Celebrating 50 years of Great Service

Originally started in 1975 by Jerry Page, Total Comfort Weatherization was created with the vision of insulating every wall in the Mid-Willamette Valley. Total Comfort representative Jeremy Anderson recalls the story, “Back then, Jerry thought he could insulate every home in 10 to 15 years and quickly realized there was a lot more to it.” What he discovered was that homeowners had a wide range of needs beyond just insulation, and meeting those needs became the foundation for the company’s growth.

The Business of a Safe & Comfortable Home

Today, Total Comfort Weatherization handles everything from attic and wall insulation to HVAC, windows, siding, roofing, and, most recently, heat pump water heaters. The one thing that has never changed? Their commitment to educating homeowners, not upselling them.

“We’re not here to sell our customer something they don’t need,” says Jeremy. “We want to help them make their homes better at reasonable prices. We have been building out our services to support that.” This philosophy has helped Total Comfort build trust in the community and remain a go-to resource for families looking to improve their homes.

Effective Partnerships = Customer Satisfaction

Total Comfort pride themselves on their product and service. That’s why they go the extra mile to work with local programs and utilities to provide their customers with the best.

Collaborating with local utilities and programs like Comfort Ready Home brings rebates and support to Total Comfort’s customers. It also provides opportunities for them to stay ahead of the curve on technologies and other energy efficiency pathways that can help homeowners save energy and live more comfortably.

Tanner and Desiree Lindstrom are the dynamic duo at the helm of Kennewick-based Columbia River Plumbing. Together, they bring a perfect blend of diverse and complementary skills to their business: Tanner is a seasoned plumber with over 29 years of experience and Desiree has a background in banking and mortgages.

Forging a Path
In 2009, already well into his plumbing career, Tanner made the decision to strike out on his own. He figured his hands-on, customer-focused approach had given him plenty of insights that would help him build a successful business. And with Desiree’s solid understanding of business and finance, the two were set to begin their new adventure.

The Sweet Spot
With newfound success and a growing business through referrals, Tanner and Desiree were able to expand their team to 18 employees. They focused on balance: growing the business organically while maintaining the small business mindset and dedication to customer service. In the process, they discovered that hiring the right people made it easier to keep their teams happy and enthusiastic.

Profitability with Purpose
By keeping their business at a manageable size, Tanner and Desiree are able to stay responsive to customers’ needs and ensure they’re supporting their team’s goals along the way. This has led Columbia River Plumbing to work with programs like Comfort Ready Home to make energy-efficient upgrades and utility rebates more accessible for their customers. For the Lindstroms, it’s about building a business that serves the community and values the people who make that service possible.

With more Northwest utilities and contractors prioritizing home energy efficiency and weatherization, the Comfort Ready Home field team has made adjustments to bolster support throughout the region. Three Field Specialists, Aaron Lazelle, Colton Taxdahl, and Miesha Yagle, have joined the team this year and changes have been made to territory boundaries.

Adding Aaron, Colton and Miesha helps us be responsive as we aim to provide balanced support throughout the Northwest for utilities, contractors and residents alike. These three bring experience and passion to their roles, and their unique perspectives complement the work of their colleagues to further elevate BPA’s Comfort Ready Home program.

Aaron Lazelle

Field Specialist, NE Washington and Northern Idaho

Aaron steps into the role with a rich background that spans over two decades in construction and energy efficiency. His diverse experience includes program design, small business outreach, and work with rural communities and community-based organizations. He has also been a home performance contractor, working on projects ranging from HVAC retrofits and energy efficiency remodels to environmental site assessments.

Notably, Aaron has also worked on a variety of federal and regional energy projects and programs, including contributions to the design of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)-funded community block grant programs through the Department of Energy. This multifaceted experience makes him well positioned to support the utilities and contractors in his region.

Colton Taxdahl

Field Specialist, Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon

Colton’s understanding of the HVAC industry is deep rooted. Growing up, his father owned and operated an HVAC company; prior to joining Comfort Ready Home, Colton worked as an energy specialist focused on enhancing the efficiency of school district fleets. He brings his passion for helping people and his understanding of energy efficiency, backed by his years of experience.

As a Field Specialist, Colton supports, trains, and assists HVAC contractors and utility companies around Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon. His goals include maintaining relationships with trade allies and doing his part to ensure that homeowners in his region have the information, connections, and confidence they need to make energy-efficiency upgrades.

Miesha Yagle

Field Specialist, Northwest Washington and Olympic Peninsula

Miesha brings a wealth of experience in commercial HVAC to her new role. She built her career as a service technician and project manager, earning certification as an HVAC&R professional and a Building Trades Journeyman.

Her hands-on knowledge, technical proficiency and creative approach to problem solving have proven invaluable in her transition to the residential sector. Her creativity has helped build excitement for energy efficiency in her region, and she looks forward to nurturing continued growth.

Who They Are
Peak Heat Pumps & Electric is a woman-owned and family-operated team serving Corvallis, OR, and the surrounding Mid-Willamette Valley. At the helm are Gretchen and Brian, a husband-and-wife duo who bring years of expertise and a dedication to comfort and safety to every home they work on. For the Peak team, business as usual means an abiding respect for the people and homes at the heart of their community.

Making the Connection
Brian and Gretchen’s service mindset goes beyond their business as Peak Heat Pumps & Electric. Their passion extends to nurturing connections between community based organizations like Verde Builds, Seeds for the Sol and local utility rebate programs. They have seen firsthand how combined efforts make larger impacts and reach more people.

From Plan to Project
A sample of their work in the last year included converting an eight-unit apartment from electric resistance heaters to the efficient ductless heat pumps. The switch came at a fraction of market cost because they utilized rebates and incentives on the initial investment. The project will save tenants more than 43,000 kWh annually.

Peak Insight
The Peak Heat Pumps & Electric team stays ahead of the market by continually learning and adapting. By utilizing program resources like Comfort Ready Home’s Learning Center and email newsletters, they stay in the loop on qualifying products, available continuing education units and installation specifications. This dedication to excellence on and off the jobsite keeps their customers happy and strengthens their community.

We are proud to support and recognize the women-owned businesses participating in the Comfort Ready Home Contractor Network.

Comfort Ready Home’s Field Team Manager, Mike Hughes, grew up learning about energy. With his father working as an energy educator for Eugene Water & Electric Board in Oregon, Mike’s path was paved with lessons in conservation and innovation. Soon, he found himself teaching his own classes on storm window construction at the local high school.

Later, Mike began working for Eugene Water & Electric Board. He focused on the practicalities of energy conservation as he insulated electric resistance water heaters and canvassed neighborhoods promoting efficiency measures through local programs. These experiences, along with his father’s influence, fueled Mike’s passion for the field and his work in energy management. He spent a decade working for the utility followed by several years with an electrical contractor.

Aside from his professional life, Mike finds comfort in simplicity. Some of the projects he enjoys include refurbishing his greenhouse, remodeling his home, and taking weekend trips in his trailer.

To get in touch with Mike and learn more about how Comfort Ready Home works with distributors and contractors, send us a message.

A Business Built on Trust

Erin Ennis’s journey into owning her own business was serendipitous. She stumbled into the construction industry while seeking opportunities to enhance her own home; with her background in sales and entrepreneurship, she was able to turn her newfound fascination into an occupation. Her motivation? The opportunity to add value in homeowners’ lives through comfort and savings.

Erin became the owner of Energy Exteriors NW, a home exterior remodeling contractor in Bothell, WA, in 2014. For more than 10 years, she and her team have been building rapport with customers through empathy and unparalleled service and craft. Erin says, “Every time we are working with a customer we are building a portfolio of trust. When we receive 5 stars and a happy client, we know we added to our portfolio.”

Making the difference

As a woman in the trades, Erin leverages her unique perspective to connect emotionally with homeowners. She emphasizes integrity and reliability in her work, and her experienced team shares her values, ensuring every project is a perfect balance of heart and science.

Community Connections

When Erin isn’t building her own team of female leaders, she is strengthening the woman-led workforce through organizations that share her passion. In 2024, Energy Exteriors NW is sponsoring Women Build, a Habitat Humanity initiative in which teams of women volunteer to learn skills while directly creating affordable housing. Erin also holds a Golden Elite Membership with the Business Ladies of Society and continues her lifelong membership with Camp Fire Snohomish County.

As her journey continues, Erin continues to be a catalyst for those getting started in the industry and looks to provide ongoing support as they grow.

We are proud to support and recognize the women-owned businesses participating in the Comfort Ready Home Contractor Network.

For over 13 years, Sarah Moscatello has owned and operated The Heat Pump Store, one of the premier HVAC companies in the Pacific Northwest. Headquartered in Northeast Portland, and with locations up and down the Willamette Valley, her business has long specialized in designing and installing ductless heat pump systems.

Starting in 2011 with five employees, The Heat Pump Store’s approach focused exclusively on ductless heat pump technology. This set their business model apart from virtually all the other HVAC contractors in the region and allowed them to scale their business dramatically. Today, the company offers both ductless and ducted HVAC systems from multiple brands and the team numbers more than thirty employees.

Sarah got her start in the industry by working for a utility program implementation company, where she marketed ENERGY STAR® certified HVAC technologies. She was drawn to showcasing a more energy-efficient approach to heating and cooling for homeowners. “Incentives are a big part of our business,” Sarah says when asked about how utility programs like Comfort Ready Home support her efforts. “Everyone wants to save money when making a large purchase like this!” Calling on Comfort Ready Home Field Specialist Nick Phillips allows her sales team to stay informed about the latest utility offerings and ways to take advantage of utility programs.

And even though The Heat Pump Store doesn’t offer weatherization services directly, Sarah says it’s a topic that is almost always discussed during the sales process. “Weatherization can have a dramatic effect on HVAC equipment selection, system sizing, comfort and operating costs,” she says. This adds an extra level of care and personalization to consultations, a clear demonstration of the business’ customer-first approach.

Although women-owned HVAC businesses are relatively rare, Sarah sees a benefit to running her own company. “I think it actually works to our advantage, as we often find that women are making the purchasing decisions in their home. Taking care of our customers is really important to us and trust is a big part of that.” Given The Heat Pump Store’s growth and glowing reviews, Sarah’s approach is spot-on.

We are proud to support and recognize the women-owned businesses participating in the Comfort Ready Home Contractor Network.