Terrawatt

Fantastic service. Only place I would recommend on the island for insulation! Showed up on time as scheduled. Never had a single issue with this company. Highly recommend!

Needed dryer vent cleaning and troubleshooting. Blake responded quickly to my request and was on time for service call. Friendly, knowledgeable and took care of problem with advice and recommendations to improve venting system. Dryer operates normally now. Cleaned up job site and was reasonably priced.

Blake did an excellent job insulating our attic. It was a big project and he gave his attention and skillfulness to every detail. He worked with our schedule, kept us informed about the overall plan and all the stages as he progressed. We are very happy with the work he did!

Blake did and excellent job installing our dehumidifier system in our home in Waimea. His customer service and follow up is excellent and I highly recommend him!

Blake at Terrawatt is one of nicest guys you'll meet. Came out to our house to talk to us about our needs and suggest a couple options for insulation. Even though we didn't end up going with his estimate, he followed up weeks later to see if we had gotten what we needed and made suggestions for self improvement if we needed extra support. Thanks again Blake!!

Blake is ultra-professional, responsive and hands-on. We needed our ducts cleaned and checked since our dryer wasn’t properly working. Blake did more than clean our venting system - he literally inspected it. His knowledge of systems is excellent and he is a good communicator - documenting his work w photos and videos. Highly recommend!

Our experience with getting the house insulated with Terrawatt was so professional and hassel-free. Blake really knows what he's doing, and gets the job done right. The result was a house that feels so much more comfortable to be in. It is so much easier to live here now. The cat seems more comfortable too, but he ain't sayin". Thanks, Blake, our call to you for help was a smart one.

My house was very hot in the summertime, which was fine for me but not my newborn baby. Blake came out to my house to do an inspection, crawled through my attic space and gave me several options to help cool the house. He rec'd installing insulation in the attic space, and took care of the whole job. He ordered the insulation, had it delivered to my house, brought his own equipment and team, prepped the space, and installed the insulation in 2 days. The house was noticeably cooler immediately, and with our whole house fan running, the house is comfortable without any AC even during these blazing hot summer days of 2023. Can't recommend Blake and Terrawatt enough. Offers a great, important, but otherwise unavailable service for Hawaii Island.

Our attic was recently insulated to an R-30 standard (12” thick fiberglass) by Terrawatt. Blake was very easy to work with; he arrived on schedule, completed the installation and final clean-up in less than a day. Although the hot days of summer haven’t yet arrived, we have already noticed a major improvement in the indoor temperature. After the house has been closed up for awhile the room temperatures are noticeably lower…returning home to a hot, stuffy house is a thing of the past. We’re very happy with the results and rate Terrawatt at a full five stars

I highly recommend Blake for any insulation needs. Blake is one of the most incredible professionals we have ever hired. We got multiple quotes for insulation and Blake seemed by far to be the most knowledgeable.

He came out to our house promptly. We paid extra for an option to do a blower test to see how and where the air is escaping from your house. He gave us clear explanations about what was happening and each option we had to chose from, and explained things in a very understandable way. He’s quote was slightly higher than some of the others, but we could clearly see he was going to be giving us excellent service and a quality product. He even took the time to explain the blower test to my three year old who still talks about it to this day! He offered my three year old the chance to be his personal helper, which emphasizes how patient Blake is in general.

After he came back to put in the insulation, we could immediately feel a difference. The house was much cooler. We were thrilled, but we called back within a few days because we had an issue. He came out the next day to fix things (which I believe was the day after Christmas, so that was incredible). Some of the fixtures in our house created an issue with the insulation he had never seen before. He fixed it all right away.

We had another issue a few months later after my husband turned one of the ceiling vents. Even though it wasn’t Blake’s fault, he came right out to fix the issue anyway.

I can’t recommend Blake enough. He was truly a pleasure to work with. So responsive and honest and just a really nice guy. I’ve never written such a long Yelp review, but Blake definitely deserves it!

Excellent customer service!
How many people will take time to call a prospective client on a Friday evening and spend an hour counselling them on best practices for maintaining an energy efficient home? NO ONE that I have encountered in the past 20 years. (I have owned multiple homes, have a contractor brother and worked in construction myself). Blake and company at Terrawatt are the folks you WANT to do business with.
He could have "sold me the store" but instead I am going to get just what I need and not what I thought I needed. My hope for humanity has been restored. We need more people in business like Blake and more companies like Terrawatt. You have my undying respect and appreciation!

Blake is fantastic. He patiently answered my questions and cleared up my confusion about my home's energy consumption, air quality, humidity, and heating / air conditioning needs through a major HVAC replacement project. I know I can count on him to give me straight answers and help me understand my entire array of options.

Blake is the best! Honest, great communication, professional and great value. We had him install ceiling insulation in our old (1963) hick's home that gets HOT in the summer. I was pregnant with twins and dreading being in the hot house with them and he came to the rescue! Not to mention his knowledge, attention to detail, and interest in data. Highly recommend Blake.

Blake was very considerate of our schedule and living space. Very knowledgeable in his field, explaining the process before starting and offering sound advice for the parts of the project he was not personally involved in completing. Meticulous about cleaning after and doing a very professional job. Would recommend this company for any job in his area of expertise!

Terrawatt owner Blake responded promptly to our initial contact, when we were still in the home buying stage, and when we got back to him months later after purchasing our home, responded just as quickly. Through his expert advice (explained so laypeople could understand the science behind it) and meticulous work, we were able to greatly improve the insulation of our home and thus the functioning of our air conditioning (a must in our very hot and dry area.) He had to coordinate his work around the installation of new lighting and occasionally our at-home schedules, bur Blake was always courteous and took obstacles in stride. Blake also showed great care in cleaning up after his work, which often coincided with brutally hot days. We don't envy him his career, but we are glad we benefit from it.

Blake was quick and responsive; was able to give me good insight into potential products and companies to use for my new cottage in Upcountry Maui. Would recommend him. Mahalo, Liz

Blake was very professional. He came across as knowledgeable and motivated. The work was completed fast and at a reasonable price. I highly recommend Terrawatt.
Thank you for helping me with my project!

I appreciate the work you did to our house! I know it was Hot and Hard work and we appreciate it because now our house is NOT Hot and we can hang out inside!

The first hot sunny weekend day that we came home midday after your install we did not have to turn on the fans right away, it was mildly warm, not baking hot like before. We have not used the (useless) portable AC and don’t even have to run the fans all the time.

Now we know it is cooler this time of year but we also know it is cooler in our house because of the insulation!

Thank you!

My husband says 'Thank you' too!

The great room in the middle of our house has an 18-foot open-beam ceiling that has always collected more heat than expected, despite the excellent ventilation the room receives. Before consulting with Terrawatt, we installed an attic fan to pull heat from the upper great room into the attic, which would then flow outside through the attic vents. This helped a little but not nearly as much as expected.

We contacted Blake about a month ago. After a short site visit, he identified the problem immediately. Since there was no insulation between the attic walls and the upper half of the great room, some of the heat we had been forcing into the attic was actually making a roundtrip right back into the great room.

Blake recommended proper insulation on the attic walls which made an enormous difference and brought the temperature in the room down significantly. The installation took only a couple of days and was very reasonably priced, especially by Big Island standards.

Blake is friendly, professional, and helpful, despite having to work in the stifling heat of the attic. We would recommend Terrawatt's services to anyone.

Blake was very efficient and professional. He was thorough in his craftsmanship and got the job done in a timely manner. We are so pleased with our insulation and we recommend Terrawatt to all of our friends and family! Thank you, Terrawatt!

Blake Reed assessed our home back in 2017. We had struggled with inconsistent heating and cooling for many years. He performed an energy audit, found the problem and had a plan ready within 24 hours. He went above and beyond by securing a grant to cover half of the expenses. Within two weeks, our problem was solved with an additional list of recommendations for future projects. He also suggested an air condidtioning unit that was better suited for our home.

He is knowledgeable, fully engaged, and passionate about proper procedure and efficiency. He’s the best man out there. I highly recommend his services. You’re lucky if you can book him.

Blake is honest, professional and has his customers best interests at heart. He is knowledgeable and skilled in the realm of temperature and humidity controls. Blake follows up and has integrity, which is a rare trait these days! So hopeful to know business owners like Blake still exist!

Blake took the time to talk with us about our concerns and issues before performing the home inspection. The inspection was thorough and extremely helpful. We received a list of prioritized recommendations that included an estimate of the energy savings we could anticipate and links to sources of information for some of the recommendations that were made. He provided us with information about options and systems we didn't even know existed. This will result in the energy savings we want at a much lower cost than we anticipated.

Blake is EXACTLY the guy you want to find when you are trying to figure out how to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your home. He has a broad understanding of the technologies available for both existing homes and new construction, a sophisticated grasp of state and federal policies and incentives (including financing, and how to access it), and the ability to explain it all in plain English. Plus, he has the skills to build and repair houses and their systems. This is a rare combination.

I have decades of experience with energy policy and technologies, and have worked with a number of the most knowledgeable experts in the world. I learned a lot from Blake. He knew many answers to my questions immediately. He is also willing to admit what he doesn't know...but usually finds the answer in fairly short order and then sends links to all sorts of useful background information. His approach is empirical: when he has proof that things work, and are cost-effective, he recommends them.

Blake rescued us from a difficult situation with another home performance contractor, who was willing to do a NYSERDA audit, but not willing to serve as a primary NYSERDA contractor on a project involving an HVAC installation that would require a subcontractor. (For you non-New-Yorkers, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority--NYSERDA--is a state institution that promotes and finances energy efficient technologies, among other things.) Because Blake was willing to do so--with an exceptional HVAC subcontractor, Paul Myers of Upstate Energy Solutions--we were able to obtain NYSERDA financing for much of our project.

Blake essentially conducted most of an energy audit on our house, without NYSERDA compensation, which had already been paid to our previous contractor. His findings were somewhat different. In particular, he found that our attic had more insulation than previously identified, probably because he looked harder to determine what was there. He then recommended a smaller, and somewhat different package of improvements for us. I am convinced that he saved us a significant amount of money in the process. He could easily have recommended more non-HVAC work (which might have made him more money), but he recommended against it from a cost-benefit standpoint. The work that he did do in our house is beautiful, with clear attention to detail.

In short, hire Blake. You will be very happy with the results. I would be surprised if there is anyone out there who is better at what he does.

Blake Reid offers a combination of "state of the industry" knowledge, including not just technology but a savvy sense of available funding and subsidies to see a project to completion, and a big picture approach to projects of almost any scale. Whether you are at the very beginning of thinking about home efficiency projects or are already zeroed in on specific needs, Blake's focus, patience, skill, and knowledge are invaluable assets.

The sooner you call Blake, the faster things get better. You’ll worry less. The dread of having to face a challenge that has been haunting you will dissipate. The sooner you call Blake, the sooner he’ll be in your house, basement, furnace room, attic, and crawl space. And the sooner that happens, the sooner you’ll have concrete, thoughtful, practical solutions that are right for you, your lifestyle, your property, and for the environment.

I worked with Blake on behalf of a not-for-profit with three buildings with multiple challenges. We also had aspirations to become less dependent on fossil fuels and more energy efficient in all of our operations. He started by prioritizing projects in terms of “size-of-problem vs. solution vs. outcome.”

Over the course of two years we made dozens of decisions, big and small. We installed a water-on-demand system for one building. We decided that some things we thought were problematic really didn’t matter. We learned that other problems required longer-term planning and budgeting. And last but not least – we entered into a contract with a local solar engineering company to install a ground-mount array that will offset more than 100% of our current electricity usage. Blake was invaluable during this process.

Among Blake’s enviable qualities are these: he’s an incredible listener. He hears you. He’s not just waiting to tell you what he thinks. He hears what you’re saying and responds with advice and solutions that are right for you. He is deeply knowledgeable. He understands how buildings work and how certain products and systems could work in each unique situation. He’s entirely honest. This is the Straight Talk Express. He’s also hilarious.

Blake wants to save the planet. He is also committed to customer service and doing right by his clients. Whether you’re taking the first tentative step towards making some energy efficient improvements to your home, or whether you’re farther down the line and ready for a major investment or a new construction project, you want Blake by your side.

Blake came to our rescue last fall when another local energy contractor’s false promises literally left us--and our drafty, heat-less, 200 year old house--out in the cold. In the span of one month (October): he completed an energy audit; he and his contracted electrician, Paul Meyers of Upstate Energy Solutions, provided us detailed heating system options to choose from; we got the NYSERDA load paperwork squared away; and our mini-split heat pump system was delivered, installed, and running smoothly. As soon as Paul finished his portion of the work, Blake immediately scheduled a final inspection--a requirement by NYSERDA--and even an extra visit to make sure we were 100% satisfied with their work. He also encouraged us to contact him with any questions or concerns about home energy, even those beyond the scope of this project--a genuine offer, since we’re still texting regularly over a month later.

On a more personal note, Blake and Paul are two of the most thoughtful and courteous contractors we’ve encountered, and my wife and I felt completely comfortable giving them free reign of our house to complete the project whether one, both or neither of us was present (and our dog and chickens were always happy to see them).

We are 100% satisfied with our Terrawatt experience. We’ll be turning to Blake for our energy contracting needs in the future and recommending him to all of our friends.

Blake is fantastic -- thoughtful, knowledgable, and easy to communicate with. When our thirty-year-old boiler died, we contacted Blake for a broader look at our HVAC options going forward. He came over right away, and we had a therapeutic conversation about our needs and concerns, both now and in the future. Then, he went over our house with a fine tooth comb and proceeded to give us a set of right-sized recommendations that we would never have thought of ourselves. Thanks so much for setting us on the right path!

We worked with Blake as a consultant, providing third party advice on the type of boiler we should install based on our budget, climate, and desire for long term reliability. He was generous and patient with his time, helping us to think through our options and chose the quote from local heating and cooling companies that would best meet our needs as well as advising us on the follow-up questions we should ask. Prior to speaking with Blake, we were concerned that we were being overcharged by local companies; and that we might chose the wrong system and be unhappy with the life of the boiler or its service requirement. Because of his advise, we feel confident that our money will be well spent. Thank you, Blake!

Blake is a real pro with insight into buildings and energy use. He has a real attention to detail, the best training and years of experience under his belt. You will not only get a superior level of knowledge and quality if you go with Terrawatt, you will probably get it at a lower price than the competition. You can take his advise to the bank.

Blake is an excellent communicator. He is articulate, clear, present, and caring. He put together an outstanding team of contractors to replace my boiler and he kept me informed and reassured throughout what was, for me, a very stressful time given that I am a new homeowner and am spending a considerable amount of money on maintenance and repair.

The job of replacing my boiler rated a high degree of difficulty due to the house design and the nature and placement of the original boiler. Several contractors had bid on the job before I turned to Blake for help in discerning the merits of their proposals. Blake helped me to understand the consequences of various decisions that had to be made along the way. I am very grateful for his guidance.

Blake is passionate, creative and driven when it comes to making homes more energy efficient, and an expert in the tangle of subsidies and incentives available to home owners. He's your man when you want to plug all leaks and holes and upgrade to efficient utilities without breaking the bank.

When our water heater died this year, Blake stepped in on a moment's notice and directed us to a high efficiency model that fit our needs. Not only did he save us money and reduce our carbon emissions in the long term, Blake also helped us take advantage of a subsidy that saved us hundreds of dollars on the purchase price. We are thrilled to have him as our ally and will definitely call on him again in the future.

We're serving as DIY general contractors for our own home -- a small, high-performance, accessible, timber-framed, strawbale-insulated job meant to last a couple of centuries. We've hired pros to do the stuff we aren't qualified doing ourselves. But how hard can it be to insulate a slab floor, we thought? And the subs all agreed. Even so, we were stuck -- materials on site, time ticking away, the schedule falling to pieces as we agonized about whether our errors would lead to performance issues that would last the lifetime of the house. Finally we thought of Blake. Filled out his online form and checked the "urgent" box. We thought first of his expertise in building performance and got so much more. Blake is a superb teacher and coach who showed up within hours of our reaching out. During the hour he was on site, he got us started, allayed our anxiety, answered our questions, and helped us generate a strategy to finish the job. Late that night, he emailed as promised with additional guidance, articles addressing in greater detail the questions we'd raised, and a healthy dose of encouragement to keep us on track. He also caught a potentially serious flaw in our stamped drawing and crafted a letter to help us apply for a change order to fix it with the local building department. Blake's consulting fee was money VERY well spent.

I'm a fellow Home Performance pro out of Cleveland Ohio. I've known Blake for 5 years now, he's one of the few people in my world I can recommend without reservation. He is violently curious, he just keeps digging until he finds an answer. This means he'll help you solve the problems you call him for thoughtfully and with a very high likelihood of success. He's also a mensch personally.

Terrawatt is built to provide suggestions and solutions without bias for what a company does. I switched to a similar model 3 years ago and it's very freeing. If your company specializes in cellulose insulation, you're less likely to suggest foam. (This was me a few years back.) If you're used to installing furnaces, a heat pump isn't a likely suggestion. When you have no bias aside from delivering results, problems are much more likely to get solved.

If you're tired of freezing all winter, or getting ice dams that rip gutters off, or paying for yet another fuel oil or propane delivery, Blake will help you fix it.