ᐅ Roof, Attic, Ceiling Cavity – How to Remove Old Mineral Wool Insulation?

Hello everyone,

We recently purchased a house (built in 1994) and are currently busy renovating.
The insulation in the ceiling space between the upper floor and the attic (currently not insulated at all) needs to be replaced.

The structure from below is as follows:

Gypsum board
Blue membrane (vapor retarder)
Mineral wool (collapsed and not airtight -> to be replaced)
Chipboard

We plan to remove the chipboard from above, take out the old mineral wool, install new insulation, and then lay tongue-and-groove boards with gaps of about 1-2cm (0.5-1 inch) on top. Additionally, the attic will receive insulation between the rafters (mineral wool with simple gypsum boards installed on the warm side). We have been advised against using a vapor retarder for the insulation between the rafters, as it is considered unnecessary—mainly because it is difficult to achieve a completely airtight seal afterwards, and in older houses, air circulation needs to be maintained anyway.

So far, so good, but I have two major questions:

- What is the best way to remove the old mineral wool and transport it out of the house?
The attic only has a small window, through which large mineral wool bags won’t fit. Should I seal the mineral wool in airtight blue bags as tightly as possible in the attic, and then carry them through the house to the outside (or out of the upper-floor window)?
I don’t want to spread fibers all over the house but am not sure how to avoid that. Or am I worrying too much?

- Is the planned approach okay? According to the roofer, our plan should work fine.

Best regards

I find it hard to imagine that the mineral wool would be compressed when installed horizontally. I rather suspect that the filling height is intentionally lower than the structural depth of the ceiling joists. According to the description, there are only drywall panels below the joists, so it seems that only lightweight inserts are recommended. For that reason alone, I would question the idea of adding more material volume there. Even with a more rigid boarding applied to the underside of the joists, it does not necessarily mean that adding more insulation material is the best solution. Since additional insulation is already planned between the rafters, this should be taken into account. I don’t understand the idea of disposal, especially if the same material is supposed to be reused; in that case, I would only supplement it. How is the construction assembly known in the first place—have any sections already been opened?

Is there any consideration of installing a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery and/or recessed ceiling lighting as part of the overall project?

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Hello :-)

So, we opened the panels in the attic, and there were recessed ceiling lights installed from below in the bathroom. When we removed them, we could see that there was 160mm (6.3 inches) of insulation wool inside. However, mice had been living there, so everything is contaminated with droppings, and the insulation no longer looks intact or tidy. The new insulation will also be 160mm (6.3 inches) thick, so the weight should be the same.

Regarding disposal, my main concern is transporting the old insulation from the attic to the outside. It is often mentioned that spreading fibers of the insulation material inside the house should definitely be avoided. I am wondering if there is any way to prevent this while removing the old insulation.

(No additional) recessed ceiling lights will be installed on the upper floor.
What is a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery (MVHR)?

I would only dispose of the mouse insulation and reinstall the rest. A controlled ventilation system is a controlled ventilation system whose ducts are also installed in ceilings. It is recommended to carry out this work together if desired.

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Is it safe to remove and carry the old insulation material through the house to the outside, or what is the best way to handle this? I am unable to assess this and do not know how this is usually done...

Haus_2020 schrieb:

Is removing and carrying the old insulation material through the house to the outside considered safe, or what would be the best approach in this case?

For mouse-contaminated insulation, I would handle it with gloves and respiratory protection and dispose of it properly. Insulation that is not contaminated, as I mentioned, I would reinstall.

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