Our customers have been alerting us of Unlicensed Contractors and Specialty Contractors (Air Duct Cleaning, Pest Control, HVAC) offering attic cleanup, attic decontamination and insulation removal services. In light of that, what I’d like to do is give our readers information so that everyone can make an informed decision. At the end of the day, whomever you hire and let into your home, you want to make sure you check them out thoroughly. So, I’ll provide you with the advice the “authorities” give and add in my two cents along the way.
The Contractors State License Board, CSLB, implores every homeowner to ensure that they use licensed contractors for any work being done on their home. This is what the CSLB has to say in regard to unlicensed contractors:
“Be advised that unlicensed individuals pose a risk to you and your family’s financial security. They expose you to significant financial harm in the event that a worker is injured while on your property, if your property is damaged, if the work is incomplete and/or faulty. Few, if any, unlicensed individual has bonding or workers’ compensation insurance. The quality of their work usually doesn’t compare to that of a licensed contractor. Don’t take the chance in order to save a few dollars. You’ll probably end up paying more in the long run.”
Most of the homeowners we perform attic cleanup, attic decontamination and/or insulation removal services for take good care of their homes. Therefore, most have also dealt with several contractors while living in their home. The worst story I heard of unlicensed activity was with a contractor that disappeared with $10,000 after he performed work that was done poorly and did not pass inspection. The homeowner had to pay another contractor, which was licensed, to tear down the kitchen remodel and start over! More Money! Not only does the CSLB point out the important reasons to hire a licensed contractor, but also wants you to make sure you hire the right contractor for the job:
“Specialty or subcontractors are usually hired to perform a single job. For example, if you want only roofing or plumbing work, you may want to hire a contractor licensed in that particular specialty.”
A General B Contractor is able to perform any two , or more, trades for each project. Whereas, a Specialty Contractor is only able to perform one specific trade. Here are a few examples:
C36 – Plumbing Contractor - A plumbing contractor provides a means for a supply of safe water, ample in volume and of suitable temperature for the purpose intended and the proper disposal of fluid waste from the premises in all structures and fixed works.
C20 – Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Contractor - A warm-air heating, ventilating and air-conditioning contractor fabricates, installs, maintains, services and repairs warm-air heating systems and water heating heat pumps, complete with warm-air appliances; ventilating systems complete with blowers and plenum chambers; air-conditioning systems complete with air-conditioning unit; and the ducts, registers, flues, humidity and thermostatic controls and air filters in connection with any of these systems.
Then we have,
C61 – Limited Specialty Classification - Limited specialty is a specialty contractor classification limited to a field and scope of operations of specialty contracting for which an applicant is qualified other than any of the specialty contractor classifications listed and defined in this article.
Within the Limited Specialty Classification we have,
D62 – Air and Water Balancing Contractor - An air and water balancing contractor installs any device and performs any work related to providing a specified flow of air in all types of existing heating and cooling systems and/or related to providing a specified flow of water in water piping systems.
For us to expect any of these contractors to have the experience and knowledge to perform and stand behind work not in their respective fields is taking a huge risk. You risk damage to your home, harming your family, and losing money. I’m sure there may be great guys who perform unlicensed activity, in my book, they’re not worth the risk. With that said, we see that as a homeowner we would want a Licensed Contractor that either holds a General B license or a license that Specializes in Attic Cleaning, as well as Insulation Removal and Installation.
Homeowners also want to pay close attention to advertisements by Contractors about Associations. Many contractors advertise Associations Logos on their websites and print ads, insinuating they belong to these Associations. In order to become a member of an Industry Association you must first qualify under their respective guidelines. Secondly, in order to belong to an Association a contractor must pledge to uphold the Associations standards. Make sure the contractor is actually a member of the Association they advertise. Call or go to the Associations website for more information. Attic Guys belongs to the Associations and has links to the Associations websites for all the Associations Attic Guys advertises.
Award reflects businesses’ consistently high level of customer service
Attic Guys has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the businesses rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service companies.
Attic Guys would like to thank Angie’s List not only for this honor for our attic cleaning and insulation removal services, but also for their tireless commitment to providing homeowners with “Reviews you can trust”. We will continue to dedicate ourselves to cleaning attics and making homes a better place to live.
“Only a fraction of the businesses rated on Angie’s List can claim the sterling customer service record of being a Super Service Award winner because we set a high bar,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “The fact that Attic Guys can claim Super Service Award status speaks volumes about its dedication to consumers
Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements including earning a minimum number of reports, an exemplary rating from their customers and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.
Service business ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List, but members can find the 2011 Super Service Award logo next to business names in search results on AngiesList.com.
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Angie’s List collects consumer reviews on local contractors and doctors in more than 500 service categories. Currently, more than 1 million consumers across the U.S. rely on Angie’s List to help them make the best hiring decisions. Members get unlimited access to local ratings via Internet or phone, exclusive discounts, the Angie’s List magazine and help from the Angie’s List complaint resolution service. Take a quick tour of Angie’s List and view the latest Angie’s List news.
We’ve come to realize our blog and website have become a reference for many homeowners and pest control companies alike. One of the most perplexing questions to answer after you’ve had your attic cleaned, and your insulation removed, is what type of insulation to install. Whichever product you choose will remain in your attic for over 20 years, hopefully up to 40 years as long as it’s not disturbed. With this in mind we feel it warrants a little exploration. The purpose of insulation is to prevent heat transfer. In other words, insulation in the attic is meant to keep heat inside the home in the winter or heat outside the home in the summer. You can understand how important insulation is when you think about how uncomfortably hot or cold your house can be during different seasons of the year.
The first and biggest difference is what the two types of insulation are composed of. Cellulose insulation is made from 75-85 percent recycled newspaper, the rest of the volume by weight are chemicals used to make the newspaper non-flammable. The newspaper is shredded and treated with the chemicals to make the product that’s blown into your attic. Fiberglass insulation is made from sand, sodium carbonate, and limestone, which altogether make a glass. The recycled glass material is heated into a molten state and jetted through tiny heated holes into high speed air streams. This process creates extremely long fibers which are matted together to make the batts which are pressure fit installed into your attic. Round 1 is a tie in my book.
Onto which is a better performer. After both types of insulation are installed at an equal R-Value cellulose insulation will be 2-3 inches lower than fiberglass insulation. Most importantly the performance depends on the quality of workmanship. Lastly, cellulose insulation is able to flow into every crack and crevice where installed, fiberglass is stationary wherever installed. Because of cellulose’s ability to potentially cover more area than fiberglass I give this round to cellulose.
As mentioned, cellulose is treated with chemicals for fire resistance. Blown cellulose insulation can slow the spread of fire and create a 2-hour firewall. Fiberglass is naturally inert which makes it extremely difficult to ignite. However, once it is ignited it can burn fast, hot, and could emit toxic gases. We’ve removed both burned cellulose and fiberglass insulation and I’ve found the fiberglass is more intact than cellulose after burned on average. Since cellulose is made of materials highly susceptible to igniting I give round three to fiberglass.
Hands down installing blown cellulose insulation is easier than installing fiberglass batts. Fiberglass is itchy, you need to get to every place in the attic where it is to be installed, and the bags can get heavy. You can blow cellulose insulation from a few feet away, its not irritating, and you only need to carry around a light weight hose while installing it in the attic. In extremely tight attics blown cellulose is sometimes the only option available for homeowners. Cellulose wins again.
Lastly, a major issue that needs consideration with insulation is moisture resistance. For blown cellulose insulation a moisture barrier is a must in humid climates. Cellulose can retain moisture for over a year, which could subsequently lead to mold. Fiberglass insulation allows for water vapor to pass through it. However, if water were to leak through your roof or wall the fiberglass may absorb the moisture and cause sags or gaps of insulation with no drainage, which would result in heat escaping or allowing heat into your house. With the fact that cellulose can retain water longer than fiberglass the last round goes to fiberglass.
Wow, a split decision, that leads us nowhere! From what I’ve found, choosing the type of insulation you will install in your home comes down to two things. The first is your previous experience with one type of insulation or the other, the second is whether or not you have plans to remodel or work in the attic in the future. Many people have had bad experiences with blown type of insulation. It’s messy, ugly, and difficult to work with after installed. If you have plans to remodel any part of the home with an attic over it, install can or recessed lights, upgrade your hvac system, or perform any work in the attic, fiberglass is much easier to move and put back in place than cellulose is. Making it a much better option if you have any projects in mind. Otherwise, you can opt for a more efficient type of insulation in cellulose.
I hope this helps on your way to a clean attic.
Over the past couple days we were working in a mechanics shop in Los Angeles. The building was 5,800 square feet and the ceilings were 20 feet high. The building recently experienced a fire which mainly affected the insulation. The insulation was burned and crisp. Our job was to remove all the insulation and install new insulation.
 Removing Burned FSK Insulation  Knauff FSK Insulation  Installing New FSK Insulation  Installing New FSK Insulation Since the warehouse was still operational we needed to maneuver over cars and offices to reach the ceilings. In order to do so we commissioned the help of electric man lifts. We began the process by covering the floors and cars to catch all the burned debris and insulation. We then removed each piece of insulation by hand. After that there was a lot of ash we needed to cleanup, so we rolled up the flooring we put down earlier, swept, and vacuumed. It was then time to put up the new insulation. We installed R-30 FSK (Foil-Scrim-Kraft) insulation on the ceiling. The most important part of performing a job using any type of heavy duty equipment is safety. We completed the job without a glitch.
The most vulnerable people among us are the young and the elderly. Both are susceptible to infection and disease more so than a middle aged adult. With that being said our job becomes that much more important when kids and our gracefully matured loved ones are involved. As a company we take as many precautions as possible to minimize the possibility of making the problem of a contaminated attic any worse.
 Daycare Preparation Work We recently had the opportunity to clean up an attic infested with rodents at a large daycare facility. The facility was over 10,000 square feet and almost every inch of the attic contained rat droppings. To begin we protected all the floors and walls in order to create a barrier between them and the attic. This was a task in itself. The children’s chairs, tables, toys, and books were all under this barrier as well. Once the barrier was in place we opened a few of the ceiling panels which gave us access to the attic above. Our expert attic cleaning team ascended into the attic and began moving out the old rodent dropping contaminated insulation. After we removed the insulation out of one room we moved to the next, and so on. It took us a little over a day and a half to remove the insulation. Imagine the largest U-Haul truck you’ve seen on the road, the insulation we removed filled that size truck two times over, and we still had a few bags left to haul. We then had the task of cleaning up the rodent droppings and all the carcasses left behind. Again our attic cleanup crew climbed into the attic to vacuum out the droppings. That took us a long day and a half also.
The weekend for the work happened to fall on bright sunny California days. While the weather was beautiful outside, it made for uncomfortable conditions within the attic. The temperature rises quickly in the attic and we all had to wear protective gear including gloves, a bio-hazard suit, and a respirator. You really get a sweat going.
After three days of work we were finally able to decontaminate for the last hour and the attic was a lot safer and smelled a lot better! Once we finished decontaminating we cleaned up our critical barriers and room protection, and the janitorial crew wiped down every surface in the daycare facility. The parents, the children, and the teachers can all rest assured they are in a much safer environment.
Over the past two weeks we’ve had two customers dealing with rat mites. In both cases the bites seemed to come out of no where.
The first case involved an elderly couple in Laguna Niguel that recently had pest control work done by a local pest company. The pest companies activity seemed to stir up the rats and the couple began to experience small red marks on their skin, randomly, over their entire body. When we were called out to find a solution we were more than prepared to do the work since we’ve dealt with rat mites many times in the past. After cleaning the entire attic and removing the insulation we decontaminated utilizing a procedure that would not only kill bacteria, and viruses, but also any parasites in the attic as well. We also decontaminated the bedrooms for any rat mites. The homeowners moved out for the weekend and were able to move back in the following week.
In the next instance a couple from Hancock Park was enduring an infestation over a long period of time. One day they found one of the mites on their skin and examined the parasite under a microscope. The couple found that they were infested with “Tropical Rat Mites”.
 Tropical Rat Mite  Tropical Rat Mite
While they weren’t very concerned with the bites on themselves, that came out of nowhere, the couple recently had a beautiful baby girl and needed to protect her health. Again, we performed a full attic cleaning service that included removing all the insulation, cleaning up the droppings, and decontaminating the attic. We also found the crawlspace to be infested. We cleaned and decontaminated the area in order to get rid of the rat mites. After the attic was cleaned and decontaminated we came back the next day to install new insulation. The most difficult part of the job was the attic being only four feet high, imagine working in that all day.
In both cases we were able to not only get rid of all the rat contamination by cleaning up the droppings and removing the insulation, but also to get rid of the rat mites by properly decontaminating the affected areas.
The following is information about rat mites from the Illinois Department of Health:
Rodent and bird mites may bite people when their hosts die or abandon their nests. Three types of rodent mites readily bite humans: the house mouse mite (Liponyssoides saguineus), spiny rat mite (Laelaps echidnina) and tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti). The house mouse mite prefers to suck the blood of mice, but also will bite rats and people, often causing a rash around the bite. They prefer warm places (e.g., around pipes and furnaces) where rodents live. The spiny rat mite feeds on rats at night and hides by day in cracks and crevices around rat nests and resting places. The tropical rat mite’s bite is painful and causes skin irritation and itching.
While most of our business comes from cleaning residential attics and rodent infestations, rats and pests find their way into many businesses as well. One of our projects involved a large 200,000 sf warehouse near LAX that had been vacant and was being prepared for potential tenants. The buildings operations team discovered a large infestation in an area of the warehouse which was exterminated by a local pest control company. We were then contacted by the pest control company to bid on the cleanup and decontamination. While the owner was a company based in Northern California the bid process was seem-less and we were quickly chosen to do the work.
The rodents covered approximately 3,000 sf in several areas of the warehouse floor with droppings. Our team started cleanup by erecting containment barriers in order to keep the contamination from spreading to the rest of the warehouse during remediation. We always follow IICRC procedures on a project like this which are the best work practices to protect workers and others in the area. The last thing you want to do is start sweeping up the rodent droppings, let alone without any protection.
 When you begin cleaning, it is important that you do not stir up dust by sweeping droppings, urine, or nesting materials.
We first used our decontaminating agent to neutralize the bacteria and viruses that can be found in the droppings. We then used HEPA filter vacuums to physically remove the rat droppings throughout the area. We decontaminated again after pressure washing the area. Because we are well equipped, knowledgeable about the service, and experienced, the complete process took our crew one day with re-inspection the next day. Our client walked the job site the next month with a potential client and was satisfied with our work enough to write a Letter of Recommendation on our behalf. We can remediate any type of rodent or pest infestation. Whether it be rat droppings, bird droppings, or the like, we’re your best choice.
 Radiant Barrier protecting attic insulation and air ducts from heat.
We’ve been installing quite a bit of Radiant Barriers lately. Our customers are usually looking for ways to reduce the temperature in the house during the warmer months of the year. Since summer is right around the corner radiant barrier installations have been ramping up. The homeowners for whom we’ve installed the radiant barriers say there is a noticeable difference in the comfortability within the house due to the drop in temperature. So I thought I should share the knowledge I’ve gained from reputable sources about radiant barriers.
Firstly, we need to understand how heat affects our homes here in sunny Southern California. The sun transfers heat to our homes in the form of radiant heat. After the roof is heated up by the sun, your hot roof will begin to radiate heat also. This heat will soon raise the temperature of the normal insulation in your attic since it’s made to absorb the heat. The heat will eventually find its way into your home since traditional attic insulation will only slow down this process. A radiant barriers job is to disrupt the transfer of heat into the attic by reflecting radiant heat back towards the roof. Thus keeping your traditional insulation cooler and, in turn, your home cool as well.
Or, in the words of the U.S. Department of Energy:
When the sun heats a roof, it’s primarily the sun’s radiant energy that makes the roof hot. A large portion of this heat travels by conduction through the roofing materials to the attic side of the roof. The hot roof material then radiates its gained heat energy onto the cooler attic surfaces, including the air ducts and the attic floor. A radiant barrier reduces the radiant heat transfer from the underside of the roof to the other surfaces in the attic.
Us Californians love our sun, but sometimes we all enjoy a cool Lemonade in the summer.
Last week I received an email from a customer stating she would like me to return to her home to correct some problems she has with the insulation we installed in her attic. I scheduled an appointment with her the next day. In the email the customer said her pest control technician, that has worked with her for many years, pointed out the insulation was installed incorrectly. The technician said we should have put marks on the support beams to install the insulation to the correct height. After inspecting the attic I came down to give her my conclusion.
Me: “You mentioned on my initial inspection your wooden floors were recently installed from what I recall, they’re beautiful.”
Customer: “Yes, I just got them done. Thank you.”
Me: “Well, I’m sure when you were looking for someone to install your new floors you looked for someone who did this as a profession and was very experienced with this type of work.”
Customer: “Yes, I did.”
Me: “The same goes for installing insulation in your home. You looked for a company that you were confident would get the job done right and you found us. Your Pest Control technician, I’m sure, is good at his job, but he is not a professional insulation contractor. The method of installing insulation your Pest Tech referred to is for a type of insulation that was not installed in your attic. The batt insulation in your attic is already measured to the correct height and installed properly throughout the attic.”
Customer: “I really appreciate you coming back out. I knew you guys did it right, I just wanted to make sure.”
This shows exactly why you shouldn’t get your insulation removed, your attic cleaned, or new insulation installed by a company that is not experienced in this line of work. In the end it costs you more money for the mistakes they can make. We offer the most affordable prices and the best quality of work.
Hello World. I’m Tom the Attic Guy. I plan on using this blog to give you guys an insight into the life of an Attic Guy. I want to provide information about attic cleanup, rodent proofing, and insulation removal. These are the services I provide every single day and I want to help answer questions many homeowners have about my service. I’ll cover particularly interesting jobs and events that occur during my course of work. Please feel free to leave comments. My hope is that each of you will gain an intimate understanding of the work I do and how I do it.
Posted in Attic Cleanup, Attic Decontamination, Insulation, Rat Cleanup, Rat Dropping Cleanup, Rodent Cleanup, Rodent Proofing
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Tagged Attic Cleanup, Attic Decontamination, insulation, Rat Cleanup, Rat Dropping Cleanup, Rodent Cleanup, Rodent Proofing
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