Trusted Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing for Chicago Homeowners
Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing - Chicago typically costs $1,200 to $4,800 depending on attic size, contamination level, and the extent of exclusion work needed. Most jobs are completed in one to two days, and we can usually start within 48 hours of a written estimate. If you’re hearing scratching above the ceiling at 3 a.m. or found droppings near your furnace filter, call Topside Attic Insulation at (218) 261-7714 for a written price before any work starts.
We’ve cleaned and sealed attics across Chicago since 2016, and Wes Okafor has built this company on a simple rule: document everything. When our crew leaves, you get a photo record of every contaminated area before and after, a written scope of what we did, and a warranty in writing. No phone call required to know what leaving looks like.
What Our Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing Service Includes
Attic Cleanout
An attic cleanout removes everything rodents leave behind: nesting material, droppings, urine-saturated insulation, chewed ductwork wrap, and food caches. In Chicago homes built before 1980, we regularly pull out contaminated fiberglass batts that have been nesting material for multiple rodent generations. One attic gives us four to six contractor bags of contaminated material, which we remove and dispose of before any sanitizing begins. We do not simply fluff up the old insulation and call it clean; if it has been used as a nesting site, it comes out.
Attic Sanitizing & Decontamination
Sanitizing is not a light misting. After the contaminated material is out, we treat every exposed surface: rafters, top plates, sheathing, and the attic floor. We use a hospital-grade disinfectant rated for rodent-borne pathogens, applied with a fogger so it reaches corners a hand sprayer misses. The goal is to neutralize the ammonia and bacteria that remain after the droppings are gone. This matters because odors persist in warm months; an attic that is not properly decontaminated will smell again every July.
Rodent Proofing & Exclusion
Rodent proofing is the part that prevents a repeat. We inspect the entire attic perimeter and every penetration: plumbing vents, wire chases, recessed can lights, gable vents, and the eaves where the roof deck meets the fascia. The specific entry points we find in Chicago attics are often gaps around chimney chases and openings where the porch roof ties into the main attic; mice only need a 1/4-inch gap, and rats need 1/2 inch. We seal openings with steel mesh, galvanized flashing, and expanding foam rated for pest exclusion; foam alone does not work, because rodents chew through it. We also install chimney caps and vent guards where the existing ones are damaged or missing.
Attic Restoration
After cleaning, sanitizing, and sealing, the attic needs to be put back into working condition. If we removed contaminated insulation, we replace it with new blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to the appropriate R-value for Chicago’s climate zone, which is R-49 to R-60 in most attics. We will not blow new insulation over an unsealed attic floor or soiled decking; under The Haven Standard, sealing and sanitizing always come first, then insulation.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service for Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing
Most Chicago attics we clean contain fiberglass or cellulose from Owens Corning or Johns Manville. We have removed and replaced thousands of square feet of Owens Corning batts and blown-in loose fill, and we know how to identify whether the existing material is still performing or has been compromised by moisture and rodent activity. When we replace insulation after a rat infestation, we typically install Johns Manville blown-in fiberglass because it settles predictably and gives us a consistent R-value measurement from the blower-door test afterward.
We also work frequently with Knauf and Rockwool products, particularly in Chicago bungalows and brick two-flats where Rockwool batts are common. Whatever product is in your attic now, we can identify it, assess its condition, and quote a replacement in writing. No proprietary product lock-in; the material is matched to the attic, not to a supplier arrangement.
Signs You Need Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing Right Now
- Scratching or scurrying sounds in the ceiling at night. Rodents are most active between dusk and dawn, and attic insulation amplifies the sound. If you hear it in the bedroom ceiling and it stops when you bang on the wall, that is a live animal moving through the insulation, not a house settling.
- Droppings found near the attic hatch, furnace filter, or stored boxes. Mouse droppings are the size of a grain of rice; rat droppings are closer to a raisin. Both carry the same risk, and the volume tells you how long the problem has been active. A handful of droppings means recent activity; a layer means nesting has been happening for months.
- A stale or ammonia-like smell that gets worse in summer. Urine-saturated insulation and nesting material release more odor as temperatures rise. If your upstairs hallway smells different in August than in January, the attic is the first place to inspect.
- Insulation that looks matted, compacted, or tunneled through. Rodents create runs and nests in the insulation, which destroys its thermal performance. A tunneled R-49 batt is performing closer to R-19. You are losing heat in January and paying to condition the attic in July.
- Daylight visible at the roof eaves or around vent pipes. Any gap you can see from the attic floor is a doorway. Chicago’s freeze-thaw cycle opens and closes gaps in old mortar and flashing year after year. If you can see daylight, a mouse can get in; a rat may already be using it.
Our Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing Process - Step by Step
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Written estimate and attic inspection. We walk the attic with you, document every area of contamination, test the insulation depth, and identify entry points. You leave the estimate appointment with a written price, a written scope, and photographs of what we found. No work starts until you approve the number.
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Contaminated material removal. We bag and remove all soiled insulation, nesting material, and debris. We use HEPA-filtered vacuums on the attic floor and joist bays, and we protect the living space below with drop cloths at the hatch so nothing tracks through your home.
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Sanitizing and decontamination. We fog every exposed surface with a disinfectant rated for rodent-borne pathogens, including the bottom chord of the trusses, the sheathing, and the top plates. This step is documented with photos so you can see the coverage.
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Rodent proofing and exclusion sealing. We seal every penetration and gap we documented during inspection, using steel mesh, galvanized flashing, and pest-rated foam. We do not caulk over a gap and call it sealed; the material has to be chew-resistant. We also confirm that no live animals remain in the attic before sealing.
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Insulation replacement and verification. If insulation was removed, we blow in new material to R-49 or higher, per Chicago’s climate zone. On applicable jobs, we run a blower-door test before and after, so you get a single number showing the air-sealing improvement. You also receive a Documented Photo Record of the completed work before the crew packs up.
How Much Does Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing Cost in Chicago?
A standalone attic cleanout and sanitizing job in Chicago runs $1,200 to $2,800 for a typical 1,200-square-foot attic with moderate contamination. Add full rodent proofing and exclusion sealing, and the range moves to $2,400 to $4,800, depending on how many entry points need to be closed and whether we are sealing hard-to-reach eaves or chimney chases. Full restoration, including new insulation to R-49, pushes the total to $4,000 to $9,000 for the same attic size. These are the numbers we quote and honor, in writing, before work starts.
What moves the price: contamination density (light droppings versus a full nesting site), attic accessibility (kneewall attics in Chicago bungalows are slower to work in than a walk-up attic in Lincoln Park), and the number of penetrations that need sealing. The way to avoid overpaying is to get a written scope that separates cleaning, exclusion, and insulation; a single lump-sum quote without a scope hides what you are actually paying for. We give you the scope with the price, every time. Bring us any written estimate from another contractor and we will read it with you, line by line, at no cost.
Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing Near Chicago - Our Service Area
We service attics throughout the Chicago metro area, including Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park, Hyde Park, Logan Square, Rogers Park, Oak Park, Evanston, Skokie, Naperville, and Arlington Heights. Typical response time for an estimate is 48 hours, and we can often start cleaning within the same week. If you’re outside the immediate metro, we also run full-service building envelope work in other markets; see our Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing in Houston and Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing in Dallas pages if you own property there as well.
Serving Chicago, IL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Chicago area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions - Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing in Chicago
Attic cleaning and rodent proofing is the process of removing contaminated insulation and nesting material, sanitizing the attic surfaces, sealing every entry point a rodent can use, and restoring the insulation to its proper depth. It is two services combined because cleaning without sealing means the rodents return, and sealing without cleaning leaves the contamination in place. In Chicago, both are usually needed on the same job.
Most Chicago attics are cleaned, sanitized, sealed, and restored in one to two working days. A heavily contaminated attic over 2,000 square feet may take three days. During the estimate, we give you a written schedule so you know exactly when we arrive and when the crew leaves.
Most jobs in Chicago run between $1,200 and $9,000, depending on contamination level, attic size, number of entry points, and whether new insulation is required. A small attic with light droppings and two or three gaps to seal sits at the low end; a large attic with a full nesting site, multiple entry points, and R-49 insulation replacement sits at the high end. Call (218) 261-7714 for a written price based on your attic, not a range.
Yes. We remove and replace Owens Corning and Johns Manville products on a weekly basis across Chicago, and we can match the existing material type or recommend a better fit for your attic’s moisture and air-sealing profile. If your insulation is contaminated, it comes out regardless of brand; we will not sanitize on top of a soiled batt.
We answer calls 24/7 with a live person, and we can usually schedule an inspection within 48 hours. For an active infestation where you can hear animals inside the ceiling, we prioritize the estimate and can often begin removal the same week. Call (218) 261-7714 and a person, not a voicemail, will answer.
Yes. Under our 365-Day Done Right Promise, if rodents get back in through any penetration we sealed, we return and fix it at no charge. The warranty is written and given to you before work starts, under The Haven Standard. You do not have to ask for it, and it does not expire after 30 days.
Clear a path from the entry door to the attic hatch, and if the hatch is in a closet, move anything on the closet floor. We bring our own drop cloths, vacuums, lighting, and disposal bags; you do not need to move boxes out of the attic unless they are blocking the hatch itself. Everything else is handled by the crew, and you receive a photo record of the attic’s condition before we begin.
Schedule Your Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing Service in Chicago Today
Call (218) 261-7714 for a written estimate on attic cleaning and rodent proofing in Chicago. We will inspect the attic, document what we find, and give you a flat price with a written scope before any work begins. No pressure, no voicemail loops, and a live person answers 24/7. Wes Okafor built Topside Attic Insulation on the principle that a homeowner should never have to ask what leaving looks like; the documentation comes with the job. See our home page for the full range of building envelope services, or start here with Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing in Chicago.
Written by Wes Okafor, Owner at Topside Attic Insulation, serving Chicago since 2016.