Zerodraft

Excellent. Arrived on time, respectful of me and my home, offered suggestions regarding what parts of the insulation work I could do myself to save cost, and explained every step of the job along the way. I'm on the National Grid budget plan, heat with natural gas. My bill just dropped by $50.00 a month.....can't beat that savings!

The cost of the service was part of the service contract that we have with them so it didn’t actually cost us anything. It’s a prepaid service. They do a very good job. They are always on time. They were very good with getting the work done in a timely manner. They always clean everything up.

Review provided by tenant: We participated in a NY State energy efficiency program. Zerodraft was the only choice of contractor. Energy audit was fine. When asked whether work could happen with a large number of things stored in the attic, the auditor said that it would be fine: the crew could work around them. Zerodraft stated that the improvements were valued at $5800. Work scheduled. Day of, crew arrived. They were nice and personable. They said they would cover contents stored in attic to prevent residual cellulose from covering them. Upon initial inspection after work was done, there was/is a substantial amount of cellulose "dust" leftover in the attic and on the attic and basement steps. Cellulose also found its way into the house, settling on the kitchen counters and collecting in places on the floor. A separate tech arrived to work on the boiler. The boiler failed soon after he left. The insulation crew members called him at my request. He tried to walk them through some diagnostic things with no success. I spoke to him on the phone describing what happened and he advised that they call their normal boiler service contractor (in this case, Main-Care, who were able to come and fix the furnace). The crew was rushing to finish the work and wasn't very concerned about the situation or the irony that they came to improve the home's energy efficiency and were literally leaving the customer with no heat on a cold winter night. I wonder if this reaction would have been different if I was paying directly rather than participating in a state program I have mixed feelings about the experience. Hopefully the savings will really materialize.

The home energy audit scheduled for 11/13/2014 at 2:00 pm. Person did not arrive. When a called the next day I was told that they had called my phone and no one answered so they cancelled the appointment. I was home (my phone was upstairs and I was downstairs) and did not hear the phone ring. I told the person from ZeroDraft (Joe Derecola) that I was home and I expected him to be there at 2:00 pm. He offered no real apology only excuses. He did not try to schedule an immediate appointment. In my opinion he was arrogant and condescending. I still don't have my energy audit.

This was one of the worst experiences I have ever had with any company. The workers showed up without any plan or supervision and just started foaming the the underside of my roof. The installer was rude and quite frankly scared me. He seemed to have a real chip on his shoulder. They opened up gaping holes in my interior walls. It turned out later that several areas were not foamed. Two days later they showed up to blow in insulation into the attic. Their equipment was not working. I spent all morning with them trouble shooting their equipment. I finally was able to determine that the power cord had loose wires. They did a good job in the attic but were unable to blow the insulation into the dormer areas. I was left with a complete mess and dust throughout my home. Zerodraft did not return for more than a month to finish the job. When they returned, they opened up three huge 6x6 foot holes in my dry walls. I had to repair and paint the walls myself. Again, I found areas they had missed. I called the company to have the job finished, No one returned for 2-3 months. At that time the salesman showed up with a worker. They were perplexed at why the drywall had been opened. They also told me that I no longer had adequate air flow in my home and might have to install special fans. I was told I would receive a report which I never received and they have not answered my phone calls. Quite frankly, I do not think Zero Draft did a proper job and I am scared that I will have major problems in the future due to the sloppy job that was done.

Excellent. We had problems with the pilot light going out and he found the cause, fixed it, and explained what was wrong.

They arrived punctually as promised. (This was my third job by Zerodraft). They performed their work neatly. At the end of the job they explained what was done, how it worked and tested the heating system in my presence. In my 50 years of home ownership, few have come to equal their professionalism.

A couple years ago, soon after we bought our house, we had three separate contractors come out to give us estimates on spray foam insulation in our attic. We weren't happy with any of those three, and gave up trying for about a year and a half. One guy would tell us that the only way to go was closed-cell, as it was far superior, and the only reason anyone would do open-cell would be if they couldn't afford the closed-cell. Another guy tells us that if we spray closed-cell on the underside of our roof, as the roof expands and contracts with weather changes, the foam would not budge, destroying our roof, and so open-cell was our only option. The third guy seemed a bit less extreme in his claims, but the measurements he came up with for our attic were far off from our other two estimates. We quit talking to contractors and started saving up some money. After many drafty nights and cool early morning showers (our hot water pipes run through the then uninsulated attic), I gave a call to ZeroDraft, after seeing billboards and checking them out on Angie's list. We scheduled an appointment for them to come out and give us an estimate. Honestly, I was dreading it. Mark, a salesman, came to the house. Mark was cheery, and his personality is just right for sales, but I never felt like I was being pushed into something I didn't understand. Mark not only answered my questions about spray foam, but also could answer all my questions about ZeroDraft and he was very knowledgeable about the current refunds and incentive programs available to us . In fact, Mark and I conversed by phone and by email over the next couple weeks until I felt like I had a really good grasp on what we were doing. Mark explained things in a way I could understand, and what he said just made sense. His advice in the open-cell v. closed-cell debate was simply that to obtain the same R-value, you needed a thicker layer of the open-cell, so if your space was tight, you'd have to go with closed-cell, but because it was our attic with room enough for a layer several inches deep, we had the option of going for open-cell, which would be the better choice in our case because it was cheaper. So we did. The spray foam cost was $6087 for 1531 square feet, 10 inches deep, of open cell spray foam. We liked Mark's style enough that we also asked him to give us a quote on installation of a new furnace and hot water heater, and he did. I called my dad, who is a plumbing/HVAC guy, and ran the quote by him for installation of a Goodman GMCV95 high-efficiency furnace for $4223 and a Navien tankless hot water heater for $3277 (plus $711 for miscellaneous parts), and he felt those were fair prices. Mark came back to the house to have us sign the contract and some other paperwork, and said they were scheduling about 3-4 weeks out. We spoke with Jill to make a deposit of one-third the contract. And then we scheduled the work. I was told I'd get a phone call from Steve about a week before the work started, just to make sure we had everything in order. The work was to start on a Monday, and the Friday before, I hadn't yet heard from Steve, so I called him. He was apologetic for not getting in touch earlier, assuring me that he had my file in his hands just then and was going to call me that afternoon. We talked through a few things and everything was fine. Really all they needed from me was that Steve asked if the guys could use my bathroom while they were working, which of course was fine. I had been told that the guys would arrive Monday morning at 8:00 a.m., and sure enough, at 8:00 on the dot, the doorbell rang. The spray foam team was just two guys, and I was a little hesitant when I saw that they were pretty young, but they were polite and professional and I quickly regretted making assumptions about them. The first thing they did was a walk through of the house with me to identify any existing damage to the ceilings, to document them prior to the work being done so that later we would know that those cracks and water spots had been there and weren't caused by them. They worked diligently, let me know when they were leaving to break for lunch. The same guys returned the next two days to finish up the spray foam work. On Thursday, two different guys came (Tommy and Eric), and were just as impressive as the first two. This was the HVAC team, and they did the furnace and hot water heater installations without any issues. They hauled away the old equipment and cleaned up after themselves. It happened to snow the final day they were there, so the last thing they needed to do, replacing the furnace chimney, they couldn't do because of the snow on the roof. They worked pretty hard to lay down paper to walk on when they were inside the house, but there were still some boot marks around after they left. I didn't mind at all... it could have been much worse. The next week, I got a call from Jill to set up the final test-out audit, to ensure that the work they'd done had, in fact, made our home more energy efficient, to qualify for a NYSERDA rebate. We scheduled it for Friday, and Jill said she'd try to have the guys come out to finish the work on the roof at the same time. On Friday, Tommy and Eric returned and completed the roof work, and another guy came and did the audit. He reviewed the results with me, and the house tested great. My husband and I had notice a dramatic difference in our comfort as soon as the spray foam was up, anyway, so I expected it to test well. Our home is less drafty, showers are actually hot, and our furnace is not running constantly to try to keep up with the heat pouring out through our attic. We haven't gotten our gas and electric bill yet, and I think we'll really have to wait until next winter to be able to compare fairly, but we can definitely feel a big difference. The audit guy left me with the final bill, saying to "pay it whenever" and a week later Jill called to follow up and see how I was planning to pay. She was able to take a credit card over the phone. They'd also given me a survey, which I think demonstrates their commitment to customer service. Through the entire experience, I kept waiting for something to go terribly wrong, for the estimate to suddenly jump up a few thousand dollars, or for some problem with our house to get in the way of getting the work done, but somehow, that never happened. It all went very smoothly, and I feel like we paid a fair price. Everyone we interacted with was professional, polite and knowledgeable, and although I'm surprised at how many different people came into play, I think that has helped each person remain an expert in their own field. I was immensely impressed with ZeroDraft. We're thinking of having central air installed at some point (once we build up our savings again!), and I think we probably won't even bother getting estimates elsewhere, because our experience was so good this time around.

They came over and did an energy audit. It was done through the NYSERDA program so I think at some point I might get billed $50, but it was essentially free. It subsidizes the energy audit. They came, checked the wall through insulation and there was virtually none. They couldn't do door test because there were pests in that property. He went completely around the house with a thermal gun and checked out the basement as well as the attic. They wrote up a proposal and part of the problem was that there was knob and tube wiring in the building, so pretty much anything they do would require replacing that which is not durable at this time. They did give me a quote but there is nothing I could do with it. I thought they were very professional. They came out when they said and they were on time. The quote was forthcoming when it was suppose to be. It was thorough and readable. If I resolve the wiring problem I will certainly consider using them.

Called around to get a free NYSERDA energy audit so we can replace some leaky windows. After calling Comfort Windows (who couldn't schedule us for a month) Zerodraft was able to schedule the audit in a few days. The audit was done near the end of August. Auditor/Salesman was 30 minutes late but stayed with us as long as we still had questions to ask him. Gave us suggestions on the work that needed to be done and how we could take advantage of the financing options offered by the state. The work included attic and basement insulation and air sealing which would give us the most energy effeciency, a tankless water heater and windows which would actually give us the least energy savings. Estimated that it should take a week to get financing approval and two more to order the windows and install the week after. After trying to get a hold of anyone on how the progress was, we didn't get financing approval until middle of October. The water heater and insulation were put in promptly and the windows were installed around Thanksgiving. It took one day for the water heater, one day for the insulation, and 5 days for the windows. A final energy audit didn't give the results they expected so they sent someone to do additional improvements at no extra cost until the work was up to their standards. Overall the work done was phenomenal, it just took four times longer than we expected. The house was left in better condition than when they came.

From the energy audit to the final clean up the job went as smooth as could be. Timely (you could set your clock to their arrival), totally professional, and extremely informative. Explained everything as they went along. There was one small hiccup that occurred which they jumped on to remedy it. We were impressed. In the spring of 2012 we called them back to do more work, which was to zone the central AC. They were not the cheapest, BUT, they worked with NYSERDA to get us a $5000. allowance plus did all the paper work. Even though they were about $1200. more than everybody else the $5000. certainly brought us out ahead. We will sing their praises all day long.

The work took about two weeks total because of the separate crews needed to do the projects. Each crew only spent a day doing their part of the work though. I felt from the beginning of the audit to the actual work, I was well informed about what was going on. I also appreciated the written audit and how much each item costs so you can pick and choose what fits your budget. I think the folks at Zero Draft did their best to get me a good price and good rebates on the work they did. When the work was completed another energy audit was completed to compare how the house was now compared to when they first came. I also felt the office was responsive to questions and phone calls. They were very helpful in helping me fill out the forms needed for rebates and help me with a low cost loan. I feel the work they did was professional. The work was completed when they said it would be - I did not have to wait for anything. The crews cleaned up after themselves and left the house in the same if not better condition then it was. All in all I had a good experience. My electric bill has dropped 30 percent since I purchased a new furnace and oil burning hot water heater as well as the insulation in the attic. I was and am pretty impressed with that. My house is less drafty and does not build up as much heat in the summer and isn't as cold in the winter.

They were knowledgeable and professional at every step of the process. We started with an energy audit that was subsidized by National Grid at the time. They did some sealing for free at the time. The proposal for additional work was detailed and thoughtfully presented. It was explained to us that they might find things that would required a little extra work beyond the initial estimate. That did happen, but it was only for about $300 and resulted when they found an additional area exposed to the outside air above the garage where it could not have been detected ahead of time. They arrived when scheduled and were very organized and thoughtful with every phase of the project. They did a great job protecting the house from any mess that was created and thoroughly cleaned up at the end. My first month's heat bill showed half the usual number of therm used for heating compared to the same month last year (it was warmer this year, so I expect the actual reduction to be closer to 1/3). They also submitted a request on my behalf for a rebate from NYSERDA that will amount to about $500. They really made it their business to advocate on my behalf to know about and take advantage of any government program that would help offset some of the cost. This is not a small task as these incentive programs change frequently and apparently require a good deal of documentation. They had to make at least one extra trip to my house to take pictures and measurements in order to qualify me for the rebate in this case. For us, this project was an opportunity to make a lasting contribution to the infrastructure of our house, lower our carbon footprint, and invest in lower heating bills for the future. I am satisfied that these objectives will all have been met through the very professional work of Zerodraft.

Salesperson came to home to give estimate for spray foaming entire roof in conditioned attic space. Venturing in new area with spray foam I was looking for contractor I could trust. Of the 6 estimates I received their's were one of the highest which was okay if I liked the representative. He was courteous, professional, and knowledgeable, but I walked away from the conversation not sure I could trust the company to do as he said. If I am spending my money on a contractor, I must like them. I did not. So I chose someone else who was a nice guy and cheaper who put me on hold. Thus, we ended up insulating our space the traditional way.

We had 2 other contractors in, RM Pena and Bennett, which both gave us estimates in the neighborhood of $8,000-$10,000.We went with Bennett.

Salesman came and gave us estamite, sent us to gloversville to see a woman who had them installed. Sent us samples of the wood grain vinyl wraps. We never heard from him again. I did not like the way the windows looked.

Initially job performed rapidly and by a friendly crew; however, the problem was only partially solved. The kitchen was less cold but still had wind blowing through it. They returned and reinforced what had been done and installed much more insulation taking another day to do this at no additional cost. The production manager, John Grawinski who did most of the work, did not smile much but was very friendly, forthright, and pleasant. He kept me informed as to arrival times, possible delays, and anything else that I questioned. The final outcome is satisfactory; we no longer freeze in the mornings in the kitchen. I would not hesitate to call Zerodraft for any other insulation problem I might have. and recommend them for others.

Eveerything went well. We love the windows. The installation was neat and clean, and we have no complaints about the work.

Was told by an incompetent salesman that I would save approximately $800 a year. When work was done, the report I received said I would save aprrox. $300-$350 a year. Salesman denied telling me that I would save $800. I should have known better since the salesman also told me that heat does not rise. Also, the doors that were weatherstripped had more gaps/leaks than they previously did. I have not noticed any saving in my energy bills. My bills are basically the same as friends with similar home that did not use Zerodraft. Workers took almost a 2 hour lunch break one day and showed up almost 3 hours late one day.

Sales rep. came to our house with sample windows, described the features of the windows and available options, the replacement process and provided an estimate and references. Once the contract was signed they scheduled an energy audit to qualify for an Energy Star rebate, and arranged for the the installer to measure the windows. After the windows were fabricated installation was scheduled. They estimated that removal of old windows and installation would take two days. The installer called on the scheduled installation date to indicate they were running one half hour late. The installation took the promised day and a half. The installers were very knowledgable and neat. All materials were removed and the work area was cleaned. With the Energy Star rebate and Federal tax credit the true cost of the windows is closer to $6,500

The biggest problem I had with Zerodraft was trying to get them to come out to the house. I made an appointment for them to do a energy audit and they didn't show. I took a day off from work waiting for them to come. When they finally got out here for the audit I had to hunt them down to get the results of the report. It also took some extra work to schedule a time for them to get out here to do the job. In the end I was fairly happy with the result because it cut my energy bills by $50 a month. However, the insulation in the garage ceiling and attic still did not fix our problem with the freezing master bedroom in the winter and boiling hot in the summer. The quality of work was not all that great. The technicians did not even know how to patch up drywall properly. The HVAC work was disappointing as well. They cut a hole in the side of the house to stick a pipe through, but failed to put a sealant around the pipe. Moisture ended up coming in and warping the subfloor. They came out and sealed around the pipe.

The sales person was very congenial and nice. I just didn't trust him at the end.

They did a great job. They were professional, thorough, prompt and did exactly what they said they would. I gave a B for the price but I don't know how they compare with other contractors on price, they might be great or they may be pricey. I did feel like I got my money's worth though.

The side door and window replacement went well and on schedule. The foam insulation was a nightmare. I had requested to be scheduled in late June (as I was getting married at the end of May and couldn't deal with construction then. I got home from my honeymoon and there was a message that they would be there on Thursday. None of the walls had been torn down or removed yet so I told them I didn't want them coming until late June until I had time to take the walls down. They stated they would do that for me and when all was said and done they had charged me $300 to take the walls down and left all of the garbage on the floor (which literally came up past the windows). After 50 42 gallon construction garbage bags being filled with garbage by my husband and I, they came back and blew in the foam. In the process they ruined my 3 month old heating system (which they did agree to replace) and took down a wall which was not supposed to be removed (which they ended up replacing). I gave them a fair rating because the work they did was OK after all things were said and done and an agreement was made to do the repairs. The main people there took responsibility for all of the mistakes, but it would have been easier had those mistakes not been made from the beginning.

Their salesperson was knowledgeable. He seemed to care about improving the energy efficiency of our home. The crew that did the job took about a month before scheduling. They came on the day scheduled, but were late. Immediately after arriving, they all stopped to smoke a cigarette and dropped their butts on our lawn. They left early (without finishing the first day), left foam marks on the siding under our window (most of which they later cleaned off) and all over the white gravel that lines the front of the house. There was a hole put in the wall by the front door (which was patched, but not painted), a hole in the ceiling by the attic door (which was patched later, but doesn't quite look the same) and scuff marks left in the hardwood floor from the attic ladder (which led to a partial deduction in the total cost, but only after a lot of back and forth). The second day, the crew had to stay until 9 (I have a 5 yr old) to finish and parts still needed to be redone in the box sill.