Home Comfort Tactics
This podcast will help homeowners understand the places and ways in which their homes are losing energy and it is not as obvious as it may seem.
Have you heard of home performance? It is not new, but it is about to explode on the scene! Listen to recorded discussions about what we find in the Maryland housing stock that leads to nagging comfort problems and high energy usage. Insulation, air sealing, duct leakage, blower door testing, and many other building science topics will be covered, including information about the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program and the Inflation Reduction Act rebates and tax incentives. Eric is a certified energy auditor and has his Envelope Professional and Building Analyst Certification through the Building Performance Institute.
Episodes
28 episodes
Fix Drafty Windows or Replace Them? Maybe Neither!
Are your windows getting the blame? Physics is the name of the game!Before you rush to replace them, watch this eye-opening episode of Home Comfort Tactics. Join Eric Gans, certified energy auditor, as he unravels the surprising truth a...
How to Unlock Maryland Insulation Rebates Through BGE & PEPCO
Discover how Maryland homeowners can tap into thousands of dollars in energy-saving rebates through BGE and Pepco's rebate programs. In this video, Eric Gans from Hometrust Remodeling breaks down how home energy audits, air sealing, insulation,...
Homeowner Interview: A Cape Cod Transformation - Revelations About Home Comfort
Tired of shivering in your Cape Cod house? Looking to get to the bottom of the problem once and for all?Discover how one homeowner transformed his drafty Cape Cod into a cozy haven. From shocking energy audit revelations to DIY detectiv...
Every Day Homeowner with a Condensation Problem
This podcast episode from "Home Comfort Tactics" delves into the story of a homeowner in Rockville, MD, named Alex, who faced a perplexing condensation issue in their new home. Despite numerous consultations with experts, the problem persisted,...
Navigating the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate Program (HEEHR)
In this episode of Home Comfort Tactics, we dive into the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEEHR) program, a cornerstone of the Inflation Reduction Act to make homes more energy-efficient. We explore how the program's $4.5 billion fu...
A Summary of the HOMES Rebates Program That Any Homeowner Can Understand
What you may find a little different about my approach to explaining the Inflation Reduction Act HOMES Rebate program is that I try remembering when I was a homeowner and a window contractor. I did not know or understand anything about the whol...
Intro to the Inflation Reduction Act for Homeowners
Overview of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (H.R. 5376):Two years ago, the United States government introduced the Inflation Reduction Act, a bold move with a whopping $8.8 billion earmarked specifically for Home Energy Rebates.&nbs...
3 Building Science Principles Every Homeowner Should Know
Thank you for listening!If you would like to learn more about my home performance company or get in touch, please visit https://www.hometrustremodeling.com or https://ericgans.com.Unlock Your Home's Full Potential - Hometrust Re...
12 Years of Replacement Window Knowledge in 8 Minutes
I am a Certified Energy Auditor in Maryland. I have had several revelations over the past several years, and this important one is about replacement windows. I am a contractor and a homeowner who fixates on personal comfort in my living s...
How Much Insulation Do Maryland Homeowners Need?
If you live in Maryland and want to learn more about the insulation R-values you need in the different areas of your home, this video podcast can help. You need to measure insulation through a slightly different lens. Rather than focusing on wh...
3 Reasons Energy Audits Just Work for People!
Getting a home energy audit is one of those things that many do not fully comprehend the benefits of until the assessment is complete. At that time, a well-trained energy consultant will be able to walk you around your home and illuminate issue...
Your Fall Bucket List for a Cozy Comfy Home - PRO LIST
Continue your journey to better home comfort with part two of my fall bucket list of things you can do to make your home more comfortable.I have helped hundreds of Maryland homeowners attain a better quality of life regarding their home...
Fall Bucket List for a Cozy Comfy Home
Start your journey to better home comfort with my fall bucket list of things you can do to make your home more comfortable.I have helped hundreds of Maryland homeowners attain a better quality of life regarding their home comfort.
What is Whole-House as a System? THE BASICS
This episode of Home Comfort Tactics shares several exciting and interesting ways you can think about your house as a system. Chances are that your house will have at least one of the things on the list that might be neglected. I wa...
The Basics About Crawl Spaces for Cold and Humid Climates
As an energy auditor, certified through the local Maryland utility, I am responsible to help homeowners figure out solutions for their damp or cold crawl space and explain to them in easy-to-understand ways the benefits of insulating it right.<...
How an Energy Audit Solved the Case of the Peeling Drywall Tape
We learn to get to the root of the problem in grade school, and it can apply to many aspects of our lives including issues around the house that don't get the correct diagnosis and reappear. I used this podcast episode to touch on a few key poi...
New Replacement Windows vs. Air Sealing
I will tell you right now - this study proves that you should not replace your windows if you want to make your home more comfortable! This study shows that replacement windows only reduce drafts by 6% compared with other, less expensive retrof...
Today I Wanna Talk To You About Air Leakage
Air leakage in your home is the number one reason for comfort problems and high energy bills.
Episode 10: 5 Signs (to check yourself) You Need a Home Energy Audit
Performing a home energy audit without proper testing equipment or training is not possible, however every homeowner can look for these five signs to decide if getting a comprehensive home energy audit is worth the investment.In order t...
Episode 9: 5 Reasons To Get An Energy Audit After You Buy A House
If you just bought a home - congrats! Chances are very high that you got a home inspection during the process, and it has a list of things you need to do to keep it up to "code". But I am willing to bet that the list lacks many essential items ...
Episode 8: Choose Your Energy Auditor Wisely
This week we discuss the importance of choosing the right energy auditor to maximize your available incentives. We touch on encapsulating your attic compared with not and some of the advantages you get - going either way. Overall, it was a fun ...
Episode 7: Raccoons in the Attic!
In this episode Kyle and Eric discuss raccoons in an attic and how that can drive up an energy bill. We also get into the benefits of getting your HVAC ducts checked through a home energy audit.
Episode 6: Retrofitting 101
In our fourth week together, Eric and Kyle dive into the show and revisit some of the exciting things that happened to us related to Home Performance in the past week.
Episode 5: Whole House Fan Problematic Discussion
2023 should be the year you start looking at your home and comfort in three-dimensional ways. You can make intelligent, inexpensive upgrades with the proper guidance. As a certified home energy auditor, I see the same proble...
Episode 4: 6 Reasons for Hot Upper Floors During Summer Months
Maryland homeowners turn to their HVAC contractors when the temperature inside heats up. But, it stops there after HVAC people install the machine and controls. They have very little to do with the comfort level in your home. It's a good practi...