We are amongst the top-rated energy assessment companies servicing N. Virginia, D.C. and Maryland

When he and his workers showed up they were right on time and very professional and did the work relatively quick (~6 hours)! His workers were great and cleaned up after themselves (even vacuumed!) before they were finished. The owner came back and inspected the work and also did another blower-door test to see how well the air-exchange rate had improved. The insulation has already made a big difference in our home temp and how often the A/C kicks on!

One the coolest things about HESS is that at the end they tell me that he just heard about a VA state rebate program that’ll pay you for the cost of the audit and 20% of any work you had done! He diligently sends me the paperwork I need to apply for the rebate and it turns out I’m likely to get about $700 back from VA! He didn’t have to tell me that, and he also could’ve expected to raise the price of the work a little, since he now knew I was going to get a nice rebate, but he didn’t…he was completely honest, upfront, and professional! I really wish all my interactions with contractors and others who’ve worked on my home were as smooth and professional as they were with HESS!

I highly recommend these guys and with the state and federal rebates and tax breaks you get for making energy improvements to your home, their work will pay for itself very quickly!!

Hide

 Our auditor, who is also the owner, was Mohammed. He arrived promptly, on-time for our 8:00 appointment. First, we sat down and he asked a lot of questions regarding improvements we had done, allergy issues, etc. From there he began the inspection. He was extremely thorough, and encouraged me to accompany him throughout the process, explaining everything and giving tips along the way. There was a blower-door test, along with IR camera inspection and inspection of all of the gas lines, furnace, etc. Mohammed was at my home for a long time, several hours in fact, and he didn’t cut any corners. The next day I received a very detailed report, along with pictures, IR images, and tips on remediation that outlined a plan to greatly improve the energy efficiency of my home, and, more importantly, lower my bills. I was shocked when, two days later, I received a call from Mohammed. He was calling to ask if I had any questions, and encouraged me to call him if I needed any help in the future. How many companies or contractors do you know that give this level of customer service? Even if you are like me and unafraid to tackle just about any DIY project, I highly recommend talking to Mohammed and having an energy audit before you start. His expertise saved me a lot of money in the long-run. As an example, there was one wall that I was convinced I would need to tear down to put in insulation to stop a very bad draft. As it turns out, the IR camera identified the problem as a space between the trim that can be easily (and cheaply) fixed with a bead of silicone. Yes, an audit costs money, but it is not much, and it will pay for itself in energy bill savings and make your home far more comfortable.

Hide

The company owner came out with testing equipment to check what fixes and insulation was needed in the house. In addition to performing a visual inspection, he used the infrared camera to identify hidden heat loss and air leaks, and air blower to measure the air exchange rate for overall loss of air/hr rate for the house. Based on his finding, I was provided an audit report and recommended fixed in the house. The overall cost for all the recommendation fix and install was within expectation.

The installation crew were on-time and finished couple hours ahead of schedule. Exposed air ducts were insulated, open areas on the attic were sealed, windows and doors were seals as needed, recessed lights were capped and sealed, and added varying amounts of blown insulation in the attic to R-49 from existing insulation that were from R-9 to R-12 in areas. There were other things done, but were too many to list. After the crew was done, they made sure to clear after themselves.

While we have not seen the new utility bill, but we can say that house is much more comfortable. We don’t have to put our kids in jackets at night because of their playroom does not get cold as before. And temperature around house is now consistent. The central air used to operate every few minutes during cold nights, but it now only operates every 15 minutes or so. Even the water heater seems to be benefiting because it was noticed we have make sure we don’t turn the hot water lever as much as before.

In all, we are very happy with the service and results, and have recommended HESS to friends who may be looking for a similar service in the future.

Hide

Mo, who is certified to perform such evaluations, first conducted a home energy audit of our home. During the audit, he described what he was doing, why he was doing it, and what he was finding. He readily answered all of my questions. His written report of the audit results was very clear and thoroughly described the energy issues that needed to be addressed and the means to remedy them.

Based on the audit report, we agreed upon a program of air sealing and added insulation which Mohammed and his crew performed. They were timely, neat, and professional. They showed me their work as they progressed and answered my questions readily and fully.

Unlike his competitors, Mo told me about Virginia’s energy rebate program and how to register for the program. He promptly provided all of the materials I needed to file for and get the full rebate. That provided a significant savings.

After the work was completed, some recessed lights in our kitchen ceiling began to blink out from time to time. I asked Mo to check whether his work had loosened any connections. He returned promptly, checked the lights, and found no problem. He suggested that heat build-up in the fixtures was probably the culprit and left the insulation raked away from these fixtures so we could check. Mod offered to pay for any electrical work needed to correct anything his crew did and suggested I talk with the electrician who installed the lights. I did, and the electrician also thought heat to be the problem. I replaced the incandescent spotlights with LEDs and the issue appears to be solved. Mo returned right away to replace the insulation over the lights. At every turn, Mo made our satisfaction with the work his first priority. I am delighted to give him an excellent review and I would recommend him highly.

Hide

Among the many issues they handled were:

– Insulation in the attic to bring it up to R-49

– foam sealing and taping of ducts

– installation of fireproof can covers over ceiling light fixtures

– foam sealing of all exterior vents and pipes

– installation of an accessible attic tent over the access stairs

– foam sealing of the basement/wall sill plates

– foam sealing of exterior basement door sill

– adjustment of garage entrance door

– complete blower retest after completion to confirm repairs

I could not be more pleased with the results. Mohammed and his three-man crew arrived promptly and worked non-stop until completion. They covered furniture and floors with plastic sheeting and cleaned up after they were done. They were without exception extremely friendly and professional. And to top it off, Mohammed also provided me with a 10% military discount. As a disabled veteran, this was most appreciated. I would not hesitate to recommend them to my friends and neighbors or to anyone seeking this type of service. Besides, my dog loved them!

Hide

Knowing my tight budget with all of the home improvements I’ve done, he showed me how to correct some of the problems myself, such as loose duct connections in the attic, air leakage into the walls, and more. He provided me with a quote to fix everything that needs to be done, and I plan on having some work done through his company some time in the future. I’ve done some of the simpler work myself, and my husband and I are shocked at the difference it makes in the comfort of our home.

Hide