Category: InfoHub Announcement
Integrating air sealing into your business offers is a great way to add to your existing jobs and provide better value to your customers.
RichArt Builders in Vancouver, WA sees air sealing as a necessary component of any insulation job. According to weatherization manager, Mike McMahon, the company offers duct sealing, air sealing, ventilation and insulation because these measures tend to complement each other.
During a weatherization job in Clark County, McMahon discovered the home had no existing floor insulation and minimal attic insulation, making it an ideal situation to perform effective air sealing. He recognized the homeowner would benefit from a noticeable improvement in comfort, and also save money on their utility bill after the air sealing and insulation project was complete.
McMahon and his crew found significant areas of air loss in the crawlspace and several large openings in the attic. In the attic, they discovered many of the home’s interior walls were wide open on top, which allowed cold winter air to drop into the living space, making the home much more difficult to keep warm and maintain a comfortable temperature. The team’s air-sealing strategy was to effectively cap off the walls and insulate over the top to create a continuous blanket of insulation that retained the home’s heat. This comprehensive approach to weatherization satisfies customers through improved comfort, which means more referrals and less callbacks for contractors.
RichArt Builders provided additional value by specifying and installing exhaust ventilation, and calibrating the fans to control moisture and ensure the proper amount of fresh air flowed through the home.
Thinking about expanding your offers? Comfort Ready Home provides training, a field guide, marketing tools and technical assistance to add air sealing — along with other weatherization, HVAC and high-efficiency water-heating to your services — all at no cost. Visit the Contractor InfoHub or contact a Field Specialist in your area.
As a weatherization, HVAC or high-efficiency water-heating contractor, you are a go-to resource for homeowners who want to make improvements that increase the comfort of their homes and help them save on utility bills. Expanding your knowledge and honing your proficiency with these installations is a great way to create and capitalize on more business opportunities.
Joining Comfort Ready Home gives you access to resources to give you a leg up on the competition, including:
- A listing in the searchable contractor database.
- The online Learning Center, which features a growing list of sales and technical training courses.
- The comprehensive Comfort Ready Home Field Guide.
- A specialized marketing toolkit, which can help you boost your presence in your community and online.
- Customized support from a Field Specialist in your region.
If you’re interested in learning more, the introductory Contractor Orientation course provides an overview of the features and benefits of joining the program. The training module will guide you through enrollment to become a participating contractor and provide you with resources and support to help ensure your success in the field.
The Contractor Orientation course, along with all other program materials, are available at no cost to contractors in BPA’s territory.
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of Comfort Ready Home, a new partnership between Northwest utilities and Bonneville Power Administration, that’s all about affordable home energy-efficiency upgrades.
What is Comfort Ready Home?
Comfort Ready Home is a residential weatherization and energy-efficiency resource, which provides contractors, utilities and homeowners with free tools, trainings, connections and support.
What’s in it for me?
Comfort Ready Home will help contractors use energy-efficient installations to differentiate their business. Within the Contractor InfoHub, you’ll find the online training center, comprehensive Comfort Ready Home Field Guide, a specialized marketing toolkit to help grow your customer base and more. When you join Comfort Ready Home’s contractor network, you’ll get access to local homeowners who want to make weatherization, HVAC and water-heating upgrades. You’ll also receive the tools, training and support to perform energy-efficient installations with confidence.
For utility representatives, Comfort Ready Home offers a menu of services to enhance your residential programs and generate more savings. In the Utility Center, you’ll find dedicated Field Specialist support, the Comfort Ready Home Field Guide and links to relevant resources. You can also download the utility marketing toolkit, which contains easy-to-use templates and materials to help promote your programs to customers.
If you’re a homeowner, the benefits of upgrading your insulation, windows, HVAC and water heating are clear: you’ll enjoy increased comfort and lower utility bills. Start by browsing the Comfort Ready Home Product Guides to find an upgrade that fits your needs and budget. Then, connect with your utility to see what incentives are available to helps you start saving right away.
There’s more to come
Over the next year, we’ll introduce features such as a searchable contractor database, webinars, workshops, DIY resources and more. Never miss an announcement: sign up for the Comfort Ready Home email newsletter at ComfortReadyHome.com/email.
