Icynene Insulation Removal & Replacement in San Antonio: What to Know First
Icynene insulation removal and replacement in San Antonio typically takes one to two days for a standard attic, and most jobs run between $1,800 and $4,500 depending on square footage, contamination level, and what you’re replacing it with. We’re an independent Icynene service provider, not a manufacturer-authorized shop, which means our only obligation is to you, not a brand. If your Icynene foam has failed, been damaged by rodents, or is holding moisture against your decking, call (866) 751-4428 and a live person answers. This page is for homeowners with spray foam that isn’t doing its job anymore and who want straight answers about what it costs to fix.
How Icynene Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
Icynene has made several product lines over the years, and San Antonio’s climate exposes weaknesses in each of them. Here’s what we actually find in attics and walls across Bexar County:
- Icynene Classic (open-cell, the original LD-C-50) - This is the line we remove most often. Open-cell foam absorbs water like a sponge, and a roof leak in a San Antonio monsoon season will saturate it. The foam holds that moisture against roof decking for months, and by the time the homeowner notices the stain on the ceiling, the decking underneath is already soft. We remove the saturated foam, dry the cavity, and inspect the decking before anything new goes in.
- Overspray and improper mixing on early Icynene installs - We see a lot of homes from the 2005-2012 building boom where the foam was sprayed too thin, or the two chemical components weren’t mixing at the right temperature. The result is foam that’s crumbly in some spots and rock-hard in others. It never performed, and it’s not going to start now. Removal and a clean reinstall is the only real fix.
- Off-gassing complaints with Icynene ProSeal (closed-cell) - Closed-cell Icynene that was installed over a hot San Antonio summer without proper ventilation could trap the chemical reaction gases. We’ve had homeowners report a lingering fishy smell years after install. If ventilation efforts failed, we remove the affected sections and test the air before reinstalling.
- Rodent damage in Icynene open-cell attics - Squirrels and roof rats love tunneling through open-cell foam. Once they’ve nested, the foam is contaminated with urine and droppings and needs full removal, sanitizing, and rodent proofing before new insulation goes in. This is more common on the north side near Brackenridge Park and in older neighborhoods with mature oaks overhanging roofs.
- Shrinkage and gap formation in Icynene MD-R-200 - This mid-density line can pull away from studs over time, especially in exterior walls that take direct afternoon sun on the west side of San Antonio. You get air channels behind the drywall, which means the insulation is there but not doing much. We remove sections where the gap exceeds the manufacturer’s tolerance and re-spray properly.
Our Icynene Insulation Removal & Replacement Process
Here’s how a typical Icynene job runs with us, from first call to final walkthrough:
- 1
You call, a person answers. We talk through what you’re seeing, what the foam looks like, when it was installed. If it sounds like something we should look at in person, we schedule a visit. No trip charge inside the county.
- 2
We inspect and diagnose. Our tech determines what failed, why it failed, and whether partial removal will work or the whole cavity needs to come out. We check moisture levels in decking and studs.
- 3
We give you a written estimate. You get a specific number for removal, disposal, any sanitizing, and the replacement material. If you have a written estimate from someone else, we’ll give you a free second opinion on it.
- 4
Removal day. We contain the work area, remove the Icynene, bag it, and haul it. If there’s contamination, we sanitize before anything new goes in.
- 5
Replacement. We install the right product for your house, whether that’s new spray foam, blown-in fiberglass from Owens Corning or Johns Manville, or Rockwool in fire-prone areas.
- 6
Test and walkthrough. We check the install, show you the work, and cover it under the Done Right Promise. If it’s not done right, we make it right. No runaround.
What Icynene Insulation Removal & Replacement Costs in San Antonio
Straight numbers for common Icynene scenarios in San Antonio:
- Partial open-cell removal and spot replacement: $900-$1,600 for small sections after a leak
- Full attic Icynene removal and disposal: $1,800-$3,200 for a 1,200-2,000 sq ft attic
- Full removal plus rodent sanitizing and proofing: $2,800-$4,500 depending on extent of damage
- Removal and replacement with new spray foam: $3,500-$6,500 including material and labor
- Removal and replacement with blown-in fiberglass or cellulose: $2,200-$4,000
What moves the price: attic size, how hard the foam is to remove, whether there’s contamination, and what you’re putting back in. Seniors and veterans get 10% off, always. Call (866) 751-4428 for a free estimate and we’ll give you an exact number before any work starts.
Why San Antonio Homeowners Call Walt’s Insulation for Icynene Work
Walt Brenner started this company in 2000 after watching too many San Antonio homeowners get sold insulation that didn’t match the South Texas climate. He grew up on the north side near Brackenridge Park, learned the trade at San Antonio College, and has spent 25 years fixing what other installers got wrong. We’re the one down the road, not an 800 number. Every call is answered by a live person, 24/7. Every tech is background-checked and uniformed. And every job is backed by the Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we make it right. We service all major brands including Icynene, Demilec, CertainTeed, Knauf, and Reflectix, so if you’re switching products, we’ll install the right one for your house.
FAQs
No. As an independent Icynene service provider, we’re not bound by manufacturer warranty terms, and Icynene’s limited warranty typically covers material defects, not installation failures or damage from leaks and rodents. If your foam failed because of moisture, pests, or age, the warranty likely never applied in the first place. Call (866) 751-4428 and we’ll tell you what you’re actually looking at.
Most standard attic jobs are done in one to two days. If you have active water intrusion or a rodent problem, we might add a day for drying or sanitizing. We answer the phone live - talk to a real person, get a straight answer. Call us and we’ll tell you when we can be there.
For small sections under 100 square feet, spot repair usually makes sense. For anything larger, especially open-cell foam that’s been wet or contaminated, replacement is almost always less expensive in the long run because partial fixes leave thermal gaps. We’ll show you the numbers for both before you decide.
Both. Wall removal is more labor-intensive and typically means cutting access holes, but if your Icynene MD-R-200 has pulled away from studs or you’re getting odor complaints, we can take it out and re-insulate properly. We’ll walk you through what wall removal involves before we quote it.
Yes. All work is covered by the Done Right Promise, our lifetime workmanship guarantee. If something’s not right, we come back and make it right. That’s the whole point of hiring a local owner-operated company instead of a franchise.
Call Walt’s Insulation at (866) 751-4428 for a free estimate on Icynene insulation removal and replacement in San Antonio. A live person answers, we’ll schedule a visit, and you’ll get a specific price before any work begins. No voicemail, no runaround, no games.
Written by Walt Brenner, Owner, Walt’s Insulation at Walt’s Insulation, serving San Antonio and nearby areas.