"The work that you have done is truly a blessing and words cannot express the sincere gratitude I would like to convey...Isles helped me save over 50% on heating costs in my home." - B. Thompson

 

More than any other Isles service, we receive 'thank you' letters for our work to retrofit old, tired, leaky homes in the Trenton region.

 

Thousands of units in Trenton alone are substandard, energy-wasteful, and hazardous to live in, because of lead and other toxins. These combined challenges make homes complicated to repair, and many families lack the resources to do it right. Isles helps these struggling homeowners weatherize, repair, and remove environmental hazards in their homes. 

 

Many older houses have leaking roofs. Too often, residents place a pot on the floor to collect the drips until the storm passes. Over time, these leaks create mold and peeling paint (which often contains lead), and cause sheetrock to sag and fall. A deteriorating home is unhealthy, uncomfortable, and dangerous. Children suffer most from indoor environmental hazards like lead dust, dust mites, rodents, cockroaches, asthma-triggering mold, and toxic pesticides. These hazards, especially lead, can impact a child's IQ, behavior, and success in life. 

 

In time, these homes may join the list of over 3,000 units of vacant housing in Trenton today. 

 

Isles pioneered the process of testing and repairing occupied homes for energy and, health hazards. We then renovate the home, using local labor in one single coordinated system. The result is that homes that were passed over by government weatherization programs (you can't insulate a leaking attic), can now receive the needed upgrades to create a safe, healthy and energy efficient residence.

 

In Ms. Thompson's home, none of the cracked and rotted windows could even close, and all of them tested positive for lead.  After making the necessary repairs to her home, Isles equipped her with our "Healthy Homes Kit" with healthy cleaning products, tools to prevent pests, and items to protect her home from dust mites or bed bugs.

 

While government programs continue to treat the challenges of  child health, energy, structural defects, and jobs individually, Isles integrates them into one "whole house" approach.

 

We invest about $7,000 into homes like Ms. Thompson's. This investment  saves the homeowner money, improves their safety and health, and keeps the home occupied, while saving the community and taxpayers much more. For every $1 invested in healthy homes or energy efficiency repairs, taxpayers - not just homeowners - receive many times more in health and energy savings.