“We get information about any mold or plumbing issues, what the air inside the house is like, the year the house was built, if the homeowner lives near an industrial area or a freeway, if they have any health issues when they’re at home,” Narvaez says. The gathered data are analyzed using the Hayward Score, a tool used to assess health-impactful problems in a home and to develop recommendations for repairing and/or replacing items involved. “The results from the Hayward Score give us our direction for making health-related improvements to the house,” Narvaez says. “Does it need exhaust fans for the air environment? Does the carpeting need replacing?” Franklin Energy of Oakland is another Peninsula Clean Energy contractor involved in Healthy Home Connect. “We manage the relationship between those getting the work done in the field and Healthy Home Connect, tailored around helping these residents eliminate health triggers and create healthier homes,” says Franklin Energy senior technical services manager Russell Bayba. “The health aspect is really important and can be a bigger concern than just reducing energy use,” he adds. That’s something Florence Jordan appreciates. She’s a senior citizen and widow living alone in an East Palo Alto house built in the 1950s. Her main issue was a rodent infestation. Workers replaced the vent coverings underneath and on the outside of the house, including the eaves. They also replaced her water heater, added weather stripping to the windows and doors, and repaired leaky faucets. “I’m very appreciative, you don’t know how much,” she says. “I talked with (the workers) and they seemed to like what they do – helping people.”
By Allen Pierleoni
