Insulation Contractor in Lawndale, CA - Cooler Rooms Under Older Roofs
D&J Hawthorne Insulation Services is an insulation contractor in Lawndale, CA, based next door in Hawthorne. We add and replace attic, wall and crawl space insulation and seal the air leaks underneath, so your rooms stay cooler and drafts stop.
- Service area
- Lawndale, CA
- Call
- (424) 307-8033
Older homes and small lots across Lawndale
Lawndale is a small, tightly built city. It's mostly stucco houses on narrow lots, with duplexes and small apartment buildings mixed in and shops and offices along the main boulevards. Many of the houses are older, and when I get up in their attics I usually find a few inches of tired insulation, gaps around old light fixtures and ductwork running through the hottest part of the house. We're based next door in Hawthorne and do the same work in Redondo Beach and Westmont.
An extreme heat warning covered much of LA County for October 2 to 8, and weeks like that show which houses are working against a thin attic. On these homes the attic is often shallow with the roof sitting close, so we seal first, keep the eave vents clear and get the depth right at the edges, where a low roof makes that hardest.
Our services in Lawndale, CA
Many Lawndale attics have just a few inches of old, flattened insulation over the bedrooms, which is why the house heats up by afternoon. We bring the depth up evenly, edges included, and keep the eave vents open so the attic can still breathe.
In older houses the leaks are around ceiling lights, plumbing pipes and the attic hatch, and hot attic air comes straight through them. We close those gaps before any insulation goes in, so the new layer isn't fighting a draft.
Old insulation that got soaked by a roof leak or filled with droppings has to come out, because new material on top just hides the problem. We take it out, clean up and tell you about anything underneath, like a leak or bad wiring, that should be fixed first.
Plenty of older stucco houses here were built with little or nothing in the walls, so the rooms on the sunny side never cool down. We add wall insulation through small openings and close them back up, so nobody has to tear out a wall.
Houses on raised floors often have cold floors in winter because the crawl space is open underneath. We check for moisture down there first, since damp insulation does more harm than good, and then insulate under the floor.
Small shops and offices on Lawndale's commercial streets often run hot because there's little insulation above the ceiling. We look at the space, plan the work around when you're open and insulate so the AC isn't running all day.
Every service we offer
Spray foam insulation
Attic insulation
Blown-in insulation
Home insulation
Insulation removal
Crawl space insulation
Wall insulation
Air sealing services
Basement insulation
Closed-cell foam insulation
Open-cell foam insulation
Commercial insulation
Crawl space vapor barrier
Vapor barrier installation
Attic air sealing
Retrofit insulation
What happens when you call us about a Lawndale home
Call or send the form
Call (424) 307-8033 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to pick a time that works. Tell us what you're noticing, like a hot bedroom or a high power bill, so I know where to look first.
I look at the space
I come out myself and check the attic, walls or crawl space, including how many inches are already up there and what shape they're in. You get a written estimate with the price, the plan and anything that should be fixed first, like a roof leak or bad wiring.
We seal, then insulate
Our crew covers your floors and belongings, then seals the gaps around lights, pipes and the hatch before any insulation goes in. Lawndale allows construction work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, with none on Sundays or city holidays, so we schedule inside those hours.
Walk the finished job together
When the crew is done, I check the work and walk it with you so you can see the depth, the sealed gaps and the clear eave vents. Ask me anything, because I want you to know exactly what you paid for.
Lawndale insulation questions answered
Do I need a permit to add insulation to my house in Lawndale?
Lawndale's permit list doesn't name insulation on its own, so the city is the place to ask about your job. Its list covers work like new construction, roof repair, alterations and remodels, and the Building & Safety Department answers permit questions at (310) 973-3230. If wiring or ducts need work along the way, the city lists separate Electrical and Mechanical Permits for that. When a job needs a permit, we pull it and set up the inspections.
How much can a contractor in Lawndale ask for as a down payment?
In California, a contractor can't take a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price on a home improvement job, whichever is less. That's a state rule from the Contractors State License Board, which licenses contractors, and insulating your house counts as home improvement. Lawndale's Finance Department handles city business licenses, and we're fully licensed and insured.
How much does attic insulation cost for a house in Lawndale?
The price comes down to how big the attic is, how many inches are already up there and whether the old material has to come out first. Soaked or dirty insulation, a lot of gaps to seal or ducts that call for foam all add to it, while a clean attic that only needs sealing and a top-up keeps it lower. I put the number in writing after I've seen the space.
What causes one room to stay hot in a Lawndale house even with insulation in the attic?
Usually it's air leaking through gaps around can lights, pipes and the attic hatch, or insulation that's thin at the edges over that room. Older attics here also tend to have buried eave vents and ducts running through the heat, so the attic gets hotter than it should. We seal those gaps and even out the depth before adding anything.
Is spray foam or blown-in insulation better for a Lawndale attic?
For most attics here, sealing the gaps and topping up with blown-in insulation, loose fill we blow in through a hose, is the better value. Foam costs more and seals air while it insulates, so it earns its price when your ductwork runs through the attic. I'll tell you which one fits after I see where your ducts are.
How long does attic insulation take in Lawndale, and when can we go back inside?
The time depends on the attic's size and how much sealing or removal it needs, and with blown-in you can usually stay home while we work. Spray foam is different, because everyone, kids and pets included, stays out until the re-entry time the foam maker sets, which is when it's safe to come back in. I'll go over the timing with you at the estimate.
Get a free insulation estimate for your Lawndale home
Send the form or call, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Lawndale home myself, look at the space and put the price and the plan in writing. The estimate is free, and there's no pressure to book.
- Call
- (424) 307-8033
- Location
- Hawthorne, CA 90250
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Get your Lawndale attic looked at
Call (424) 307-8033 or use the form, and you'll know what's going on up there before you spend anything on more insulation.