Anne Bolte
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Chestnut Street, Brattleboro"I guess my home energy retrofit started back in 2009 or so, when I had a free energy assessment done by Paul Cameron and the Brattleboro Energy Committee. They recommended that I have my empty walls insulated. I had been stubbornly laboring under the notion that having a well insulated attic was enough. However, much to my chagrin, and despite my thermostat being set down at 62°F, I was frequently hearing my steam radiators whistling along and my mind was filled with visions of my money running down the street. Paul Cameron was very persistent in trying to get me to do the work, but I didn't.
"Then in 2010 a friend of mine had her house tightened up. Now I am not generally a jealous person, but I was so jealous of her having a tight house and me not. So I had my friend's auditor do a full energy audit on my house. Their insulation job cost estimate came in at over $18,000! What would I do? "Lucky for me, I hired Tad Montgomery as a consultant and he suggested that there might be someone who could do the job cheaper. The first contractor would have done excellent work, but I needed a Chevy, not a Cadillac. I hired Dick Cartelli, the Draft Detective, and he did wonderful work -- blew cellulose into all of my walls, insulated my basement, fixed a leak in my foundation, discovered a hole in my sewer pipe that was about ready to fall apart, and added insulation to my attic and the knee walls in my second floor. The total job came to under $9,000, and Dick and his assistant Tom Macon were fun to work with. Now my thermostat is still at 62°F but my house feels less drafty and much more comfortable. But best of all - it's now quiet in my house! I almost never hear my furnace firing up or my radiators cranking! I wish I had had the work done years ago." -- Anne Bolte, Happily Retired |
Carmen Berelson & John Wilmerding
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High Street, Brattleboro
"Tad advised us regarding the replacement of a hot water system in our home. His input enabled us to make an informed decision and arrive at the most energy-efficient solution while keeping the price quite reasonable. Our hope now is to do an energy retrofit for our whole house."
-- Carmen Berelson, Translator |
Barry Aleshnick & family
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Melendy Hill Road, Guilford
"I had an energy audit done in 2011, but I was not comfortable with the results. A long and expensive list of insulation/weatherization measures was proposed by the auditor and I was not sure of the value of some of the suggestions. Also, I was told that it was unlikely that I'd get the state rebates if I did the work myself. This didn't sit well with me, being a dedicated do-it-yourselfer, so I sat on the audit for a long while and didn't do anything about it .
"Then I talked with Tad Montgomery of Home Energy Advocates. I've known and worked with Tad for years through the Southern Vermont biofuels cooperative and when I heard he was helping people do major energy retrofits I called him up for advice and guidance. He came over and reviewed the audit in minute detail and he spent a good bit of time with me examining my house and what energy savings measures make sense, both from the financial and comfort standpoints. He then suggested a specific contractor he knew who has an interest in helping do-it-yourselfers like me. The three of us developed a scope of work that is much more in line with my budget and DIY carpentry skills. And the great thing is that the State now has a special program whereby DIY'ers can get the rebates for insulation/weatherization work if we do it under the supervision of a certified contractor. I never would have known this without Tad & HEA, and it has saved me substantial money and will help my house to be a lot more comfortable. Next on the list is thinking about installing solar electric, which Tad says can have an investment return of over 11%." -- Barry Aleshnick, Co-Founder, Brattleboro Area Biofuels Cooperative |
Lisa & Doug Cox
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Sunset Lake Road, Brattleboro
“Home Energy Advocates (HEA)
is a pleasure to work with: generous with their time and always ready to
explore the best and most economical way to accomplish our objectives. They
clearly researched the different ways to approach the set of problems we laid
before them, brought in the right contractors, and set our project on track for
timely completion. Their broad knowledge and expertise provided us with just
the foundation we needed to move forward. We recommend HEA highly.”
-- Doug Cox, Violin Maker & President of the Arts Council of Windham County, and Lisa Cox, Classicist & History Professor |
Tabachnikoff/Holch Household
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Prospect Street, Brattleboro
"Tad, I want people to know how helpful Home Energy Advocates has been to me in terms of what you once said you do best. You absolutely do "MAKE THINGS HAPPEN," and have, and I am so very grateful for all the balls that are now in motion. I truly appreciate all of your expertise and thoughtful feedback and time and energy, your thoughtful conversations, the contemplation you've done on our behalf, and everything you've helped us achieve.
"And I've learned so much working with you about home heating and efficiency, knowledge which I know will proved beneficial in the years and even decades to come. When (daughter) Chaya buys a home I will not let her go forward with superficial, cosmetic work before she does the necessary, invisible work to keep a home warm and affordable. (I wish my parents had advised me better.) "Again, thank you so very much, Tad, for all of your help and support these past few months. You've been really, really, really helpful and I want you to know how much I appreciate the knowledge and guidance you've given me!!" --Tanya Tabachnikoff, Counselor |
Witman Household
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Blakeslee Street, Brattleboro
“I wanted to reduce my dependence on fossil fuels, but was overwhelmed by the many possible ‘next steps.’ HEA came along and simplified the process. They connected me with professionals who knew what my home needed, and were always positive and respectful about working within my limited budget. It can be done!”
-- Amanda Witman, Writer & Mother |
