Demilec Insulation Removal & Replacement in San Marcos: What to Know First
We provide independent Demilec insulation removal and replacement in San Marcos, typically completing attic jobs in one to two days with a written price before any work starts. Most Demilec removal and replacement jobs in the San Marcos area run between $2,800 and $6,500 depending on attic size, contamination level, and whether the existing foam needs mechanical removal or can be cut back. This page is for homeowners who have Demilec spray foam or hybrid insulation in their attic, walls, or crawl space and need it removed due to failure, contamination, or remodeling. Call us at (737) 337-8049 for a free estimate with a written scope.
How Demilec Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Demilec Heatlok HFO High Lift shrinkage in San Marcos attics. The HFO blowing-agent formulation can contract 5-15% during cure in our Hill Country temperature swings, leaving gaps at stud bays and top plates. We see this most in homes built 2018-2022 near the Blanco River corridor where afternoon attic temps spike above 140°F. Our fix: mechanical removal with oscillating multi-tools, then reinstallation with a different specified lift height and staged cure monitoring.
- Demilec Sealection 500 off-gassing and odor retention. The open-cell chemistry in early Sealection batches can trap volatile organic compounds when applied over unsealed OSB or when humidity exceeds 60% during cure. San Marcos spring humidity, especially in slab-on-grade homes near Texas State, creates this condition. We remove the affected foam, seal the substrate with vapor-variable primer, then replace with specified alternative product.
- Demilec Heatlok XT moisture entrapment at rim joists. The closed-cell density (2.0 lbs/ft³) is vapor-impermeable, which is the point, but when applied to rim joists with bulk water intrusion from foundation gaps, it traps moisture against wood and accelerates rot. We cut back the foam, remediate the framing, seal the source, then reinstall with drainage plane detail.
- Demilec AgriThane agricultural-grade foam found in residential retrofits. We’ve pulled this out of two San Marcos homes near the I-35 frontage where an unlicensed applicator used it for price. The 0.5 lb density and lack of fire retardant violates IRC section R316. We remove completely, document for code compliance, and reinstall with listed residential product.
- Demilec open-cell water absorption after roof leaks. Demilec open-cell products hold water like a sponge once the face seal is breached. In San Marcos, where wind-driven rain hits 6:12 roofs hard during spring storms, we find saturated foam behind drywall that the homeowner thought was a roof-only problem. We remove to dry framing, verify with moisture meters below 18% MC, then replace.
Our Demilec Insulation Removal & Replacement Process
- 1
Call and scope. A live person answers, 24/7. We schedule a site visit, not a phone estimate. Wes Okafor or a senior tech arrives with a moisture meter, thermal camera, and inspection camera.
- 2
Diagnostics and documentation. We photograph every area of failed or contaminated foam, identify the Demilec product line by visual density and cell structure, and run a blower-door test - a pressurization reading that shows, in one number, how much air your building envelope is losing. You get the photos and the CFM50 figure in writing.
- 3
Written price before any work starts. Under Haven Standard Clause 1: flat price, written scope, written warranty. No exceptions. We specify OEM Demilec replacement or, if you prefer, equivalent from Icynene, Johns Manville, or another listed manufacturer. No proprietary lock-in.
- 4
Controlled removal. We contain the work zone with negative air and HEPA filtration. Mechanical removal for closed-cell, controlled cutting for open-cell. Debris is bagged, weighed, and documented for your records.
- 5
Substrate prep and air sealing. We seal top plates, can lights, and penetrations before any new insulation goes in. The R-value tells you how slow heat moves through the material - the blower-door number tells you whether any of that matters.
- 6
Replacement, test, and handoff. New insulation installed to spec. Final blower-door test. You get a single printed page with before-and-after air-changes-per-hour, plus the Documented Photo Record. The 365-Day Done Right Promise applies.
Before
AfterWhat Demilec Insulation Removal & Replacement Costs in San Marcos
These are real ranges for jobs we’ve completed in the San Marcos area, not teaser rates:
| Scenario | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Partial open-cell removal, 500-800 sq ft attic, no contamination | $2,800-$4,200 |
| Full closed-cell removal, 1,000+ sq ft, mechanical scraping required | $4,500-$6,500 |
| Contaminated foam (rodent, mold, smoke), includes sanitizing | Add $800-$1,800 |
| Rim joist removal and replacement, typical crawl space | $1,800-$3,200 |
What moves the price: accessibility (scaffolding vs. walkable attic), foam density (closed-cell takes 3x longer to remove), contamination requiring PPE upgrade, and whether we find unsealed air leaks that need correction before replacement. Every estimate includes a Free Second Opinion on any competing written quote. Call (737) 337-8049 for your exact written price - estimates are free.
Why San Marcos Homeowners Call Topside Attic Insulation San Marcos for Demilec Work
We’ve removed and replaced Demilec, Icynene, Heatlok, Sealection, and Reflectix products in San Marcos homes since 2016 - over 9,000 building envelope jobs with a written price before work started and a documented record when the crew left. Our techs carry the full material line so we’re not pushing one brand because it’s what we stock. The 365-Day Done Right Promise means if it’s not done right, we make it right, backed by a written scope and written warranty delivered before anyone lifts a tool. Background-checked, uniformed technicians. Calls answered by a live person, 24/7. No voicemail loops, no callback windows measured in business days.
FAQs
The original applicator’s warranty, if any remains, is typically voided once we alter the installation - but as an independent Demilec service provider, we provide our own 365-Day Done Right Promise and written warranty on all replacement work. Most Demilec residential warranties were 10 years from installation date and have already expired for San Marcos homes built before 2015. Call (737) 337-8049 and we’ll check your install date against what coverage, if any, might transfer.
Most residential jobs finish in one to two days: half a day for diagnostics and containment setup, one full day for removal, and a partial day for replacement if the substrate is ready. Closed-cell foam in a 1,200 sq ft attic can take two full days of mechanical scraping alone. We give you a day-by-day schedule in the written scope before work starts.
We can source current Demilec formulations through our supplier network, though we don’t stock proprietary product and won’t claim exclusive or preferred status with any brand. Many San Marcos homeowners choose equivalent performance from Owens Corning, Johns Manville, or Knauf after we explain the specifications side by side. The choice is yours, documented in writing.
Spot repair is rarely cost-effective with spray foam because the new foam doesn’t bond chemically to cured Demilec, creating a future delamination risk. In our experience, partial removal almost always becomes full removal within two years. We recommend complete removal and replacement, priced as a single job with no surprise expansion. Call (737) 337-8049 for a written comparison.
Yes, and we test first. If vermiculite or asbestos is present beneath or mixed with Demilec product, we bring in a licensed abatement partner, coordinate the containment, then return for foam removal and replacement. The abatement is a separate line item in your written price, and we don’t mark it up. Documented Photo Record includes abatement clearance certificates.
Ready for a written price before any work starts? Call Topside Attic Insulation San Marcos at (737) 337-8049. A live person answers 24/7, and we’ll schedule your free estimate with a documented scope, exact pricing, and no obligation.
Written by Wes Okafor, Owner, Topside Attic Insulation San Marcos at Topside Attic Insulation San Marcos, serving San Marcos and nearby areas.