Frequently Asked Questions

Is your insulation subsidy available for walls or crawlspaces?

1. Our incredible subsidized discount is only available to insulate qualifying attics. PGandE has set very specific guidelines which we must follow in order to offer the discount. The good news is that most attics we visit DO qualify for the discount. We will be able to tell you quickly if your attic does, and what the cost will be to insulate your attic either way. The other good news is that PGandE offers a rebate of 15cents per square foot for any insulation work you do in your home. This includes basements, crawlspaces, walls, and attic that may not qualify for the larger subsidized discount.

Do I need wall or floor insulation?

2. Possibly. Depending on your specific home, floor and/or wall insulation may or make not be the highest priority in moving toward your goals. Properly assessing and/or testing your home will enable us to determine the most cost-effective measures to making your home more comfortable, healthy, and efficient.

What is the most effective and eco-friendly insulation?

3. We use a few different types of insulation in our work, depending on the needs of your specific situation. Most of our insulation work calls for cellulose insulation, which is approximately 85% post-consumer recycled paper and 15% inert, non-toxic, hypo-allergenic borates. (The borates make the insulation fire and pest-retardent.) We never use insulation products with formaldehyde or any other carcinogenic substances. We are also always happy to meet any specific needs or goals you may have for your home.

How much does it cost?

4. Schedule one of our free assessments and we’ll visit your home, discuss your needs and goals, and put together a complimentary quote for you that prices out our exact recommendations. Every home is different and the market is always shifting, so pricing can sometimes vary from one customer to the next. We will always discuss with you what we consider to be the most fair and cost-effective methods to help you reach your goals.

How long will it take?

5. This depends on the specific work. A standard attic insulation job ranges from one half day to a couple days. A remodel or extensive installation can take a week or two or more, depending on all the details. We’re very good about telling you up front how long we think the work we’re discussing will take, and working with your schedule to make it as low-impact as possible. Occasionally during our work we’ll discover some element that adds time to a repair or installation. If anything needs to change from our original plan, we will discuss it with you to make sure we’re all on the same page before proceeding, as well as work out all the scheduling and financial details.

Do you offer any sort of payment plan or financing?

6. Yes! We are always happy to work with your budget. Just let us know your needs, and we’ll work with you to devise a personalized payment and/or financing plan. Our primary goal is to help you improve the comfort, health, and efficiency of your home. We do our best to make sure that money does not get in the way.

How much will we save on our energy bills?

7. It depends. Although this is a terrific question, unfortunately there are simply too many variables in any given home to be able to provide you with a clear and accurate answer. Just a few of the variables that we can’t ever fully predict include: your utility use, the constantly-changing price of utilities, and the weather! We can tell you that all of our work is aimed at creating increased efficiency and an improved quality of life within your home. Some of our work provides dramatic and immediately noticeable improvements, both in your home’s environment and in your utility bills. Other work is more subtle. We encourage all of our customers to pay very close attention to your experience in your home, as well as your utility bills before and after our work, then please share the comparison with us. Please also check out our “testimonials” section for specific customer feedback.

Will insulation make our home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter?

8. Yes! The exact same home improvement measures that help make your home more comfortable, healthy, and efficient in the winter help achieve these same goals in the summer. A properly air sealed, weatherized, and insulated home performs well all year round, through hot and cold spells alike!

Will our home feel different right away?

9. This depends on what condition your home is in when we start, and what work we do. If we button up your drafty home and take your attic, floors, or walls from little or no insulation to fully insulated, you will most likely notice a huge difference immediately. If we repair your leaky duct system and tune up or replace your oversized and inefficient furnace, you will most likely notice less dust, suffer fewer respiratory issues, and see a significant savings in your heating bill as soon as you start using your upgraded system. If we replace your conventional water heater with a solar thermal system, you won’t notice any difference in your home’s environment, but you will most likely see a significant savings in your water heating bill right away.

Will air sealing make our home less drafty?

10. Yes. Depending on your home’s specific circumstances, proper weatherization and air sealing can make a huge improvement in your home’s energy efficiency. Combined with proper insulation, air sealing can help your home perform at its peak, making it more comfortable, healthy, and efficient!

Can you help with our plumbing or electrical (or other) issues?

11. Yes! We are General Contractors with extensive experience and expertise in nearly every element of building and maintaining your home. We are happy to provide you with a bid for any of your home repair and improvement measures.

Does PG&E provide rebates for any of this?

12. Yes! PG&E, as well as the State of California and the Federal Government have an ever-changing variety of rebates and credits available for various home improvement and home efficiency measures we may recommend. We always do our best to keep up-to-date with what’s available, and help you take advantage of any possible savings. We also invite you to visit www.pge.com, www.irs.gov, and www.energy.ca.gov for further information.

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Resources

• Attic and Walls
  • Attic insulation
  • Attic access
  • Cellulose spec sheet Wall insulation
• Crawlspaces and Moisture
  • Basement insulation
  • Crawlspace insulation
  • Crawlspace venting information
  • EPA Mold Guide
• Ducts and Furnace
  • Duct sealing
• Renewable Energy
  • Solar thermal
  • Solar PV

Rebates and Credits

• IRS Efficiency Tax credits
• PG&E Efficiency Rebate Catalog
• PG&E Rebate Application
• Berkeley RECO Guide