
Vermiculite may contain asbestos. Don’t move it, and don’t go working in the attic to find out what it is. If an electrician or a roofer needs to go up there, warn them first.
Health Canada says the same. If you have this type of insulation in your attic or walls, it recommends that you don’t use the attic for storage, keep children out of the attic, and don’t disturb the insulation or try to remove it yourself.
Source: Health Canada, “Asbestos and your health”, page modified February 10, 2023.
Not sure it’s vermiculite?
That’s fine, you don’t need to know. Tell us what you saw, even from a distance, and we’ll come take a look without asking you to go back up.
Why it comes out before anything else
We never reinsulate over vermiculite. It has to be removed safely before insulating. Left in place, it would sit under the new layer, and the next person to work in the attic would run into it without knowing.
The order of the work
- First, removal: the vermiculite comes out of the attic, before anything else.
- Next, decontamination, if there’s mold on the roof deck, with its cause fixed through ventilation and air sealing.
- Last, reinsulation: baffles at the soffits, an insulated hatch, insulation blown to R‑51 minimum. The details of that last step are on our attic insulation page, and the mold side is on attic mold removal.
With the quote, we give you the exact length of the work. Then you decide, at your own pace.
What stays with you
An attic with no vermiculite, reinsulated to R‑51, with the depth rulers planted in the insulation. Wondering whether the new insulation can count toward LogisVert? Hydro-Québec’s conditions are explained on our LogisVert rebate page.
FAQ
The questions we get the most
Another question? Call us at (438) 544-6512
Hi! Pick a question and we’ll answer right here.
Choose a question
- How do I know if it’s vermiculite?
- Don’t scrape anything to check. Describe what you see, and at Cornerstone we’ll come look at it without you having to touch it.
- Does it definitely have asbestos in it?
- Vermiculite may contain it, says Health Canada. That’s reason enough to leave it alone until Isolation Cornerstone removes it.
- Why not just insulate over it?
- Insulating over it is often what gets offered, because it’s faster. The vermiculite then stays under the new layer. At Isolation Cornerstone, it comes out before we insulate.
- How long does it take?
- Removal comes on top of the insulation work, so it takes longer. Isolation Cornerstone gives you the exact time in the quote.
- What R-value do you reinsulate to?
- R‑51 minimum, across the whole attic.
- Does the rebate cover the removal?
- The LogisVert measure covers roof insulation and caulking. Its conditions are on our LogisVert rebate page, and Hydro-Québec makes the call.
Get your free quote
Leave the vermiculite where it is. We’ll come look at it, the quote is free, and we’ll explain what comes next, with no pressure.
Or call us at (438) 544-6512