If rodents have contaminated your attic insulation, it isn’t a cleaning job — it has to come out completely, and the R-value that goes back in matters. Call (404) 647-6677 to schedule an inspection.
Signs your insulation is contaminated, not just old
Compressed, matted, or foul-smelling batts; visible nesting material woven through blown-in fill; droppings on the attic floor or ductwork. Any of these mean removal, not top-up.
Why it has to be fully removed
Nesting material worked through insulation can’t be spot-cleaned out, and leaving it compromises both the insulation’s performance and the air you breathe in the rest of the house. The CDC is specific about the risk: “When fresh urine, droppings, or nesting materials of an infected rodent are stirred up, the virus can get into the air” — describing hantavirus, one of several diseases the CDC names for rodent exposure, alongside salmonellosis.
Disturbing contaminated insulation yourself — even to inspect it — creates exactly the airborne exposure the CDC warns about. This is removal-and-replace work, not a DIY cleanup.
What insulation level Atlanta attics call for
Atlanta sits in IECC Climate Zone 3. For a fully uninsulated attic — which is what you have once contaminated material is removed — ENERGY STAR recommends adding R-49. If you’re only topping up existing insulation that’s still in good condition, ENERGY STAR recommends adding R-38. Since contaminated insulation has to come out entirely, R-49 is the number that applies to most of the jobs we do.
That number matters more in Atlanta than it might further north. Georgia’s summers push long, sustained cooling loads on the attic, and an attic sitting well under R-49 forces the air conditioning to work harder for months at a time — on top of whatever contamination already needs addressing. Bringing the attic up to the full recommended level, rather than just patching around the damaged section, is what actually fixes both problems at once.
Our process
- Inspection. We assess how much of the attic is contaminated, identify how rodents are getting in, and check the condition of anything not yet affected.
- Exclusion or treatment, if needed. If rodents are still active, that gets addressed before we touch the insulation — otherwise new material gets contaminated the same way the old material did.
- Removal. Contaminated insulation is bagged and removed following CDC handling guidance, rather than disturbed and cleaned in place.
- Entry point sealing. We close the gaps that let rodents in — replacing insulation without sealing entry points just invites the same problem back.
- Re-insulation to R-49. New insulation goes in to the full recommended level for an uninsulated attic, not just to whatever depth was there before.
Common questions
Can I clean contaminated insulation myself?
We don’t recommend it. Disturbing droppings or nesting material is exactly the scenario the CDC warns about — stirring up contaminated material releases it into the air you then breathe. Removal should be done as a contained job, not a DIY cleanup.
How do I tell rodent damage from normal insulation aging?
Aging insulation compresses gradually and fairly evenly across the attic, losing loft over years. Rodent damage looks different: matted trails and tunnels through the material, nesting material worked into specific areas, and droppings concentrated near those spots. If the damage is patchy and concentrated rather than uniform, it’s worth an inspection.
Does homeowners insurance cover rodent-damaged insulation?
It depends on the policy — many standard homeowners policies exclude damage caused by pests or vermin, but coverage varies by carrier and by what caused the entry point in the first place. Check directly with your insurer before assuming either way.
How long does attic insulation replacement take?
Timing depends on the size of the attic and the extent of the contamination — a larger attic, or entry-point sealing that requires more repair work, takes longer than a straightforward job.
Do you match the insulation that’s already there, or use something different?
It depends on the attic. In most cases we use blown-in insulation to reach full, even coverage at R-49, since it fills gaps and irregular areas more completely than batts. What’s already in the attic and how it’s laid out affects the exact approach.
Keeping rodents from coming back
New insulation doesn’t stay clean if the entry points aren’t sealed. If you’re dealing with an active rodent problem, see Rat Control, Mice Control or Rodent Exclusion.
Schedule an attic inspection
Call (404) 647-6677.
Sources: ENERGY STAR, Recommended Home Insulation R-Values; CDC, Hantavirus Prevention; CDC, Controlling Wild Rodent Infestations.
