Under Construction! All New Content Coming

Hey Nate, Where’ve You Been?

Does it seem like I haven’t been publishing much lately? You are correct! I’m in the middle of rewriting the main website (everything but the blog) to reflect the change from being an insulation contractor to being a Home Performance consultant. Right now the site is a bit schizo, since parts read like a contractor and parts read like Energy Smart is a consultant. I’m working on getting that consistent. 

Reflecting What We’ve Learned

When I use we, I mean mostly me, but also the industry. Building Science doesn’t stay the same, any more than any other branch of science does. So it’s a practice, like doctors have. What you do right out of med school is a lot different from 5, 10, or 20 years later. It’s been over 2 years since I wrote the site, and I’ve learned a TON since then, so there are things that need changing. (The attic ventilation page comes to mind… it’s next.)

So What the Heck Do You Do Now?

What is a Home Performance consultant, you ask? Very simply I help truly diagnose problems with your home and give you solutions that have a high likelihood of working, then help you work with contractors to complete them to my specifications (you would think this would be no big deal, unfortunately, that’s not the case). Since I don’t sell any one product, I’ll recommend what I think will actually solve your problem, rather than telling you my product will do so.

Which brings us to a question you probably have. Why do you want to hire a consultant instead of going straight to a contractor? It’s pretty simple. If you call an insulation contractor for a problem, what do you think the root cause will be? Yep, insulation. (I speak from experience, it was what I knew, and very few people have a good grasp of both insulation and heating/air.) If you call your heating and air guy about a problem, what would you guess he will tell you is the root cause of your problem? Your furnace or air conditioner, of course.

The truth is usually somewhere in between. A contractor has a bias to sell you something, as a consultant I work for YOU, not a contractor, and I disclose conflicts of interest throughout the process, as they are hard to avoid.

Or, you could be someone who has already called an insulation guy and your heating and air guy, and the problem still isn’t fixed. Tired of throwing money at a problem? Spending some quality time on diagnosis first is much more likely to lead to a good result. BUT the person who does it needs to have a good understanding of the systems and forces at work in the home and how they interact. Meaning a good grasp of Building Science. That has been a painful acquisition process, but I’m there now.

So that’s the short version. The long version of what I do, and getting rid of all the references to being a contractor, are what I’m working on now. You’ll also get to read about the science behind Home Performance and begin to grasp the complex thing that is your home.

Sneak Peek!

The first couple of pages have the content up, although they still need a little polish, so forgive some less than Energy Smart standards for the moment. 

1. Pest Control – Did you know Home Performance can substantially reduce unwanted critters in your home? It’s true. Find out how here.
2. Mold and Moisture Problems – Home Performance can also reduce problems with mold in attics and basements, as well as rotting wood and roof leaks from ice dams, in addition to other water problems. Find out how here.

So feel free to poke around, and over the next few weeks I should have it knocked out, then it’s back to blogging!

Want to Get Started?

If you’re interested in getting started with the process of truly solving your hot and cold rooms, icicles, indoor allergies, and so forth, the first step is to fill out this questionnaire! That gets you a substantial discount off the already low cost of an initial consultation. 

Thanks for reading!

Image: Creative Commons Attribution to Vecto2000.com

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