Now that I have caught up reading this tread, here is what I use and have permission to use in my marketing materials…
With an explanation of what a blower door purpose is for and the importance of why the blower door testing is needed for Energy Audits and contractor verification for energy retrofits… Oh, by the way business is doing just fine, and if properly marketed in will continue to grow… at least for me…
Don’t waste your time on me Nick!
If it wasn’t for thermal imaging and energy audits, my boat would be sunk in this economy!
I made more money in the first quarter this year on building audits then I made all of last year!
I initiated seven building audits this week that average $1165.
You get in with a building restoration contractor, structural engineer or architect and you won’t have any time for $195 home inspections anymore.
I don’t know how Jim expects you to demonstrate all the crap he posted in a graphic. What difference does it make if the garage door is open or not? I guarantee you won’t lose a job over a graphic with the garage door closed.
Nobody needs to know all the standards of requirements in a building audit through a graphic. They simply need to understand that you suck the air out of the house and figure out how it’s getting in. If they want to know all of the other particulars, they need to get on the phone and talk to you.
Probably one of the most important things you want to include in your campaign is that anything anyone does to a building has the potential of killing everyone inside if the building is not inspected after the work is been done. This is the primary reason for an energy audit in my opinion. I could care less how much money you save changing light bulbs, but when you seal up one window leak and it changes the interior building pressure and sucks out combustion gases from the water heater and kills your hamster, they need to recognize the vital importance of what a real energy audit consists of. Even if an energy audit is not conducted prior to weatherization practices, it is imperative that an inspection is completed after the work has been performed. Homeowners go around with the caulking gun and “great stuff foam” sealing up their homes all the time without considering the potential hazards they are creating.
Last month I came across a situation (Nashville radio) where someone’s hamster died so they bought a new one, which died in two weeks. So they bought a mouse, thinking the hamsters were spreading a disease. The mouse died in two hours. Hazmat inspection found high levels of CO2 (not CO) in the house and found that they recently conducted massive amounts of energy mitigation repairs on the property and eliminated the sources of required ventilation…
All this input is great, fellas. And much appreciated.
I agree that one illustration can’t say it all, and it shouldn’t contain errors.
I don’t want to get too far off topic, but we’re in the process of developing several new training courses and marketing pieces for InterNACHI members, and it’s all about energy.
Coming soon… a variety of materials to help InterNACHI members educate homeowners about making their homes more energy efficient, reducing high energy bills, improving comfort, and protecting the environment through InterNACHI home and energy inspections.
Soon, InterNACHI members will take advantage of several tools and resources, including:
So, a lot more energy-related illustrations for the InterNACHI Gallery are coming.
Nick and Ben,
I am going to include you guys on an email to a couple of people that can hook you up with whatever you need for your project. They have tons of material including images, video, powerpoint etc.
I am glad you are taking on this challenge, this industry just needs education and it will blow up. Contrary to the “there is no demand” comments, I know a ton of people that are doing extremely well in this industry. It is really all marketing and consumer education.
JJ
An energy audit should be done BEFORE any work is completed for sure( and also afterwards to confirm ACH), that way the h/o knows whether to expect any issues with weatherization. Why wait until the work is complete and then start un-doing some of the airsealing? As for not caring about lightbulbs, etc, it all makes a difference. Focusing on weatherization is not an energy audit, and you do need a blower door to properly check for air leakage. Perhaps some folks need some training on the “House as a System” approach.
You need a blower door.
Got one. Thanks.
I like these.
Those done in Google Sketch Up Ben?
They look amazing.
JJ
By showing entry points of infiltrating air at the exterior surfaces, you may be inadvertantly “telling” the hoemowner that he should be sealing the house at these points. The best and most appropriate location to airseal is at the inner wall finishes as these are the last/first point of air infiltration/exfiltration into/from the house.
Caulk/seal at the exterior to prevent entry of weather, dust, bugs but not specifically for air sealing unless it’s a special case.
Well, just like Clapton said, “It’s in the way that you use it.”
For a homeowner, a picture alone is never enough info.
Ben, you should add infiltration at the foundation, that where it starts.
It’s also one of the first places to begin air sealing.
