First Time for Everything!

[Mario A. Kyriacou, CHI]

A builder contacted me to do an IR scan today of 2 townhouses, main floor kitchen and powder room to determine if there is air leakage and or missing insulation in these areas. The homeowner has had frozen water pipes in the past.

Long story short, while I was waiting for the builder a man with a Flir B50 approached me and identified himself as a fellow NACHI member (my truck has a NACHI decal) and informed me that the builder had also hired him! We talked for a few minutes before the builder arrived and I thought the builder changed his mind about me and my fee. My fellow NACHI member was charging $100.00 for this inspection and I was charging this builder $400.00. The builder arrived at the inspection and he apologized for the confusion and decided to use me, the other inspector even suggested to the builder to use me and he asked to tag along. I completed both inspections in 1.5 hours determined the source of air infiltration and insulation issues received my inspection fee and I was on my way!
BTW Because the other inspector was a fellow NACHI member and a nice guy I gave him $50.00 for his gas and time, and I also set him straight for his next inspection in terms of his pricing structure!

John McKenna, he is a student of yours brother! Don't you talk/teach your students about not giving their services away?

[Ian A. Niquette]

Originally Posted by mkyriacou

A builder contacted me to do an IR scan today of 2 townhouses, main floor kitchen and powder room to determine if there is air leakage and or missing insulation in these areas. The homeowner has had frozen water pipes in the past.

Long story short, while I was waiting for the builder a man with a Flir B50 approached me and identified himself as a fellow NACHI member (my truck has a NACHI decal) and informed me that the builder had also hired him! We talked for a few minutes before the builder arrived and I thought the builder changed his mind about me and my fee. My fellow NACHI member was charging $100.00 for this inspection and I was charging this builder $400.00. The builder arrived at the inspection and he apologized for the confusion and decided to use me, the other inspector even suggested to the builder to use me and he asked to tag along. I completed both inspections in 1.5 hours determined the source of air infiltration and insulation issues received my inspection fee and I was on my way!
BTW Because the other inspector was a fellow NACHI member and a nice guy I gave him $50.00 for his gas and time, and I also set him straight for his next inspection in terms of his pricing structure!

John McKenna, he is a student of yours brother! Don't you talk to your students about not prostituting their services?

Well done Mario, way to help help a guy and maybe teach him something he can use in the future.

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by mkyriacou

A builder contacted me to do an IR scan today of 2 townhouses, main floor kitchen and powder room to determine if there is air leakage and or missing insulation in these areas. The homeowner has had frozen water pipes in the past.

Long story short, while I was waiting for the builder a man with a Flir B50 approached me and identified himself as a fellow NACHI member (my truck has a NACHI decal) and informed me that the builder had also hired him! We talked for a few minutes before the builder arrived and I thought the builder changed his mind about me and my fee. My fellow NACHI member was charging $100.00 for this inspection and I was charging this builder $400.00. The builder arrived at the inspection and he apologized for the confusion and decided to use me, the other inspector even suggested to the builder to use me and he asked to tag along. I completed both inspections in 1.5 hours determined the source of air infiltration and insulation issues received my inspection fee and I was on my way!
BTW Because the other inspector was a fellow NACHI member and a nice guy I gave him $50.00 for his gas and time, and I also set him straight for his next inspection in terms of his pricing structure!

John McKenna, he is a student of yours brother! Don't you talk/teach your students about not giving their services away?

I never told anyone to give away their inspections.
Glad it worked out for you. Congrats.

[Peter C. Russell]

Mario, you're a class act. Very nice.

[David P. Valley]

Mario,

You are in fact a gentleman. I'm glad to see that this turned into a good relationship between the both of you.

Drive-on.

$100.00 for an IR inspection????? How the hell can anyone recoup their costs for the camera and education with those fees?

[Mario A. Kyriacou, CHI]

John, Peter, Ian and David

He took John's course in Toronto and he loved it, and in all fairness to this guy he is registered for his Level 1 with ITC in March. He is very excited about the technology and I believe he will be one of the best in the industry.

[Mark A. Timpani]

very nice Mario

[Mario A. Kyriacou, CHI]

Originally Posted by mtimpani

very nice Mario

Thanks Mark!

[William J. Decker]

Good job, Mario. Did the job AND got the higher fee AND helped a fellow NACHI guy.

And, expanding your market to builders!!!

I had something similar, in the way of an inspection.

2 year old, 7,400 SF house. Recently sold and the owner had a master bedroom toilet supply pipe freeze up (below zero temps). The contractor repaired the pipe (leaving a 2 x 2' hole in the ceiling near the pipe. Buyer was all concerned that they bought a lemon without any insulation. The pipe was, at least, 17' away from any exterior wall.

Found a joist channel from the rear wall, running 19' to where the pipe was.

Builder didn't believe that was the problem.

So, measured the exterior temp (26 F) and measured the interior temp (71 F) and measured the temp in the hole, towards the exterior wall (34 F). Easy to imagine what it would be if it was below zero, outside.

Builder still not convinced (told him it was air infiltration through rim joist).

So, I got my See-Snake (with extensions) and ran it down the cavity. Sure enough, there was a 3/4" gap between the two rim hoists and you could see the back of the Tyvek. (frame with brick veneer).

Told the builder to spray some foam in the area.

Cleard it right up.

Builder happy (easy and inexpensive to fix) and so was the owner.

As has been previously stated, check things out with other tools. Don't just rely on the IR camera.

Hope this helps;

[Jason Kaylor]

Is that venetian plaster on his walls in that picture? I learned how to do that and did it in my bathroom and master bedroom, holy moly is it a pain, but looks great.

Jason Kaylor – JJ
VP of Sales
877/207-1244
AC Tool Supply
Fluke Thermal Imagers
FLIR Thermal Imagers
Fluke TiR1 Resources
FLIR B60 Resources
Retrotec Duct & Blower Door

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by jkaylor

Is that venetian plaster on his walls in that picture? I learned how to do that and did it in my bathroom and master bedroom, holy moly is it a pain, but looks great.

Jason Kaylor – JJ
VP of Sales
877/207-1244
AC Tool Supply
Fluke Thermal Imagers
FLIR Thermal Imagers
Fluke TiR1 Resources
FLIR B60 Resources
Retrotec Duct & Blower Door

No such luck.

Typical North Shore McMansion. Drywall with the ceiling accents of MDF, painted.

But BIG.

Note how they get all the "cosmetic" details OK, but miss the big stuff, like air sealing and insulation.

2 x 6 exterior wall studs (now standard, around here), but the insulation was installed wrong. R 28 fiberglass, but the stapled the Kraft paper to the sides of the studs. Measured exterior wall R value was only (effective) R 10.

Go figure.

[Mario A. Kyriacou, CHI]

Thanks Will. I had similar findings and recommendations!