Conservation Services Group Inc

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The contractors did a good job

We took full advantage of the rebate program and had @ $4000 worth of insulation done to our old house. Our cost was @ $1500 after the rebates. It was a 1400 square foot home with a full basement unfinished. Needed 6 inches of blown in insulation in the attic, the walls had zero which we also had blown in. Air sealed the attic and the knee wall (basement/foundation). The recommendation and services for the insulation done thru Enersol cut our natural gas bill by 2/3rds. Excellent program!

Francois Nesli of Conservation Services Group performed the energy assessment program for our house. We received a detailed report with recommendations, the efficiency light bulbs as well as recommendations for the service providers to insulate our house etc. Francois was professional, always on time, communicated well via both email and phone, it was all a great experience. He even helped my husband hang a complicated hand-made light fixture which was not part of the job! :)

I am an advocate for energy conservation but I hesitated over the years to implement the recommendations because I heard stories of poor work from friends. I had questions about the and quot;scienceand quot; of the audits because the expertise of the auditors and their recommendations varied. For example, one auditor advised not to do the blower door test because the size of the basement pipes suggested that the heating system might originally have been steam and asbestos was probably used to insulate the pipes. Two other auditors dismissed the concern. I found the city records and it confirmed that the original heating system had been steam and so, even though there was no visible asbestos now, it might be in the wall cavities. Thus, it was not a good idea to stir it up with a blower door test. One auditor said that the crawl space was a dirt floor and I was not eligible for the rebates. Another auditor saw that it was concrete so I was eligible. Also, the CSG contract language was not user-friendly so it was hard for me to understand exactly what the contractor would be doing.
In 2011, CSG Field Manager Mark Pignatelli, was extremely responsive and patient. He wrote more detailed specifications in response to my questions, especially the waiver about the water pipes, and he agreed to be on site when the water pipes were being insulated. The process included assistance with getting a no interest loan. CSG also would provide a follow up inspection so I finally decided to go ahead with the recommendations: installing a new heating system and air sealing and insulation the attic floor. First I had to hire a carpenter to do the necessary preparation work to correct a code violation (to vent a bathroom fan to the outside), to reinforce the walls and ceiling framing over the 3rd floor stairway, remove and patch some floor boards, raise junction boxes, and to add soffit vents in the attic (Excellent work by M Obrien $2736).
McEachern Inc did the insulation project and I thought all was well.
[In 2013 I was disappointed to learn that the new heating system ($9,400.00) contributed to degrading the chimney liner and that I needed to a new chimney flue ($1900). I learned that it is a predictable result of the new high-efficiency boilers so I wish one of the experts had warned me about it. I called the Mass Saves loan program to see if I could add the expense to my loan and they said and quot;no.and quot; ]
CURRENT PROBLEM: In the winter of 2014 I had a massive ice dam on the roof that caused serious gutter damage. Since air sealing and insulating the attic floor was intended to prevent air leaks and heat transfer so that the attic would be cold and therefore prevent severe ice dams, I was very concerned. I called CSG to come inspect the attic for possible problems. CSG said I could have another audit. The person came, said the attic was fine, and put in some energy efficient bulbs. I felt confident enough in her reassurance to send in a deposit for a wall insulation project and requested the same contractor, McEachern. (I've since lost confidence in CSG and McEachern, changed my mind and rec'd the deposit back.)
Then, in anticipation of the insurance adjuster, I crawled around the attic to check under the roof where the ice dam had been. I discovered an uninsulated section of wall. On the other side of the wall was a radiator in a small bathroom.
I emailed and called CSG to ask if the auditor had seen it and have yet to get an answer. CSG agreed to send out an inspector. I showed him the uninsulated wall and he dismissed the connection between the wall and the ice dam directly above it. David Catanese, QA/QC Field Manager, and I had a series of emails and phone calls regarding the fact that the air sealing and insulation project had not insulated that wall area (therefore the thermal envelope was incomplete) and that CSG had certified it as a complete job. David repeatedly said that the project was done to specifications. I asked if thermal imaging had been used to check the integrity of the thermal envelope, but CSG had no records of it.
Insurance will cover only the expense of replacing the damaged gutter (and not the whole system that the contractor advised) and I have a $1000 deductible. I consulted two experts who provided me with information that connected the uninsulated wall and the ice dam. I submitted an appeal to CSG. See below. David sent it to Harrison Grubbs, Program Director for CSG who denied responsibility for the damage.
I thought that CSG should at least take responsibility for the problem, pay my $1000 deductible (if not the whole expense of the gutter system) and review its quality control processor other homeowners would be at risk for inadequate work. (David did arrange for the wall to be insulated.)
May 16, 2014, Dear David,
As we discussed, I am sending you this letter to appeal the CSG position regarding responsibility for my losses related to the gutter damage from the ice dam above the uninsulated wall. Please see the expert comments and attached letter. I look forward to your reply. Ellie Goldberg, 617 965-9637
To: Conservation Services Group
May 16, 2014
Losses related to gutter damage from incomplete thermal envelope
To whom it may concern: I request that CSG review its position on its responsibility to protect me, as the homeowner, from losses that result from an incomplete air sealing/insulation project, and from quality control inspections that did not identify and address the problem yet certified the project. I request that CSG acknowledge that the project was intended to create a thermal envelope to prevent heat transfer into the attic space but it did not. And, therefore, the heat transfer contributed to the extremely large ice dam directly above it, causing extensive gutter damage. My roofer’s proposal for new gutters is twice the amount that the insurance covers. The roofer recommends replacing the entire gutter system while the insurance pays for replacing only the gutters that were damaged. There is also a $1000.00 deductible. I consulted with Lisa Goodwin Robbins, RA CCS LEED, Associate Principal, Kalin Associates, 1121 Washington St, Newton, MA 02465, a registered architect, CSI-certified construction specifier, and LEED-accredited professional with more than 15 years experience in specification writing, with a focus on projects seeking LEED certification. After an inspection, Ms. Goodwin Robbins confirmed that the lack of insulation of the knee wall was a problem because the thermal envelope was incomplete. The contractor should have insulated that area of wall to prevent air leaking and heat transfer that cause ice dams.
Ms. Goodwin Robbins inquired if thermal imaging had been used for quality control to verify the integrity of the thermal envelope. She said that a proper quality control inspection should have identified the problem at the time. I have no records of any of the CSG inspectors or auditors using a thermal imaging device to inspect or certify the quality of my home project nor does CSG. I also consulted Jay Walter, ENTASIS Architects PC, Newton, MA. He wrote the attached letter confirming that the lack of insulation of the knee wall was a breech of the thermal envelope. Furthermore, he concluded that it was a source of the heat directly under that ice dam. Both architects recommend that the wall be insulated as it should have been during the 2011 project. I appreciate that you have arranged for the problem to be fixed and I have an appointment on May 20 with Tony Santos who is coming to determine the specifications for insulating the wall. However, insulating the wall now does not address the significant losses related to the gutter damage caused by the ice dam. Given the expert input from Walter and Goodwin Robbins, I am hoping you will review your decision regarding responsibility for the damage to my home.Yours truly,

ENTASIS PC ARCHITECTS Jay C. Walter AIA 83 Pemb

CSG performed an energy audit of our house. The specialist was very professional, prompt and very responsive to questions even weeks after the audits. He made sure everything was done correctly and very helpful in seeing subsequent work in process. Highly recommend them.

The auditor was prompt, energetic, and courteous. He did a comprehensive analysis and presented several options for energy savings. He presented the plan for establishing contact with a contractor clearly, and made sure that I knew how to contact him if I had questions or concerns. The only reason for concern was a detail in the contract (for air sealing and attic insulation) which had locked in prices for a month. I did not choose to do the work until approx 3 months later. There was a contract clause that explicitly stated that the contract was void after 30 days. I was told that yes, this was what it said, but that prices had not changed, so just to go ahead and sign the original contract and all would be well. I was reluctant to do so, but the rep was persistent in saying it was no problem. I called back a few days later and said that I was not comfortable with the void clause and needed a new contract. After a bit more polite resistance the representative finally said they would check with their manager. He called back a few hours later and confirmed that a new contract would be sent. I am puzzled by this experience, as everything else had gone so smoothly. I take it for self-evident that a void clause cannot be ignored.

Fine. No problems.

They were very quick in scheduling us for the first consult. The man came out and spent about 3 hours going through the house with infrared cameras and other items to see what we needed. We found out that the house had zero insulation, which was why we called MASS SAVES. (I found out about Mass Saves from Angies List!) They gave us the paperwork that day for us to look over and told us how much downpayment would be needed. Once we signed everything, over the next few weeks, and sent in the check, the electrician came out. We paid a flat fee for him and he spent hours with my husband pulling knob and tube in the unfinished attic.
Once the electric was satisfactory, then we got a call from one construction company saying they'd be out in January, which was unaccpetable to us since we began this process in June. Come to find out, the work has to be performed within 60 days of the signed contract, so CSG found someone else. They scheduled us about 3 weeks out which brings us to Halloween.
When the contractors had questions about the work to be performed, they called someone at CSG and they immediately responded so we wouldn't have to wait on any of the work.
We maxed out on our rebate, but at this time next year, we can apply to finish the unfinished attic and get some insulation up there.

They are prompt. I would recommend them to anyone wanting to get an energy audit.

This was for a free energy audit. He was very thorough. He found things that another company we had could not find. He went up into our attic and he said that there was a small portion of insulation and may very well be vermiculite. He said it would not be worth it to insulate our entire attic or any of the other areas. He inspected the furnaces very carefully and had found that something was running ongoing. He was not able to give service provider recommendations due to his job.

I was referred to them through an insulation company. The insulation cost would have been $2000 but through this program I qualified for a discount and only had to pay $500. I was lucky to find this program and qualify for the discount. It is funded through M-Star, so I would not have reason to use them again in the future. This program is funded to help citizens save on their energy costs. I was told I would save over $300 and it would pay itself back in 1.5 years.

I think he did a pretty good audit. The follow up was sent to us with the recommendations about what should be done. The follow up with the company was difficult. I could not speak with the technician, but I did speak to a supervisor which produced a satisfactory answer. The report that the tech wrote contained some discrepancies, so when I had a contractor come out to bid on the changes, he had to decipher the information on the technician's report. It took more work to do than I thought was necessary due to the communication. I would definitely recommend using them through the Columbia Gas of Ohio Home Energy Audit Program.

They rendered good customer service and answered all my questions. They responded quickly and came on time. They were very knowledgeable and reasonably priced. I will use their services in the future, too.

They arrived on-time, spent half of the day at the house. Insulated our dormers (inside), weather-stripped around all of the doors, and went in the basement and foamed all around the sill and around pipes (any area that was not insulated). Also, they come out and provide a free energy audit, let you know about programs and rebates. Would recommend this to anyone.

Seemed fine at the time, but a few months later a piece of the vinyl siding fell off: I discovered that they had not sealed the holes they had drilled into my house with foam sealant as was specified. At this point I'm wondering how much of the job they really did as my house is as cold or colder than it was before.

I was happy with their service. Only problem was they didn't secure the shutters next to some windows after blowing insulation behind them. As a result, some of them fell off the house some months later. They deducted the cost of the shutters and were easy to work with, but I wish the damage wasn't done. I'd use them again since they made good on their mistake.

This is not a regular contractor, but a company that runs energy efficiency programs for the utility company. That said, you can pay them to work on your house like a contractor. I contacted them a year earlier and they did an energy audit which recommended insulation work. A year later I was able to reach the same rep and he came on a Saturday to update my quote, including requested changes like leaving some storage space in the attic. They measured the performance by providing payback analysis, doing blower door tests (proves less cold air will leak into your home), and testing for poorly vented appliances that could cause carbon monoxide buildup. Much more thorough than a regular contractor and ensures that you will actually save oil. Supposedly 50% of the cost of work they do is subsidized by the utility company but you don't personally get a rebate check; bottom line the cost was more than reasonable for the work done.

CSG was very prompt in handling my call and arranging the contract. In providing the quote, Nat was extremely knowledgeable and thorough. CSG helped complete all the paperwork to get rebates available from a program of my gas utility company. CSG was a bit more expensive than another quote I had received, but their thoroughness made it worth it: for example, the competitor quote didn't include (or mention the importance of) air sealing before insulating. Mike Sticca, the subcontractor who performed most of the work, was prompt, friendly, informative, and thoroughly cleaned up each day. They did a very professional job. There was some cedar shingle chips I had to clean up after the job was finished, but not too bad.