Demilec Insulation Removal & Replacement in New Braunfels: What to Know First
We provide independent Demilec insulation removal and replacement in New Braunfels, typically completing most jobs in one to two days with a written price locked before any work starts. Most attic insulation removals and replacements in homes this size run between $2,800 and $6,500 depending on contamination level, access difficulty, and whether the Demilec product was spray foam or blown-in. This page is for homeowners who found Demilec insulation in their attic, suspect it’s failing, and want to know what honest removal and replacement looks like without a sales pitch. Call (830) 243-6352 to schedule a free estimate with a written scope.
How Demilec Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Demilec Heatlok Soya HFO shrinkage and pull-away from top plates. The bio-based content in this open-cell series reacts to Central Texas heat cycling by contracting at the foam-substrate boundary. In New Braunfels attics, where summer roof deck temperatures hit 140°F plus, we regularly find three-inch gaps where Heatlok Soya HFO has detached from rafter bays. We remove the compromised foam mechanically, then seal the substrate with a compatible primer before installing replacement insulation that won’t repeat the same thermal bridging.
- Demilec Heatlok XT closed-cell odor retention after water intrusion. The high-density structure that makes XT excellent for air sealing also traps moisture and the organic matter it carries. When a roof leak hits XT in a Comal County attic, the foam doesn’t dry out; it sours. We’ve pulled Heatlok XT that smelled like a locker room three years after a single leak event. Full removal is the only fix, followed by substrate drying verification with a moisture meter before any new insulation goes in.
- Demilec SEALECTION 500 overspray embrittlement in unvented attics. This medium-density open-cell product was specified heavily in 2015-2019 New Braunfels builds with conditioned attic schemes. Without proper vapor management, the surface oxidizes and powders. We see this in Canyon Lake-area homes where the original installer skipped the required vapor retarder coating. Removal requires controlled scraping; we document every square foot with photos for the homeowner’s record.
- Demilec Agribalance chemical breakdown from pest contamination. The soy-derived polyols in this series attract rodents once the surface skin is compromised. In older homes near the Guadalupe River corridor, we’ve found Agribalance tunneled through by roof rats who used the material for nesting. The fix isn’t spot repair; it’s full removal, professional sanitization, rodent proofing of all penetrations, then replacement with a pest-resistant alternative.
- Demilec spray foam installed over unsealed bypasses. This isn’t a product defect; it’s an installation error we see constantly. Demilec foam sprayed over leaky top plates, chimney chases, or recessed can housings creates a hard shell around a still-leaky envelope. The homeowner pays for spray foam performance and gets none of it. We remove the foam, seal every bypass with fire-rated caulk and rigid blocking, then reinstall - this time with a blower-door test to prove the seal before the insulation goes back.
Our Demilec Insulation Removal & Replacement Process
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Call and schedule. A live person answers at (830) 243-6352 24/7. We book a site visit, text you the technician’s name and ETA the morning of.
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On-site assessment and blower-door test. We run a pressurization diagnostic to measure your home’s air leakage in CFM50 before touching anything. This gives us a baseline and often reveals whether the Demilec was hiding bypasses rather than solving them.
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Written price and scope. You get a flat price, written scope, and written warranty before anyone lifts a tool. Haven Standard Clause 1: no work starts without it.
- 4
Controlled removal and substrate prep. We mechanically remove the failed Demilec product, HEPA-vacuum the cavity, treat for contamination if needed, and verify substrate moisture content below 18%.
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Air sealing first, then insulation replacement. Every top plate, penetration, and bypass gets sealed before new insulation touches the space. We run a second blower-door test to document the improvement.
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Documented Photo Record and final walkthrough. You receive printed pre- and post-job blower-door numbers, photos of the completed work, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing.
Before
AfterWhat Demilec Insulation Removal & Replacement Costs in New Braunfels
Most Demilec insulation removal and replacement jobs in New Braunfels homes run between $2,800 and $6,500. Here’s what moves the needle:
- Partial removal (contained area, one product type): $2,800-$3,900
- Full attic Demilec removal with standard replacement: $4,200-$5,800
- Full removal plus contamination remediation and rodent proofing: $5,200-$6,500
- Conditioned attic with complex access (cathedral ceilings, multiple dormers): Add $800-$1,400
What drives the price up: multiple Demilec product generations layered together, active pest contamination requiring sanitization, structural repairs to water-damaged decking, or homes off River Road with limited attic access and steep pitches. What doesn’t change the price: we don’t charge extra for the blower-door tests, the photo documentation, or the written warranty. Call (830) 243-6352 for an exact quote on your specific situation - estimates are free, and we provide a Free Second Opinion on any written estimate you’ve already received.
Why New Braunfels Homeowners Call Topside Attic Insulation New Braunfels for Demilec Work
We’ve removed and replaced Demilec products in New Braunfels since 2016, and we’ve learned what the manufacturer’s spec sheet won’t tell you: which batches of Heatlok Soya HFO shrank worst in Comal County heat, how SEALECTION 500 behaves when the original vapor retarder was skipped, and where the rodent entry points typically are in slab homes near the Guadalupe. Wes Okafor and our crew run a blower-door test on every applicable job, so you leave with printed numbers instead of verbal reassurances. If your situation also involves Reflectix radiant barrier that needs addressing, we handle that too - no need to coordinate multiple contractors. The 365-Day Done Right Promise applies to everything we touch, and the written scope you sign beforehand is exactly what gets done.
The number on the blower-door printout tells you what the insulation did. Everything else is just talk.
FAQs
The original installer’s warranty typically expired with their business or at the end of their stated term, whichever came first. Demilec’s limited material warranty covers product defect, not installation error or degradation from environmental conditions, and it doesn’t restrict who can remove the product. As an independent Demilec service provider, we document the removal with photos and preserve samples when a genuine material defect is suspected, which is the only path to any remaining manufacturer consideration. Call (830) 243-6352 if you want us to review your original paperwork with you.
We can source current Demilec formulations through our supplier network, though we don’t recommend matching a failed product with an identical replacement without understanding why it failed. In New Braunfels, we often find that a different material - Rockwool for fire resistance near the chimney, or Knauf EcoSeal for a more stable open-cell alternative - performs better than repeating the original specification. We carry Owens Corning, Johns Manville, Knauf, Rockwool, CertainTeed, Icynene, Demilec, and GreenFiber, so the recommendation is based on your home’s needs, not product lock-in.
Adding over failed Demilec is almost never the right call. If the existing product is contaminated, chemically degraded, or creating thermal bridging through shrinkage, burying it compounds the problem and can trap moisture against the roof deck. We assess this with a moisture meter, visual inspection for degradation, and the blower-door test to see if the existing material is actually performing as an air barrier. When the substrate is clean and the existing insulation is merely thin, we might recommend supplementing; when there’s any compromise, removal is the honest recommendation.
Most Demilec removal and replacement jobs in the New Braunfels area start within three to five business days of estimate approval. Emergency situations - active roof leaks with saturated foam, or pest contamination affecting indoor air quality - get prioritized. We don’t manufacture urgency, but we don’t leave homeowners breathing rodent-affected attic air while waiting for a calendar slot either. Call (830) 243-6352 to check current availability.
Yes. Demilec spray foam is not recyclable through standard channels, so we bag it per Texas Commission on Environmental Quality guidelines and transport it to licensed construction and demolition waste facilities in the San Antonio metro area. The disposal cost is included in your written price, not added as a surprise line item. You receive documentation of proper disposal with your final packet.
Written by Wes Okafor, Owner, Topside Attic Insulation New Braunfels at Topside Attic Insulation New Braunfels, serving New Braunfels and nearby areas.