Blower Door

Im in the market to buy a Blower door for energy audits, any of you guys have advice on picking the right one vs the wrong one? Smoke pencil as well… Ty

I have no specific opinion but I saw some at www.inspectortools.com the cheapest at one point was like 2500.00

big investment…

Not really if you’re into a recognized HERS system that is promoted by states/utilities/orgs. With oil prices going back up or staying over $100, people will understand the differences between audits and want yours!!

I wish I had the funds to get into it… right now 250.00 would be pushing it…

but I hear you brian… it pays for itself…

Training for certificationis about $1000

You mean cardboard , duct tape and a box fan for 19.95 wont do it?

Nope. Don’t forget the IR equipment and certification. I’ll go for the RESNET cert. if I get a chance.:mrgreen:

Too late as you already told me to get a new van.
I should have listened.
Last three weeks I bought 4 tires , new battery, water punp.Brakes and rotor.

ouch

Bob, sounds like you’re getting your new van one piece at a time. Just like the Johnny Cash song. :stuck_out_tongue:

http://www.lyricsdomain.com/10/johnny_cash/one_piece_at_a_time.html

Another resource to check out.

http://www.bpi.org/

Ed

Michael, Minneapolis blower door is the best on the market. http://www.energyconservatory.com/products/products1.htm
Don’t use chemicals for detecting leaks. The back of your hand at -50Pa will work very well.

Hi Ed:

Looked at the Board of Directors of BPI…have known the Chairman since 1988 and was approached by the Secretary in 1990/91 to become an affiliate/representative for his air leakage control company, CANAM Building Envelope Specialists, in the Maritimes.

Keeping busy??

Brian

MRoberson,

Your best bet is from the Energy Conservatory. Their web address is
www.energyconservatory.com/ . It’s going to run you about $2500.

Good Luck,

R. Bolus

Just recently things have picked up. I actually had the guys on a 2 week lay-off during July for the first summer lay-off in 25 years.

I just last week made contact with a Mr. Michael Lotesta of www.Performance-Exteriors.com due to folowing the BPI Link and accredited instructors regarding Energy Audits and he just so happens to operate out of the town right next to where I live.

My eyes are opening up to additional business possibilities that you had previously suggested during our Ventilation discussions.

Thanks,

Ed

Good luck!! I think you have the smarts to make a go of it!! Have a look at the CANAM website and give Tony Woods a call…he’s got one whack of experience in the field!!

In 1981, when I took my first energy auditor training/certification in Brunswick, Maine (at the college that Marcel Cyr seems to be constantly re-building), there was a gent in the class from Chicago who worked for a company that were using blower doors and infrared…way back then…1981. The company’s name was Potential Energy Incorporated…ever hear of it??

Never heard of them and they did not pop up on Google, but thats a long time ago.

They may have changed their name for marketing purposes or the market was not viable at that time, although that would have been right after the 1978 oil embargo and gas shortages.

Yes, I remember the alternate days to be able to purchase gasoline and the rationed limits for a short period of time back then.

Ed

Hi Ed:

Funny how things happen, especially coincidences!!!

You referred us to BPI of which I’ve known the Chairman, Laverne Dalgleish, whom I met in 1988 while in training in Winnipeg.

Today, I had a meeting/consultation with an environmentally sensitive person from Winnipeg who is in our area to buy a spring/summer/fall home to be near the ocean where she gets some relief. Her Winnipeg home has been giving her problems this late winter/spring but she hasn’t been able to find anyone there to check it out. At the end my consultation with her, she flat out looked at me and asked me “Would I come to Winnipeg to inspect and give a # of recommendations about her house in regards to environmental issues, moisture, mould prevention, etc.?” She would pay the flight out and back here… about 2500 miles, one way!!!

I said “I have a better idea! I know a couple of people out there that I can refer you to…if they can’/won’t do the work, they’ll know the right people to refer you to there, if available. I gave the Dalgleish name which she didn’t know but the second name was the facilitator/trainer I knew for the ’ House-as-a-System” Train-the-Trainer course for the National Energy Conservation Association (NECA) which Dagleish was head of then.

She already had the trainer’s name, John H., and had talked to him twice but he could not get to her place for 3 months or so!!! Small world!!!

So I still may get a cross country trip to Winnipeg. The world is getting much smaller!!! Can’t believe that within 3 days this name 20 from years ago and 1/2 a continent away would re-appear again as it has a few other times.

That is really Cool!!!

I would venture to guess that old names from that emerging field will be getting thrown in the hat a bit more frequently in the near future with energy costs continuing to escalate.

Ed

If you’ll be looking at new homes, you’ll be doing Energy Rating and the requirements and what you do are very clearly established.

If you’ll be looking at existing homes, you’ll be doing energy audits and have much more leeway in what you do. In many states, energy auditors aren’t regulated and what service is provided varies among energy auditors.