Frederickson Electric has been providing electrical services and solutions to Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula for almost 50 years. Fredrickson’s team of journeyman electricians have an average of 17 years of experience in the field performing residential and commercial electrical systems, solar installations, electric vehicle charging and more. 

When Frederickson joined Comfort Ready Home, they were connected with one of the program’s Field Specialists, who provided free technical assistance on energy-efficiency upgrades and local utility incentive programs, as well as other program resources to help engage customers. “Partnering with like-minded professionals helps us gain insights into the market and stay ahead of the curve,” said Hans Frederickson, President and second-generation owner of the company. “We are always trying to find new and better ways to serve our customers.” 

Recently, the team at Frederickson worked with Comfort Ready Home Field Specialist Troy Zdzieblowski to run a hands-on blower door workshop, to train the employees to accurately  measure the amount of air entering or escaping homes. “Before we do any work, we want to decipher the best way to bring comfort and savings to the customer,” shared Frederickson. “Diagnostic tools like blower door tests and infrared cameras are methods we use to make the invisible visible.” 

Frederickson plans to continue using Comfort Ready Home’s tools and resources to better serve homeowners and builders while expanding into services such as air sealing and improving indoor air quality to meet their customer’s needs. 

If you are interested in bringing a free educational workshop to your company, like the blower door workshop, contact your Field Specialist. 

Time flies, and it’s been one year since Bonneville Power Administration and Northwest utilities launched Comfort Ready Home.

To celebrate, we’re looking back on the ways we’ve helped communities become more energy efficient, healthier and more comfortable through home weatherization, HVAC and water-heating upgrades.

Stutzman Services is dedicated to shaping the future of the water industry, and serves the plumbing, well-water and landscaping needs across Oregon’s central Willamette Valley. With nearly 50 team members, Stutzman Services provides exceptional service with a family-like culture and a focus on efficiency. “We approach our work with the understanding that water is one of life’s most valuable resources,” said Brent Stutzman, co-owner. “From educating our customers on the energy-efficiency benefits of heat pump water heaters to the use of drought-resistant plants in landscaping, we are always looking for ways to advocate for the environment and save our customers money.” 

Founded in 1966, Stutzman Services knows ongoing education and training are essential for managing water responsibly. The company stays ahead of the curve by offering customers new ways to manage water with emerging technologies such as solar water pump systems.

“Joining Comfort Ready Home was an easy decision. We signed up as soon as we learned about it,” said Stutzman. “The program supports our values of elevating our employees with education and training, and delivering excellence to our customers by offering them energy-efficient, money-saving solutions.”

As a growing company, Stutzman Services looks forward to taking advantage of Comfort Ready Home marketing tools and promotions for heat pump water heater installations.

Tyler Redinger set out to start his own plumbing company, Toad’s Plumbing, in April 2021, with 13 years of experience under his belt and the goal of making his customers happy. 

Energy efficiency plays a big role when it comes to making Toad’s customers happy. “I firmly believe in the energy-saving benefits of devices like heat pump water heaters,” said Redinger. “We strive to educate customers on the long-term operational cost savings of heat pump water heaters over standard electric tanks.” Redinger is walking the talk, too: he’ll soon install a heat pump water heater at his home.  

After working for companies focused on newly constructed properties, Redinger recognized an opportunity to focus on increasing energy efficiency in existing homes — and the value of working on both types of projects to maintain a healthy business model. Comfort Ready Home offers, including contractor incentives for installing heat pump water heaters, trainings, and plug-and-play marketing tools, made joining the program an easy choice for Redinger and his growing business. 

When Cisco Narez began his insulation business, he had more than 30 years of experience under his belt and two green employees ready to pitch in — his sons Francisco and Juan — who spent their first year learning the ins and outs of the business.

The key to Cisco and Sons’ growth is the quality of their work. “There’s no cutting corners. We are prompt when scheduling customers, we try to be very professional and we keep our jobs clean, so homeowners are happy,” said Narez. 

Narez earned an excellent reputation through decades of good work installing insulation, and broadened Cisco and Sons’ business offers to set the company apart from the competition. Blower door tests, for example, allow Narez and his crew to show homeowners how leaky their houses are before and after their ductwork is repaired and insulated. Offering air sealing and contracting-out HVAC work, the company also helps customers take advantage of the benefits of weatherization.

To face the challenges of the past year, including delivery delays and increased material costs, Narez uses a mix of old and new tactics to keep the business going strong. He makes sure work continues to meet the expectations that come with his reputation, and future-proofs his business by focusing more on energy efficiency and taking advantage of resources in Comfort Ready Home’s Contractor InfoHub.

Over time, Cisco and Sons hired seven additional employees and upgraded their office in Yakima from a bedroom-size shed to a 15,000-square-foot-shop where they stock up on all sizes of insulation.