Calibrated Blower Door Test graphic.

When you’re an airsealing contractor using the door, it becomes a tool to find cracks, etc that actually leak air…some cracks at baseboards, windows trim may not leak air. It definitely speeds up the job.

Don’t worry about the air leakage through drywall and OSB board themselves…it’s the air leakage through penetrations and at their edges/seams that really add up!

Here is what I have published on my site…

I also recommend that you read Chapter 3 of Residential Energy, Krigger and Dorsi (5th Edition). I think it will help.

Thanks guys. Good stuff.

I’m having trouble coming up with a really nice blower door graphic that members can use in their marketing.

Here is an example: A brochure for thermal imaging that Jesse built today: http://www.nachi.org/forum/f13/thermal-imaging-template-customized-specialized-home-inspections-61830/#post794921

Look at Jim’s page: http://www.missouricertifiedenergy.com/blowerdoortest.php What image would you put on that page if you wanted an image on that page?

Good idea. Thanks.

… and that’s what the illustration shows. A blower door can suck air from vent pipe flashings, chimney stacks, hose bibs, exterior GFCIs, cable and phone line holes, improper exterior siding installation, band/rim joist areas, etc. (All exterior stuff)

The illustration’s use/message is not defined. No illustration is. It’s up to you.

Here’s an illustration that I like a lot. I’m not going to define its use or ‘message.’

blower-door-illustration.jpg

Better.

blower-door-illustration.jpg
I disagree.
It’s lame, compared to InterNACHI’s illustration.
To each his/her own, eh?

No. Not when it comes to a tool that, if improperly used, could provide erroneous information that could lead to the illness or death of the occupants.

Ah… disclaimers and lawyers…
“Your Honor, my client looked at this picture and fell dead.”

  • (I know what you’re saying. But there’s only so much one can assume with a picture.)*

Nick asked where the “error” was. I pointed out one of many. If you like your illustration, by all means…publish it. I think it will “illustrate” a lot.

Thank you. Much appreciated.

blower-door-illustration-gromicko.jpg
The following could be used for this illustration:

  • Using the blower door depressurizes the house, drawing air through all the holes in the pressure boundary of the home.

  • Using the blower door as a driving force, air is sucked out of the house faster than it can be replaced. This creates a measurable pressure difference for performing diagnostics.

This is different from how the house behaves under normal conditions. Usually, air would be infiltrating some of the holes and exfiltrating others. With the blower door running, the home is depressurized so air infiltrates all the holes except the one in the door where the fan is set up (as brilliantly illustrated by the awesome illustration thus illustrated).

I will put it this way … Your written description perfectly matches the quality of the illustration, IMO.

Ben, maybe we need two images: One that has more elaborate text and technically correct… and one that I can use for marketing purposes that is beautiful.

Yes?

What do you plan to “market”?

Energy audits.

The big complaint is that there is little organic consumer demand for them. I’m going to prove everyone wrong. I think I’ve figured out the code to crack the puzzle of lack of consumer demand for energy audits.

Great…but do you market home inspections by explaining to people how flashlights work?

In Springfield, Mo…utility rates have increased 20% in 13 months and are scheduled for another increase in 2012 while 40% of what they spend to condition their air is leaking to the outdoors. Unwitting contractors are sealing up homes that were built in the '30s to make them more “energy efficient” and, as a result, clothes dryers are sucking the exhaust from the water heater vent back into the home and mold is growing under the insulation in the attic where it hasn’t existed for the past 80 years. This is going on all over America.

These are a few of the things a blower door test can address as part of a complete energy audit.

If all you are looking for is the air leaks…you can do that without a blower door.

Marketing energy audits is a fantastic and welcomed thing but window and insulation salesmen are now “marketing” what they call energy audits that are nothing but sales presentations for windows and insulation. Even some home inspectors with thermal imagers are taking pictures of walls that are missing insulation and calling it an “energy audit”.

I hope that NACHI will enter the field by taking the high road when presenting actual facts and real benefits to the public. There is a credibility gap and you don’t want to widen it with hyperbole.

You are a marketing genius and if anyone can crack the code, you can. Just remember that energy audits are not subjective and each report must provide verifiable results that can be duplicated by a third party.