Rising Sun Energy Center

Have you used Rising Sun Energy Center?

Oct 2007

Has anyone used the subsidized insulation program through Rising Sun Energy Center? Everything I've read about insulation stresses that proper installation is vital to effectiveness, so I'd like to make sure they'll do a reasonably good job before going with them. N.

Rising Sun insulated my attic last year and did a good enough job for me to pass the City of Berkeley's RECO inspection. They made enough of a mess, however, that even my contractor complained (!), and I found little bits of the blown-in material all over for some time. Dvir is a sweetheart, however, so you can talk with him about this before/during/after; I wasn't there when they finished... Good luck!

Good experience with Rising Sun Energy Center

Nov 2006

I just had a wonderful experience insulating the attic in my house. The previous owner's insulation contractor had done a sub-standard job applying blown-in insulation. The upstairs bedroom had virtually no insulation; it was very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Since I wanted to get the job right this time, I was determined to find a capable contractor. I consulted BPN postings on insulation contractors. Several contractors, including one recommended on the site, came to give estimates. I also did Internet searches on insulation types. During the latter process, I found an excellent article, http://homeenergy.org/archive/hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/00/001112.html, on quality control (or the lack thereof) in blown insulation jobs. I asked all the contractors who had provided estimates about their quality control for blown insulation; none of them had any.

By calling the City of Berkeley and speaking with a very helpful person, named Alice La Pierre, I learned about a subsidized program for attic insulation through Rising Sun Energy Center and its contractor Advanced Home Energy. I couldn't speak more highly of the AHE contractor, Dvir Brakha (510-260-5375), who routinely includes quality control of his jobs. Part of my attic had an access problem that none of the other insulation contractors were equipped to tackle. Dvir not only took the time to competently address this problem, but went beyond what the other contractors proposed to do in insulating the space. He was also a pleasure to deal with. Add to that that Rising Sun has a rebate program, so that a job that normally would have cost $1,100, cost me only $400 and you've got a winner. I am astonished by the impact of effective insulation on the comfort of my house. I knew it would make a difference, but this is like moving into a new house! Joan