IR level 0ne V/S Building Science

[Peter C. Russell]

Originally Posted by dandersen

Dennis,
I posted this somewhere before but I can remember where off hand. I sat next to someone that had an SD and an INFRACAM at FLIR.

The BCAM SD:

Sensitivity is increased .05 (I can't see the difference here ; even on the big screen in class).

You have an SD card that is removable and capable of holding more pictures (I've yet to find this an advantage, I have USB cables plugged into all of my computers for other digital devices like cameras and voice recorders) .

There are two alarms (dew point and insulation). These alarms can also be manually manipulated and performed with the standard BCAM.

There was a $1000 difference between the standard and SD cameras when I got mine. The SD was on back order so I just went with the standard camera because no one could tell me the significant difference in the two cameras.

I spent the thousand dollars on building science training and learned how to overcome any shortcomings between the two cameras.

The $1600 for class is more important than any $1000 improvement on SD in my opinion.

Dennis, I agree with Dave, you can save some money and buy the B Cam.

I have become use to the removable SD card and since it's the same a my digital camera I have several extras but other than that there is no visible difference in picture quality.

[David A. Andersen]

Hay Peter,

How's it going up there in MA/NH?
I saw you were at 60 degrees when I was looking at 97 in the am yesterday!
Send me some cool and rain! We have only had .03 inches of rain since I got back, 99-111 degrees every day, 30% rh, 25 mph wind! Can you say BROWN!

I'm ready for another FLIR course in MA, but I'm headed for the Grand Canyon for my wife's vacation! It will be cooler there even!

Anyway, so much for thread drift.
Would you agree that what we spent at ITC is worth more than upgrading to the SD?

I want another camera (that ain't going to happen soon), but really, I see a large problem out there in IR land (not referring to NACHI) where it seams that there are HI's out there with the CAM and have not got a clue what they are doing with it. The point I am trying to reiterate is that even the great minds in the industry (and I would have to say that it has been a long time since I sat in a room with so much intelligence in a long while!) were walking around with the "deer in the headlight look" (as CB has posted). There is another perspective and approach with this course that is not out there. I have a moderate background in HVAC thermodynamics. I thought I would attend the course and pick up some pointers and get a certification (in case someone asked). Well guess what? This whole thing is a new perspective to the old tried and true method!

Did you and your brother pick up a few things as well?

[Peter C. Russell]

Hi Dave, I got up the other day and it was 48 at 5am, I love because it's becoming thermal season in my neck of the woods.

I do agree with you, the money is well spent on the course and is a must for anyone thinking about getting into thermal imaging. My brother Alan and I got so much out of the course and I can't believe how many doors it has opened up for me.

Most of the commercial contractors I work for are asking me to give them demos and have even requested to tag along on a inspection. I have one that is for a high school that has a roof that leaks and they can't seem to find the problem, I quote them $350.00 for a basic roof inspection which is for 3 hours and $100.00 per hour over that, which includes report writing.

I have to say that the camera has been a huge boost for my construction business as well and with cold weather coming I'm sure we'll be busy all winter long.

I have been marketing the camera to large commercial contractors, Roofing/insulation companies, condo. associations. property management companies and the list goes on. I don't have alot of competition in my area and the response has been great, the one thing I'm learning is you don't need to do home inspections to make money with the camera.

Good to hear from you Dave and have a great Vaca. look us up sometime, the lobster dinner is on me!!!!!

[Dennis R. Goudreau]

thanks Russ & Dave for your helpful advice, so little a difference better to go with the Bcam, Russ great to hear it's working for you

[John McKenna]

For home inspections... BCAM works fine. I saw the SD and it
was nice, but the image was not worth a $1000 dollars more to me.

I really learned a lot on the "rise" of moisture into the building
through the stack affect. It added a lot to my understanding
about the problems with crawl spaces and the air and moisture
inside the dwelling area.

I just did another brand new house yesterday and the BCAM found
4 moisture problems unseen to the naked eye.

Never leave home without it.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by jmckenna1

I really learned a lot on the "rise" of moisture into the building
through the stack (or "chimney") affect. It added a lot to my understanding
about the problems with crawl spaces and the air and moisture
inside the dwelling area.

John:

It was once said by an early Building Science researcher that early attic ventilation (before we were having XXX showers per day in houses, and lots of plants, aquariums, etc.) was actually venting the crawl spaces since the moisture in the attic was mostly from there.

Once you start getting into the full Building Science training (and understanding), you can see where unvented crawlspaces, unvented attics, airtight buildings, proper HVAC design and installation make a lot of sense for energy savings through to healthier homes!!

[ldapkus]

Originally Posted by Brian A. MacNeish

John:

It was once said by an early Building Science researcher that early attic ventilation (before we were have XXX showers per day in houses, and lots of plants, aquariums, etc.) was actually venting the crawl spaces since the moisture in the attic was mostly from there.

Once you start getting into the full Building Science training (and understanding), you can see where unvented crawlspaces, unvented attics, airtight buildings, proper HVAC design and installation make a lot of sense for energy savings through to healthier homes!!

What are you trying to say???

[John McKenna]

If you wrap a three story building with plastic, you would see the plastic
sucking into the lower windows and trying to blow out the top windows.

Pier and Beam foundations pull air into the crawl space and that air rises
into the home and eventually into the attic.

Not a very healthy environment if the crawl space is humid and full of
fungi (most wood in crawl spaces here in Texas have over 19% moisture
because of the humidity).

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by ldapkus

What are you trying to say???

"unvented crawlspaces, unvented attics, airtight buildings, proper HVAC design and installation make a lot of sense for energy savings through to healthier homes"

Some of these newer concepts that most resist make sense after in depth building science training starts to tie seemingly disparate items together such as the damp/wet crawlspace being the main souce of cool/cold weather attic condensation.

Most people can't believe that an airtight home can be healthier or healthy at all ........an apparent oxymoron to most!!! But go to the American Lung Asociation sub-site www.healthhouse.org and see that they require an airtight home. Joe Lstiburek, who essentially set the standards for Canada's High Efficiency R2000 Home Program in 1981-4, is co-chair of the technical committee for the Health House Program. He's the principal at www.buildingscience.com .