Insulation Contractor in Torrance, CA - Leaks Sealed Before Insulation Goes In
D&J Hawthorne Insulation Services is an insulation contractor working in Torrance homes and commercial buildings. We seal attic leaks, clear out tired old insulation, and add blown-in, foam or crawl space insulation where the house needs it.
- Service area
- Torrance, CA
- Call
- (424) 307-8033
Ranch houses and businesses across Torrance
Torrance covers a lot of ground. There are long blocks of single-story ranch houses from the middle of the last century, newer two-story homes, hillside streets in the south end, and plenty of shops, offices and light industrial buildings. In the older houses we usually find a few inches of packed-down insulation in the attic and open gaps around the can lights and the hatch, which is a big reason the room over the garage or the back bedroom stays hot. We do the same work in Lawndale, Del Aire and Redondo Beach, and it starts the same way, by sealing the leaks before we add anything.
On most Torrance jobs, the price depends on what's already in the attic and how much sealing it needs. The schedule depends on that prep and on any permit, and your written estimate lays out the price and the plan for your house. The ground matters too. The city tightened its foundation rules because of the expansive soil here, which swells when it's wet and shrinks as it dries. On raised-floor houses, we check the crawl space for cracks and gaps before we lay a vapor barrier or insulate under the floor.
Our services in Torrance, CA
A lot of Torrance houses still have their original insulation, or none at all, in the walls and under the floors, so cold floors and hot upstairs rooms are common calls. Our home insulation work starts with a look at the whole house, so we put material where it does the most good and not just where it's easy to reach.
On older ranch houses, the attic floor is full of holes from can lights, pipes, wiring and the hatch, and insulation laid over an open gap just fights a draft. We close those gaps with foam and caulk first, and only then does the insulation go on top.
When old insulation has been soaked by a roof leak or is full of rodent droppings, new material on top just keeps the problem in your house. We vacuum the old material out and clean up, and we tell you about the leak or the way the rodents got in so it gets fixed before anything new goes in.
Most attics here have plenty of room for more insulation, and blown-in fill, loose material blown through a hose, reaches the corners and edges that batts usually miss. We keep it even all the way out to the eaves without burying the vents, so the attic can still breathe.
Raised-floor houses in Torrance sit over a dirt crawl space that can hold moisture right under your floor. We lay a vapor barrier over the dirt and seal it at the seams and walls, and we let you know about any cracks or gaps we see in the foundation along the way.
Torrance has a lot of shops, offices and light industrial buildings, and their owners usually call about one office that won't stay comfortable or a power bill that keeps climbing. I look at the roof deck, ceilings and walls first, and then we plan the work around your business hours.
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 Torrance house
Call us or send the form
Call (424) 307-8033 or fill out the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. Tell us what's bothering you, like a hot room upstairs or a high power bill, so I know where to look first.
I inspect and write it up
I come out myself to look at the attic, walls or crawl space, and it helps if you're home so I can show you what I find. You get a written estimate with the price, the plan and anything that should be fixed first, like a roof leak or bad wiring.
Our crew seals, then insulates
On the day of the job, the crew covers your floors and belongings and seals the leaks around lights, pipes and the hatch before any insulation goes in. If the job needs a permit, we pull it and set up the inspections with the city.
Walk the finished job together
I check the crew's work, then walk the finished job with you so you can see what went in and how deep it is. Ask anything you want while we're up there, because I want you to understand what you paid for.
Torrance insulation questions answered
Which office handles insulation permits in Torrance?
The city's Building and Safety Division handles permits for construction projects in Torrance. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing work each need their own application, which matters if the ductwork or wiring in your attic has to change too. When your job needs a permit, we pull it and set up the inspections, and you can follow its status on the city's online citizen portal.
Do I need a permit to add insulation to my attic in Torrance?
The Building and Safety Division is the place to ask, because insulation isn't on the city's draft list of work that skips a building permit. That draft city ordinance names things like small one-story sheds and playhouses, low fences, and finish work such as painting, tile, cabinets and countertops. The city says it's making that list stricter, not looser. We check your job with the division before we start, and if it needs a permit, we handle it.
How do I know if an insulation contractor needs a California license?
California's Contractors State License Board says a contractor needs a state license when the job needs a building permit, when it uses any workers, or when labor and materials come to $1,000 or more. A bigger job can't be split into smaller contracts to stay under that amount. We're fully licensed and insured, and I'm happy to answer any questions about that at the estimate.
Does a contractor need a Torrance business license to work at my house?
Yes. The city requires a business license from anyone with a company in Torrance or anyone who will physically work there. That covers contractors based in nearby cities too, ours included.
How much does attic insulation cost in Torrance?
It depends on the size of your attic, what's already up there and what has to be fixed first, so I give you the price in writing after I've seen it. Old material that's soaked or full of droppings has to come out before anything new goes in, and that adds to the job. Spray foam costs more than blown-in fill. It seals and insulates at once, but on most houses, sealing the gaps and topping up loose fill is the better buy. The exception is when your ductwork runs through the attic, and after years of heating and air work, that's one of the first things I check.
How long does insulation work take, and do we have to leave the house?
Most of the time goes into prep, like removing old material and sealing the gaps, and your written estimate shows that plan before we start. With blown-in insulation, most families stay home while the crew works up in the attic. With spray foam, the foam maker sets the re-entry time, which is how long everyone, kids and pets included, has to stay out before coming back in. I'll tell you that time when we schedule so you can plan around it.
Get a free written insulation estimate for your Torrance house
We reply to every call and form within one business day to set a time, and I come out to your Torrance house myself. I look at the space and give you a written estimate with the price, the plan and anything that should be fixed first. 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
Call about your Torrance attic today
We answer until 11 PM every night, weekends included, so you can call after work.