Insulation removal in Hawthorne CA - a clean attic ready for new insulation
If your attic insulation is wet, dirty or flattened, we take it out so the problems under it get fixed before anything new goes in.
- Service
- Insulation removal
- Call
- (424) 307-8033
How can you tell the old insulation should come out?
Stained or soggy insulation
If the ceiling has a brown ring or the insulation looks dark and matted when you peek through the hatch, a roof leak has usually soaked it. Wet insulation stops slowing heat and holds water against the wood, so the longer it sits, the more framing you may be paying to repair later.
A musty smell upstairs
A damp, sour smell near the hatch or in the room over the garage often means mold is growing on the rafters under the insulation. You can't see it until the old fill comes out, and new insulation laid on top just hides it while it keeps going.
Thin, gray, packed-down fill
Old insulation that's flattened and gray with dust is a big reason the upstairs stays hot and the power bill keeps climbing. Sometimes it can stay and get topped up, but when it's dirty or uneven, piling more on top keeps paying for the problem instead of fixing it.
Does your old attic insulation need to come out?
Insulation removal in Hawthorne means D&J Hawthorne Insulation Services takes the old, wet or dirty insulation out of your attic so a roof leak, mold or bad wiring under it can be found and fixed before new insulation goes in.
Most people call me because a room is hot or a ceiling has a stain, and the first thing they want to know is whether the old stuff can stay. Sometimes it can, and I'll tell you so. When it can't, the price comes down to how big the attic is, what kind of insulation is up there and how deep it sits, how wet or dirty it's gotten, and how tight the space is to work in. The schedule mostly turns on whether a roofer or an electrician has to come in first, before new insulation goes down. Your own number and plan come in the written estimate after I've been up there.
Details to note before an estimate
- Rough square footage of the attic
- What kind of insulation is up there
- Any stains, wet spots or musty smell
- Past roof leaks or repairs
How we handle insulation removal
I go up first and look at what's there, because the old insulation decides the job. If it's wet, dirty or worn out, we take it out so whatever's under it, like a roof leak, moldy wood or old wiring, gets found and fixed instead of buried. With the attic cleared, every gap around the recessed lights, pipes and hatch is easy to reach, so we seal those and make sure the vents along the eaves stay open before any new insulation goes back in. If what I find looks like vermiculite, we leave it alone and point you to the specialists who handle that part, because that isn't a job for us.
Removal usually comes right before something else. The same kinds of trouble turn up under the house, so if the floors are cold or the crawl space smells damp, we can look at crawl space insulation while we're there. And if a room stays hot even with a good attic above it, the walls may be close to empty, which is where wall insulation comes in.
Work that often comes up next
Crawl space insulation
Cold floors and a damp smell under the house often come from the same kind of tired or wet insulation we pull out of attics.
Wall insulation
Older walls were often built with little inside them, so a room can stay hot or drafty no matter what's overhead.
What happens after you call about insulation removal in Hawthorne?
Call or send the form
Call (424) 307-8033 or fill out the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out. Mornings, evenings and weekends all work, since we keep long hours seven days a week.
I come out and look
I come out myself and go up into the attic, or the walls or crawl space if that's where the trouble is. I'm checking what's there and what's hiding under it.
You get it in writing
The price and the plan come to you in writing, with anything that should be fixed first, like a roof leak or old wiring, listed up front. You know what you're paying for before you decide anything.
Our crew does the work
The crew covers your floors and belongings, takes out the old insulation, and seals the leaks before any new insulation goes in. I check the work and walk the finished attic with you before we call it done.
What people ask about insulation removal
What does attic insulation removal cost around Los Angeles?
Around Los Angeles, attic insulation removal usually runs about $2 to $3.50 per square foot when the old insulation is dry, has no asbestos in it and is in good shape. Wet or moldy material, a tight attic with little headroom, or a repair that has to happen first can push a job past that, so I put your price and plan in writing after I've seen the space.
Should I remove vermiculite insulation from my attic?
EPA's advice is to leave vermiculite undisturbed. If it does have to come out, EPA says to use a trained, accredited asbestos abatement contractor that's a different company from the one that assessed it. Disturbing it, even just working around it in the attic, can carry fibers into other rooms, so the first decision is whether it needs to come out at all.
How do I know if my attic has vermiculite, and do I need to test it?
Vermiculite is a pebble-like, pour-in insulation, usually gray-brown or silver-gold, and EPA says you don't need more testing to take precautions with it. EPA also notes a professional attic test can be expensive and can give wrong results. Over 70 percent of the vermiculite sold in the US through 1990 came from one mine whose ore held asbestos, so if you see it, plan as if it does.
Who can remove asbestos insulation in California?
Under state rules, asbestos work on 100 square feet or more of material that contains it takes a contractor with the C-22 asbestos abatement classification, or one whose license qualifier has passed the state's asbestos certification exam. A contractor without either can still bid the job if it subcontracts the asbestos part to a licensed firm that's registered with Cal/OSHA and holds the certification or the C-22. On a job that size, you can ask to see the firm's Cal/OSHA asbestos registration. We're fully licensed and insured for insulation work, and we send asbestos jobs to the firms set up for them.
How do I know what needs fixing before new attic insulation goes in?
Look for insulation that's wet from a roof leak, mold on the rafters and old knob and tube wiring, which ENERGY STAR says a professional should correct before the work goes ahead. The wiring matters most, because knob and tube can be a fire hazard when insulation touches it. If I spot any of these, the repair gets planned into the job instead of found halfway through.
Are there local rules for asbestos and insulation work in Hawthorne?
Yes. South Coast AQMD has a renovation rule that sets survey, notification and work practice requirements so asbestos doesn't escape when a building is renovated or torn down. The state Energy Code also covers changes to existing homes, not just new ones, and some of its standards for the home's outer shell depend on which climate zone the house sits in. We're based in Hawthorne and work in the cities around it, including Inglewood, Gardena, Torrance and Redondo Beach.
Get a written plan for your old attic insulation
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time for me to come out and look. The visit and the written estimate are free, and there's no pressure to book once you've read it.
Explore our services and areas
Services
- Spray foam insulation
- Attic insulation
- Blown-in insulation
- Home insulation
- 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
Book your attic insulation removal estimate
Call (424) 307-8033 or send the form, and if you know the attic's rough size or have spotted pebble-like fill or wet spots, tell us so I come ready.