Removing Blown Loft Insulation

[ReganAndCarter]

I'm looking at a house in France. In the agent's description it says the loft has blown insulation. I would like to remove this, because I want to put a heating system in and don't fancy spending lots of time up there with masks and goggles on. Plus moving the stuff around is a pain and whips up the fibres into a storm. When the work is complete, I plan to put solid polystyrene type insulation between the joists and cover with a layer of insulation that's encapsulated in polythene. This is much safer and very easy to move for any future work in loft.

Is removing the blown insulation feasible? Are insulation companies likely to be able to hoover the old insulation up? Or will I need to DIY with an industrial vac?

 

[foxhole]

Anyone can vacuum it , depends whether you want to pay the premium.
Polystyrene is unsuitable loft insulation, French BC seems lax but they may not allow it.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Anyone can vacuum it , depends whether you want to pay the premium.
Polystyrene is unsuitable loft insulation, French BC seems lax but they may not allow it.

Thanks for your reply. When I said polystyrene, I meant something similar - a hard, white insulation that comes in sheets you cut to size. Not necessarily poly.

 

[jj4091]

Personally I would see if I could find a local insulation company that could vacuum it out and get a quote. They can do it because I know they vacuum out cavity wall insulation. If it was an exhorbitant price then I would probably fix the top of my Henry to some sort of container like this and do it myself.

You could get extension hoses and leave the container outside for easy emptying

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Leaf blower/hoover attached to a hose to the outside?

 

[jj4091]

Leaf blower/hoover attached to a hose to the outside?

Yes probably an even better idea

 

[foxhole]

I once used a garden vac with some 4inch tube to create a snow shower at office Xmas party, you could attach a tumble dryer flexi vent to one to clear the loft.

 

[Brigadier]

tumble dryer flexi vent

Too much suction / resistance will collapse flexi hose.

I'd be inclined to hire a heavy duty industrial vac, and use that.

With a long-enough hose, you could tape the end to a long pole, and reduce the amount of loft-crawling you'll have to do.

 

[foxhole]

Too much suction / resistance will collapse flexi hose.

I'd be inclined to hire a heavy duty industrial vac, and use that.

With a long-enough hose, you could tape the end to a long pole, and reduce the amount of loft-crawling you'll have to do.

No where near enough suction from a garden vac , hose is wired so it can’t collapse .

 

[Brigadier]

hose is wired so it can’t collapse .

That won't stop it. I know; happens with "roving heads" all of the time.

The hoses are meant for blowing out of, not sucking in with.

 

[foxhole]

That won't stop it. I know; happens with "roving heads" all of the time.

The hoses are meant for blowing out of, not sucking in with.

Like I said insufficient suction and you are blowing thru it, the suction is at the vac head none in the hose.

 

[SFK]

Suggest this

DX1000 Fine Filter 45 Litre Extractor

Woodworking Machinery and Accessories

www.recordpower.co.uk

and another length of 10cm tube.
It is noisy so you need ear protection.

And then sell it on ebay for £50.

SFK

 

[Brigadier]

Like I said insufficient suction and you are blowing thru it, the suction is at the vac head none in the hose.

Gotcha

That does mean lugging one around the loft though, rather than just a vac hose.

Not a pleasant or comfortable way to spend any length of time.

 

[foxhole]

Gotcha

That does mean lugging one around the loft though, rather than just a vac hose.

Not a pleasant or comfortable way to spend any length of time.

Mine weighs less than 5kg , you have weak wrists?

 

[Brigadier]

Mine weighs less than 5kg , you have weak wrists?

Mine weighs more, and it'd be worse, hunched over and joist-hopping in a loft.

Id rather go for hiring an industrial vac, and dragging the hose rather than the vac itself.