Demilec Insulation Removal & Replacement in Santa Monica: What to Know First
We remove and replace Demilec spray foam insulation in Santa Monica homes, typically turning around a full attic job in one to two days depending on square footage and how much of the old foam has to come out. Most Demilec removal and replacement projects in this area run between $2,800 and $7,500, with the honest answer being that you won’t know the real number until someone gets eyes on the foam and the framing behind it. If you own a Santa Monica home with Demilec insulation that’s failed, delaminated, or needs to come out for a remodel or rodent issue, call (424) 396-5828 and a live person answers. That’s us. We’ve been doing this since 2000.
This page is for homeowners who already have Demilec foam in their walls or attic, or who bought a house with it and now need it removed and replaced. We’re an independent Demilec service provider, which means we work on their products but we’re not owned by them, authorized by them, or answering to them. We answer to you.
How Demilec Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
Demilec makes legitimate spray foam products, but like every foam brand, they have failure modes we see regularly in Santa Monica. Here’s what actually goes wrong, what it looks like, and what we do about it:
- Heatlok HFO High Lift shrinkage and pull-away. Demilec’s Heatlok HFO line is a closed-cell foam common in Santa Monica attics and rim joists. When it was applied too thick in one pass or the substrate was damp, we see it shrink back from the framing, leaving gaps that let marine air move through. The foam looks intact from the living space but it’s not doing its job. Fix: full removal to the sheathing, moisture check on the framing, and replacement with foam or a hybrid system that actually sticks.
- Sealection 500 odor and off-gassing complaints. The Sealection 500 open-cell line works fine when it’s applied in the right conditions. When it’s not, typically because the installer pushed the temperature window during a Santa Monica marine layer stretch, the foam doesn’t cure right and homeowners report a persistent chemical smell months after install. You can’t air-seal your way out of that. Fix: removal, ventilation of the cavity, and reapplication under proper conditions.
- Foam detaching from roof decking on older Santa Monica bungalows. We work on a lot of pre-1950s homes near Montana Avenue and Sunset Park. Old roof decking often has decades of dust, old paint, or previous insulation residue that prevents Demilec foam from bonding. The foam hangs there looking fine until it doesn’t, then it falls in sheets. Fix: remove the failed foam, clean the decking to the point where new material will actually adhere, and replace. Skipping the cleaning step is how you get a second failure in three years.
- Rodent and pest tunneling through open-cell Demilec foam. Open-cell foam like Sealection is soft enough that rats and mice tunnel through it like it’s rent-free housing. We see this in Santa Monica neighborhoods with older sewer lines and alley access, which is most of them. The foam gets riddled with tunnels, fills with droppings, and becomes a health issue. Fix: remove the contaminated foam, sanitize the cavity, seal the entry points, and replace with a material better suited to the location.
- Vermiculite or old batt insulation hiding under a thin Demilec top layer. This one catches homeowners off guard. A previous owner got sold a thin Demilec layer as a “seal and insulate” job, but underneath there’s original 1950s vermiculite or degraded fiberglass that should have been removed first. The foam traps moisture against the old material and you get mold. Fix: remove everything down to the attic floor, check for moisture damage, and start fresh with the right product for the space.
Our Demilec Insulation Removal & Replacement Process
Every Demilec job in Santa Monica follows the same steps, whether it’s a small crawl space or a full attic. Here’s how it goes:
- 1
Call and talk to a person. You call (424) 396-5828. A live person answers, 24/7. We ask what’s going on, what the foam looks like, when it was installed if you know, and we schedule a visit. No trip charge inside the county.
- 2
We inspect the foam and the framing behind it. One of our techs, background-checked and in uniform, gets into the attic or walls and figures out what’s actually happening. We check foam adhesion, moisture readings on the framing, signs of pests, and what’s underneath the foam if anything.
- 3
You get an upfront price with no vague language. We tell you exactly what needs to come out, what we’re putting back, and what it costs. No “we’ll see when we get in there” pricing games. The quote is the quote.
- 4
Removal day. We suit up, set up containment so foam dust and debris don’t end up in your living room, and remove the Demilec foam methodically. For open-cell, it’s mechanical removal. For closed-cell, it’s more involved and can require scraping and grinding on the substrate. We don’t rush it.
- 5
Replacement with the right material for the job. Sometimes that’s new spray foam, often from Demilec or a comparable line from Icynene or Johns Manville. Sometimes it’s blown-in fiberglass from Owens Corning or Knauf, depending on the space and your budget. We install products from all the major manufacturers, so we pick what’s right for your house rather than pushing one brand.
- 6
We walk you through the finished job and back it for life. You see the space before we clean up. If anything’s not right, we make it right. That’s the Done Right Promise, and it’s lifetime. No fine print runaround.
What Demilec Insulation Removal & Replacement Costs in Santa Monica
| Scenario | Typical Range in Santa Monica |
|---|---|
| Attic open-cell foam removal and replacement (1,000-1,500 sq ft) | $3,200 - $5,800 |
| Closed-cell foam removal from roof decking, with replacement | $4,500 - $8,200 |
| Contaminated or rodent-damaged foam removal, sanitize, and replace | $3,800 - $6,500 |
| Wall cavity foam removal (per room, typical 12×12) | $1,400 - $2,800 |
| Vermiculite removal under old Demilec top layer, full attic | $4,000 - $7,500 |
| Crawl space Demilec removal and reapplication | $2,200 - $4,000 |
What moves the number: closed-cell is harder to remove than open-cell, period. Contamination adds sanitizing time and disposal fees. Access matters too, a tight Santa Monica attic with low clearance takes longer than an open one. And if we find vermiculite, that’s a separate removal protocol with its own cost considerations. We give you a written quote before any work starts, and we honor it. Seniors and veterans get 10% off, always. Call (424) 396-5828 for a free estimate.
Why Santa Monica Homeowners Call Walt’s Insulation for Demilec Work
We’re the one down the road. Walt’s Insulation has been locally owned and owner-operated since 2000, with a published address and a real license number you can look up. I’m Walt Brenner. I grew up in San Antonio, learned the trade at St. Philip’s College, and I’ve been working Santa Monica homes since the early 2000s, from older bungalows near Montana Avenue to new builds closer to the water. I know what the marine air off the Pacific does to a building envelope that isn’t tight, and I know what a failed Demilec job looks like from the inside of a hot attic.
Every job is backed by the Done Right Promise. If it’s not done right, we make it right. That’s not a warranty card you’ll never find, it’s how we’ve stayed in business for over 25 years. We also service Reflectix and other insulation brands, so we’re not going to sell you a replacement that doesn’t fit your house. A live person answers every call, 24/7. Our techs are background-checked and uniformed, so you know exactly who’s walking into your home. And we show up when we say we will.
FAQs
For localized issues like a small delaminated section, repair can make sense. But most Demilec failures we see in Santa Monica are systemic, meaning bad adhesion across the whole surface or contamination throughout, and replacing is cheaper in the long run because a partial fix usually fails again. Call (424) 396-5828 and we’ll tell you honestly which side your job falls on. The estimate is free.
Smaller jobs like a single wall cavity or a crawl space section can often be done in one day. A full attic removal and replacement typically takes one to two days in Santa Monica, depending on foam type and access. We’ll give you a timeframe when we quote the job.
Demilec warranties typically cover the foam itself, not the labor to remove or replace it, and many warranties are already void by the time we’re called because the failure was caused by installation conditions rather than a product defect. As an independent Demilec service provider, we don’t manage their warranty claims, but we can document the failure thoroughly if you want to pursue one with the original installer or manufacturer.
Yes. If you have a written estimate from another contractor for Demilec insulation removal and replacement in Santa Monica, bring it to us and we’ll give you our read on it at no charge. We’ll tell you if the scope makes sense, if the price is fair, and whether anything’s missing from the quote.
We’re local, so typically within one to three days for an inspection, and we can often start removal work within the week. If it’s an emergency situation like foam that’s fallen onto living space or active rodent contamination, call (424) 396-5828 and we’ll prioritize it. A live person answers, day or night.
Written by Walt Brenner, Owner, Walt’s Insulation at Walt’s Insulation, serving Santa Monica and nearby areas.