Dave Hoh's Home Comfort & Energy Experts Q&A

A home performance company looks at your home as a complete system to identify the causes of energy loss, uncomfortable rooms, drafts, moisture, humidity, and indoor air quality problems. Rather than simply treating one symptom, we look for the underlying issues and recommend solutions to help your home perform better. Our services include home energy evaluations, attic insulation and air sealing, blown-in cellulose insulation, spray foam insulation, crawlspace encapsulation, crawlspace insulation, duct sealing and insulation, rim joist insulation, kneewall and cantilever insulation, moisture and humidity control, dehumidification, air purification, and indoor air quality solutions. Our goal is to help make your home more comfortable, energy efficient, healthier, and help lower your energy bills.

Air sealing is the process of finding and sealing unwanted gaps, cracks, holes, and penetrations that allow air to move between your conditioned living space and unconditioned areas of your home. During the winter, the stack effect causes warm, conditioned air to rise and escape through openings in the upper areas of your home, such as the attic. As this air escapes, outside air is pulled into the home through lower areas, including crawl spaces, basements, and rim joists. Unsealed gaps around top plates, wall plates, plumbing and electrical penetrations, and other openings can contribute to this unwanted air movement. Proper air sealing helps reduce air leakage, improve comfort and energy efficiency, and potentially lower energy bills. That's why we never insulate an attic before properly addressing air leaks.

High energy bills can be caused by air leaks, inadequate insulation, inefficient or leaky ductwork, and other conditions that cause your HVAC system to work harder than necessary. A home performance evaluation can identify where your home may be losing energy and help determine which improvements can make your home more energy efficient, comfortable, and affordable to heat and cool.

Uneven temperatures throughout your home can be caused by insufficient insulation, air leaks, leaky or poorly insulated ductwork, inadequate ventilation, crawl space issues, or other problems with your home's building envelope. These issues can make some rooms difficult to heat or cool and can also contribute to higher energy bills. A professional home evaluation can help identify the underlying cause and determine the right solution. We offer FREE Home Evaluations to help homeowners identify comfort and energy-efficiency problems in their homes.