It Is Time For HVAC Contractors To Own The Energy Audit Issue

Posted: August 16, 2010 by GreenHVAC in Business Tools, Energy Conservation, HVAC
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Elephant

Stop the Stampede Before It Gets Started

I was always taught that if you can foresee an issue arising down the road, it is best to take ownership of the issue now before it explodes. Then later, whatever the damages may be, at least you are in control. What is the looming issue I anticipate? The rapidly expanding energy audit industry.

The problem with this industry is that there are no certification or licensing requirements.  Sure, certification is required to take advantage of government tax deductions and utility company rebates.  But what does it take for a  person to decide that they are  going to be an auditor?  One could buy a used blower door and Ti camera on Ebay or Craigslist.  Rig up a website.  Done.  Some of the “auditors” I’ve met took a three week course at a junior  college.  Is this the guy you want drilling holes in your flue and spilling CO into your living space? Some are offering free audits or $199.00 deals when there is  no reason to discount a true energy audit– not with all the programs out there(Did you know you that in Missouri you may deduct an audit on your state income tax?)

HVAC contractors, on the other hand, must maintain not only a mechanical license, but they also must pass EPA certification.  Many HVAC contractors are members of trade associations like HARDI, RSES and ACCA that offer continuing education.

Despite what you may have seen on Dateline’s expose in 2002. . .and despite the unlicensed “contractors” we all have seen in action who choose not to abide by local regulations. . .for  the most part, we are part of an industry that prides itself in professionalism and being technically savvy.

Why would we shrug at the notion of expanding our services offering to include energy audits?  Should we let the hack come in and test duct work that we fabricated? Check our registers for proper throw?  Would they know what throw is? Shouldn’t testing a system for superheat and subcooling be part of an audit designed to test efficiency of the entire building?  What about static pressure in duct work and resistance of an air filter? Not just leaky windows and doors? Wet bulb and what high or low RH can mean?  Are you tired of my rhetorical questions? The point is these issues are things an HVAC tech deals with every day.

My fear is that HVAC contractors are not being pro-active. I have met a handful of techs who are big on energy audits. They might not be making a ton of money on the audit itself, but they are using the results to upgrade equipment(not to mention raising their level of professionalism in the eyes of the home/building owner).  In talking to some excellent local contractors, I get the impression that it seems like too much of a departure from their existing business model.

There is a  good article in the ACHR News today that exemplifies this dichotomy of attitudes in our industry.

I think ignoring this opportunity is ludicrous.  You cannot install an HVAC system without considering the whole house as an integrated system.  All the modulating gas valves, variable speed motors, 16 seer AC units, etc. will not efficiently overcome leaky duct work and/or building envelope issues.  Not to mention the vital issue of indoor air quality. . .that’s for another post.

So what will it take for HVAC contractors to get on board? I would imagine $6 billion dollars in the Home Star bill, or counties and cities requiring audits. . . however; I say why wait? Why not get ahead of the curve so when these initiatives are put in place your techs are trained and ready to roll?

This website could open your eyes: www.dsireusa.org

Here’s the skinny on this organization that is funded by the DOE:

DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. Established in 1995 and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, DSIRE is an ongoing project of the N.C. Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.

So why sit back and wait for the tide to pick your backside off the sand? Let’s head this thing off at the pass and own the issue.

“My Hypocrisy Only Goes So Far”

Posted: August 2, 2010 by GreenHVAC in Energy Conservation, HVAC, Personal Posts
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Fans of the Movie "Tombstone" will get the Post Title

While driving home from the Energy Expo, it struck me that I was a bit of a hypocrite.  I’ve been spending a fair amount of time telling contractors how to sell their services to home and building owners.  I had just spent most of a day explaining to homeowners how they should improve the efficiency of their own domiciles.

I’ve lived in my home for about three years, and I’ve made steady improvements to a relatively new house(15 years old) as far as insulating and sealing.  I’ve got a dual fuel heat pump that I keep well-maintained(as I described in other posts).  But when it comes to testing the actual integrity of the place. . .and despite having a trunk full of test tools and equipment, I had never even done a full thermal scan.  Last Friday was a good time to test– the midday sun was beating down on the house.  Temperature differential from inside to outside was well over the 17 degrees recommended for a scan. I was well aware of a  few issues– for one, we need a glass storm door on the front of the house.  Two, our garage door needs to be replaced.  Both of these doors would be eligible for the Home Star tax deductions(up to $1500.00 for qualified materials through the end of the year), but I have not gotten around to it yet.

Front Door

I had the house painted and wood rot repaired almost a year ago. The contractor did a great job heavily caulking all open seams and really dousing on a good quality paint. I had already sealed around any openings in the foundation: spigots, drain pipes, water lines, etc.  I had also recently replaced all weather stripping around the doors.  My electrical outlets were all covered(child safety more than anything, but 2% of energy is lost through these openings).

So I took my Fluke Ti-25 thermal imager out and started scanning the house.  (All pics on here are compressed from the original bmp format to a jpeg. So the quality of the Ti25 images is diminished a bit for the convenience of posting.)  Not a lot to see from the exterior in the summer time.  Cool air was coming out of the dryer vent, but everything else looked pretty tight.

I moved to the partially finished basement and started checking the fiberglass insulation around the interior foundation. The images below are from the storage room.

Reflectix Insualtion Covering small, loose batt insulation.

I forgot to hit ‘store’ on the ‘before’  I made repairs image, but I was fairly surprised to see a fair amount of heat…especially near the supply register boot. I could see where heat was seeping up into my home office(how cool is the IR Fusion(R) technology? The Fluke cam lays the thermal heat signature over a standard digital image for easy identification).  Fortunately, I had a roll of Reflectix insulation in my sample room.  I grabbed a pair of scissors, staple gun and a step ladder.  In five minutes I had cut rectangles and sealed in the loose(nasty) fiberglass.

Reflectix Repairs over fiberglass

Five minutes, scissors and a staple gun is all it takes to make a difference

It is not a perfect heat seal, but the combination of fiberglass insulation covered with Reflectix is an awesome insulator. I could have taken a little more time to seal the edges, but I was not overly concerned with this area.  In typical homeowner fashion, I had been living here for three years with all the resources to repair the insulation but just hadn’t gotten around to it.

Image of windows

Heavy curtains are a much cheaper fix than replacing windows.

I know my windows are not the greatest, but the cost of replacement is not justified by the scant savings.  In my experience, and what I’ve read from energy auditors, there is debate over how much energy would actually be saved if your windows are replaced. I am sure window sales people would tell you  differently, but I am more inclined to just keep windows covered up with blinds or curtains.  My wife is a fan of curtains from a design viewpoint.  I am impressed with how much heat transfer even thin curtains can block. Check out the difference between the high and low spots above.

Heat seepage through garage door

Surprise Finding

I said before that I had replaced weather stripping on all exterior doors, but in reality I had missed one. The image below here shows 85 degree heat pouring in from the garage.  Oops.

Garage door needs to be replaced

Need a New Energy Efficient Garage Door

Heading in to the garage area I was not surprised at all to find that the integrity of the over head door was not good. Unfortunately for me, the master bedroom is directly above this heat sink.  This is an area where energy savings would justify the cost of a new door.

Soffit Vents Cause Hot Spots

My daughter’s bedroom always seemed a  bit hot. I was curious to see what I would find in there.  I found hot spots along the exterior wall, but this is probably unavoidable as there are soffit vents in the attic. It would not be a good idea to blow insulation in to cover these, unless you want ice dams in the winter.

It was entirely too hot to go up in the attic, but I had been up there before and sealed some of the siding.  The blown in insulation looked good.  A radiant barrier would be an inexpensive upgrade, but with a steep angle of the roof, I had not been overly eager to tackle that project.  Radiant barriers can reduce heat gain by about 40%, thus saving about 10% on your energy consumption by your HVAC system.

Trap door to the attic

Trap Door To The Attic

This last image is interesting to me.  When we first moved in, my walk-in closet was so hot you could hardly spend any time in there at all.  I took an over-sized square of Reflectix and stapled it to the back of the trap door, and then I rammed it up into the attic and pulled the door down tight.  The ambient closet temperature is now not much different from the bedroom.  This image reaffirmed how easy and effective that fix was.

So a quick check of the house confirmed my ideas of what I thought I might find. I did discover one area I had missed–the back door– and although I hated when my wife wanted to hang curtains, I now have a greater appreciation of her decorating efforts.

So there you go.  I can now throw stones at will.

Home Owners: Ten Things You Should Do Today to Make Your Home More Efficient

Posted: July 19, 2010 by GreenHVAC in Energy Conservation, HVAC, Personal Posts
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It is 95 degrees outside today.  Unbearably hot.  It is cool in your  home, but at what cost?  And how long will the AC last running overloaded 24 hours a day?

Yes, no one wants to spend money.  Well,  here are ten things you can do that will pay for themselves in a year or less.

1) Call an HVAC contractor to do a “clean and check.”  For around one hundred dollars a contractor will: clean your condenser coil and evaporator coil, thus greatly improving heat transfer and efficiency.  They will also check the charge on your system and find out if you have a leak anywhere.

2) Change your air filter.  Don’t just swap out your fiberglass filter. . .change it for a pleated MERV 8 or better filter.

3) Ask the contractor about getting a cabinet installed to house a 5″ air cleaner pleated filter.  The life of the 5″ filter is longer and resistance is less than a 1″ throw away filter.  This will improve your air quality and save money over time.

4) Get a programmable thermostat and use it.  Make sure you set it back 2 or three times per day depending on your living habits.  Every degree you set it back will save you 2-3% on energy costs.

5) Buy a tube of caulk and a seal all cracks and openings to the outside air. Pay careful attention to:

Door and window frames

  • Mail chutes
    Electrical and gas service entrances
    Cable TV and phone lines
    Outdoor water faucets
    Where dryer vents pass through walls
    Bricks, siding, stucco, and foundation
    Air conditioners
  • Vents and fans.

6. If you don’t want to spend the money for an energy audit, which is really pretty stupid since in most areas the utility company will give you a rebate for one, then depressurize your house and look for leaks.

  • Turn off your furnace on a cool, very windy day.
  • Shut all windows and doors.
  • Turn on all exhaust fans that blow air outside, such as bathroom fans or stove vents.
  • Light an incense stick and pass it around the edges of common leak sites. Wherever the smoke is sucked out of or blown into the room, there’s a draft.

7) Get rid of your decorative floor register covers.  Move any furniture away from return grills and floor registers.

8.) Replace all of your weatherstripping around doors.

9) Put plastic covers in your electrical outlet openings.

10)  Unplug all of your unused or seldom used appliances.  Toasters, coffee makers, hair curlers.  40% of power consumption occurs when the appliance is turned off– just by being plugged in it is still drawing current.

Now, if you do all these things and realize you may want to sleep at 72 dgrees instead of keeping your bedroom at 82 to save money.  . .talk with that contractor about Forced Air Zoning.

Selling Professional Services to the Midwest DIY Mentality Customer

Posted: July 16, 2010 by GreenHVAC in Business Tools, Energy Conservation, HVAC
Tags:
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Green Homes?

I am from Kansas.  I’ve lived elsewhere, but I came back home to raise my family  because I like it here.  Is it exciting? No. Is there beautiful weather?  Sometimes.  Are the stereotypes about the Midwest true?  Many of them are — the good and the bad.

The good: people are friendly, schools are great, living is affordable, great basketball(KU), and traffic is not bad. . .the downside of living in a sparsely populated state: finding good ethnic food takes some work, we miss out on the great shows, it is frigidly cold in the winter and oppressively hot in the summer, no public transportation, our Royals have been terrible for two decades, etc.

I know the Midwest and feel qualified in saying that there is a pervasive “Midwest mentality.”  Let’s not be overly simplistic– I know there is an exception to every rule.  But when it comes to business, marketing  your products or services takes a different approach in Manhattan, KS than say. . .Manhattan, NY.  Versailles(Vur-sales), MO is different than Versailles, France.  Nevada(Nuh-vay-duh), MO is different than Las Vegas, NV.  Cuba, KS. . .well, I’ve never been to Cuba, but you get the idea.

When it comes to DIY, to use a political term, I am a moderate.  I like to fix something myself if it does not involve a second story rooftop or opening the breaker panel and pulling wires. On the other hand, if I am paying someone to install new carpet, then I am sure not going to pay them to tear out the old stuff and haul it away.

I know there are contractors who get a lot of their business from homeowners who tried to do things themselves, and then botched is so badly they had to call a licensed contractor to come start over from  the beginning.  It seems this is especially true for plumbing.

HVAC Example: I sell a number of indoor air quality products. One of which is UV lights.  I had a heck of a time talking to contractors in small town Iowa.  There is a an extreme Midwest mindset there.  My scientific proof?  I get a terrific amount of calls to the factory from homeowners asking for replacement bulbs. They refuse to call the contractor who put it in.  Is it technically difficult to change a UV bulb? No, but there is danger involved, and it only takes seconds to burn your retina with 30,000 microwatts of UV-C light.

Ultravation replacement bulb

However, the mentality is that I will not pay someone to do something I can do myself!

Is it any wonder that homeowners don’t have their HVAC equipment maintained like  they would their car?  Why would they pay for someone to come out and clean a coil when they can go outside with the garden hose and some Palmolive and wash it off? You never get the chance to explain that an alkaline based coil cleaner with inhibitors will penetrate deep into fins and foam out the grime, thus greatly improving heat transfer.  Why would someone pay for an air filter from an HVAC Contractor when you can go to Walmart and buy one for $1.20.  Again, you never get the chance to explain how a deep pleat filter will actually be cheaper and tremendously more efficient in the long run.

My simple advice is don’t fight it.  Embrace the stubborn mentality and make it your ally.  I know a ton of technically savvy salesmen.  They know everything there is to know about the latest variable speed, modulating gas valve, super duper sky high SEER rating equipment.  However, they don’t normally explain to the end user that the SEER rating is a lab test of efficiency.  We need to make sure your home or building meets the following requirements to attain these high SEER ratings in the real world. . .

So you do a load calc AND you pressurize the duct work testing for leaks, next you get out your blower door and test for building envelope leakage, next you test the throw at the diffusers. . you take psycrhometric readings. . .you pull out your thermal imager and snap pics of problem areas. You document a host of issues contributing to their discomfort.

Type up your itemized estimate, and hand the customer a quote for $30,000.00 to fix all of their problems and have the most efficient system possible.

Does it fly? Not very far. First of all, you know you can’t solve every problem in the house with a new system(Think Poltergeist).  Secondly, they are going to strongly doubt everything you have listed is absolutely necessary.  So while you are trying to convince them that one system is not going to service upstairs and down adequately and they will need a zoning system. . . why not build  rapport by showing them the items they can take care of themselves?

If you want to save some money…tell them install a radiant barrier in the attic and save 10% on their energy costs.  All you need is material, staples, scissors and a ladder.  Explain that the DOE claims 25%-40% of all energy produced by your HVAC system is lost in the duct work.  They are welcome to go buy sealant. . .real UL listed duct sealant. .  and tighten up all the ductwork.  Let them enjoy that  attic or crawlspace.

Now that bill is starting to look more reasonable when you figure in Federal tax rebates, local utility company rebates and energy savings.

You and the owner are a team working toward a common goal.  Plus, one  trip up to the attic will convince them that maybe it is better to have your guy blow in the insulation instead of going to Home Depot to rent equipment.  There is a reason Missouri is called the “Show Me State” and the state animal is the mule. The stereotype is true.

Would a house made of Bud Light be a good idea?

Posted: July 6, 2010 by GreenHVAC in Energy Conservation
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Well, sure, in the obvious sense.  It would be extremely useful to have that much beer on hand at all times.  I would feel prepared knowing I had that much beer around in the event of a post-apocalyptic scenario. Fans of the show Lost know how important the thirty year-old Dharma beer was to some of the survivors.

Maybe you have seen the Bud Light Super Bowl ad with the guy who builds his house out of full beer cans? Generally, Super Bowl ads don’t leave much of an impression on me.  However, this one set me to thinking.  .  .how well would that house be insulated?  I mean, reflective insulation is great. You can do a lot with reflecting radiant heat(and even R-Value wise) with bubble wrap and foil. I’ll explain more about that below. So how well would full beer cans work as insulators?

Here’s the making of the the Bud Light beer house commercial:

What’s up with the foil and bubble wrap?

High grade aluminum is an excellent reflector, and therefore has a low emissivity. I don’t imagine beer cans are the highest grade aluminum, so their reflective values are probably pretty limited.  The liquid inside the can would give you some R value(I am not taking the time to calculate or research that!) as liquid would slow the conduction of heat. However, the best insulators are:

1) Complete Vacuum

2) Dead Air

3) Mass insulation

Remember that heat is transferred in three ways: convection, conduction and radiation.
The way reflective insulation(or as it is often referred to in our industry as “bubble wrap) works, is to stem the flow of heat in two ways:

The reflective properties stop radiant heat transfer, and when using an air space to trap dead air, varying R-Values may be obtained.

So, having a low grade(most likely from recycled aluminum) reflector and using liquid as your heat break, you would not get near the R values of a radiant barrier.

Plus, installation would be a bear. Which one of the big reasons contractors opt for this style of insulation is specifically for the ease of installation.

So what is the big reason for this type of product over traditional mass insulation, you might ask?

Getting fiber out of the air stream.  Making it easier to clean duct work.

Is this the stuff I see at Lowe’s and Home Depot for wrapping water heaters?

Yes, it is.  Think of that water heater as a cup of hot coffee.  Mass insulation has a limited life. If your water heater is over seven years old, that insulation is breaking down and your actual R-Value is declining.  Wrapping your water heater(carefully following directions so as not to block vents) is a quick DIY energy saver.

What are some other ways I can use this type of product at home?

Radiant barriers in the attic.  Putting a foil scrim on your attic rafters can reduce heat gain by as much as 40%, which in turn reducesFlorida Solar Energy Center research. air conditioning usage by 10% according to

Ground Source Heat Pumps: A Real World Example

Posted: June 29, 2010 by GreenHVAC in Business Tools, Energy Conservation, alternative energy
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No matter how many times the thought occurs to me, I am always dumbfounded when I consider that we live and work in a world economy based on a non-renewable resource. . .

I know that in the HVAC industry we are a bit lethargic fighting off the habit of doing what we have always done.  However, when you go to trade shows there are at least discussions about alternate heat sources.  You hear the success stories of the contractor who now almost exclusively installs Geo. Of course, much of the population still fires up the 120,000 BTU furnace to raise the temperature of an entire two story house by three degrees–to make the 10×15 upstairs bedroom a little bit warmer. . .

Let’s tackle one issue at a time.  Geothermal, or ground source heat pump, has been the buzz word in the industry for the last five years or more.

The buzz: On one hand, they are incredibly efficient! On the other, they are terribly expensive! It will take you 20 years to get your money back. Or fear of the unknown: I’ve never installed one.

What is the reality?  I’ll show a  real world example of a GSHP in Rayville, MO.

For now, check out what is going on in the Danish island of Samso.  In the mid-west US, we rightfully hear all kinds of stories about the green things going on in Greensburg, KS.  Samso is a marvel though.   In 1997, Samso took on a government challenge to become 100% carbon neutral.  In 2010, they are very nearly there.  Residents are even making money by exporting electricity back to the mainland.  This electricity is produced by windmills they personally invested in.

The Danish are quite a people.  I spent a short amount of time in Copenhagen.  I was floored by the beauty of the city and the nature of the people.  I stumbled  into a squatter community not five blocks from the parliament building. . .let’s just say the Danish are not afraid to buck the norm.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/08/eveningnews/main2549273.shtml

Back to Rayville, MO.

Pam and Bill Halfpenny took advantage of local power company rebates and government stimulus money to install a sweet Florida Heat Pump system.  The installer AirCare, a Lenexa, KS based HVAC company, had never installed such a system. They were eager to jump in and learn on the fly.

Of course Bill and Pam have been in the HVAC industry for 30 years, so they have more knowledge and contacts than the average homeowner.  And living in a rural area they already had a pond nearby ready for a loop system. No need for well drilling or rock breaking to get the coils in the ground.

Dustin Dale of AirCare

The local electricity co-op provides a $2500.00 credit for installing high efficiency equipment that meets their requirements(I also noticed they offer free home energy audits for their customers!!)

The co-op also replaces leaking hot water tanks.  They received a 50 gal tank free of charge.

There is a federal tax credit available for 30% of the cost of the equipment installed with no upper limit.  This credit is good until December 2016.

Under normal circumstances, most experts estimate a GSHP will pay for itself in 5-10 years.  However, by taking advantage of just the federal tax credit, that amount of time can be greatly reduced.

Another benefit of the Florida Heat Pump system is that heat from the compressor is captured and used to pre-heat potable water before it heads to the water heater tank.  Even more energy savings.

Florida Heat Pump coupled with an Ultravation Photronic Air Cleaner

From an energy savings perspective, the GSHP is tremendous when compared to their old gas furnace and leaky condenser.  From an environmental perspective, one must consider that a fair amount of electricity is still used to power the circulating pumps and compressor.  Use of solar panels would give a net zero carbon usage scenario.

So was the buzz justified? Let’s review:

Expensive? Not with local rebates and federal tax credits.

Incredibly efficient? Absolutely. In their own case studies, FHP estimates 38-55% energy savings based on the conditions of the before and after.

Hard to install? Not in this case. The toughest part was core drilling through the concrete foundation to get the coils outside.

Even if you have to dig a well, there are any number of companies who dig wells for a living. Sub it out.

Takes 20 years to get your money out of it? Nope.  Would I install one if I planned to move in 2 or 3 years? Probably not, but that does not mean you won’t realize a quick return on your investment.

Goals: For Business and Life

Posted: June 28, 2010 by GreenHVAC in Business Tools, Personal Posts
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I am a believer in setting the seemingly huge goal in order to attain the smaller goals along the way.  Not just any vague goal, but rather a specific goal within a short time frame.  There is a specific recipe for this I have found successful.

Of course, it is usually only in retrospect that I am aware of the technique that finally got me there.  Example: when I was in high school I  set a goal to learn a foreign language. I mean, why not?  Take some classes and it will eventually just happen along the way.  After six years of studying, I had a heck of a Spanish vocabulary but almost no speaking or listening skills.

Worse yet, the majority of students in my mid-level college courses were native speakers.  I figured it was time to get serious or quit wasting my effort just going through the motions.  Toward the end of my sophomore year, I set the goal of studying abroad my my junior year. I had no money, and no idea where I would go– somewhere Spanish was spoken was the only requirement.  International travel was a vague and exotic notion to me.  Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of resources.  Our idea of a family vacation was loading up in a Thunderbird and driving eighteen hours to Florida.

So my plan to study in Spain was a bit of  a stretch, to say the least.  However,  I took the important first step of telling everyone what I planned to do.  Secondly, I signed up for a program.  The final step was making it happen.  I’ve found the making it happen part somehow miraculously works out if you take the first two steps.  The first six weeks in Santiago de Compostela I learned more Spanish than in six years of text book studying.  Innumerable adventures later(different blog for those), I was fluent in Spanish. Coming home to finish an ancillary degree– which at one time having a degree in Spanish would have seemed laughable– actually was a breeze.

The blueprint for attaining a goal or dream:  Set a big picture goal within a well-defined time frame.  Talk about it to anyone who will listen.  Sign up for it literally and/or metaphorically.  Make it happen.  Accomplish the first three steps, and the last more often than not will find a way to become a reality.

Another real life example:  Everyone has the plan to “get in shape.”  I hadn’t been in true shape since high school basketball.  I was a great starter but would always find excuses to leave off running or weight lifting after a few weeks. Joining a gym was always a good ploy since I hated wasting money and knew I would use the place out of guilt, but those memberships eventually got canceled regardless of my loathe for wasteful spending.

I always planned to run a marathon.  I even stated, “I plan to run a marathon before I am forty.”   I had even started training a few times, but life, kids, and lack of a defined plan for my goal always threw me off.  Hence, the only way I ultimately found success is that I unwittingly laid out the blueprint.  Forty was too far off(not so far anymore!), and too vague.

I gave myself one year.  2009 would be the one.  Of course the timing was right– specifically the kids were out of the baby stages. There was a race in October.  I had nine months.  First step: I set the goal.  Secondly, I told everyone about it.  Next I signed up for the event.  Made it happen.  The small goal of  “getting in shape” was an after thought.  The getting in shape that much of the population struggles to do was nothing compared to finishing the race.

Another long time goal was competing in a triathlon.  Again, I found plenty of excuses.  Everyone’s number one is: I can’t swim very well.  The easy plan of just trying out a short one never materialized.  Why not do an Ironman event?  Well, a full Ironman was a bit of a stretch logistically.  But half an Ironman was only a fairly ridiculous notion(considering I hadn’t been swimming without a beer and a float since I was kid), yet within in the realm of belief.

I laid out the blueprint and picked a race.  June 6th.  I had six months.  Out of fear and focus I made it happen.

Ironman Kansas 70.3

Is this bragging? Why, yes it is.  It is just amazing to me that, in the course of a discussion, if I tell anyone I am training for a triathlon the immediate response is, “Oh, I can’t swim.”  I want to say, do I look like Michael Phelps?  I would  guess that most people who say this are better swimmers than I was before training regularly. My point is that there is always an excuse NOT to do something, and I was one of the worst.

Athletic feats are one thing, but when it comes to business and personal finance, attaining goals is tougher for most than endurance events.  Goals I hear that don’t follow the blueprint:

Get organized.

Hit some ridiculous sales numbers.

Start a side business.

Get rich.

Retire early.

While many people dream of these goals, most sales people I know can’t even get their CRM software updated.  Having a goal of getting organized and making a lot of money is the same as attaining the nebulous goal of “getting in shape.”

All it amounts to is a lot of false starts.  Let’s try my blueprint and state a defined “large” goal within a short time period:  i.e., I want to have one million dollars in cash by the time I am forty-five.  Talk about it.  “Sign up” for it. Make it happen.

When you hit that goal, I imagine all of the other goals on the above list would be taken care of on the journey.

How Do I Make Money With a Thermal Imager?

Posted: June 25, 2010 by GreenHVAC in Business Tools, Energy Conservation, HVAC
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New Fluke TiS for $2495.00

UPDATED 8/25/10

As an HVAC rep and energy conservation consultant, I do quite a few trainings for tech school students, trade associations and HVAC contractors. Topics range from indoor air quality to what tools to use for temperature measurements, and so on.

I spend a fair amount of  time introducing thermal imagers and discussing uses for this technology in relation to HVAC.  I’ve always felt thermography is the future of our industry– especially as advanced technology becomes more affordable.  (Note: Fluke has since released their TiS thermal imager designed to be affordable for the HVAC tech and/or energy auditor. Meets proposed RESNET standards.) Many facilities use imagers for preventative maintenance on pumps, motors, steam traps and process equipment, but home and building Energy Auditing is a rapidly growing industry with not nearly enough experienced contractors to handle the demand.

I flash a few slides to demonstrate the myriad uses.  The second question I get(after “Can I use this to deer hunt?”) is always, “How much does one of those things cost?”

After I explain with a straight face that there are cheapies for $3k and the quality ones can go up to $25k or more, they generally tune out.  $6500.00 (the minimum amount I recommend investing…however, with the introduction of the TiS I am starting to change my tune a bit on this statement) for one tool sounds like an insurmountable cost for a residential HVAC contractor.  However, when you can charge $600.00 to $800.00 for three hours of work. . . it starts to sound better.  Especially when the US Government is about to unleash HR5019 that includes six billion dollars in rebates to weatherize three million homes.

I never have the time in a one hour presentation to explain the steps involved in expanding one’s business to regain some of your tax dollars.  So here is how it is done.


The first thing to do is familiarize yourself with the government program Home Star and its requirements:

What is Home Star?

Home Star is designed to spur home energy retrofits by providing rebates to homeowners who install energy-saving products, such as insulation, windows, doors, and heating systems. Home Star includes two tracks to provide long and short-term benefits.

The Silver Star program will provide up-front rebates for the installation of specific energy-saving technologies, including insulation, duct sealing, windows and doors, air sealing, and water heaters. Homeowners will be able to receive up to $3,000 in rebates under Silver Star.

The Gold Star program rewards homeowners who conduct a comprehensive energy audit and implement a full complement of measures to reduce energy use throughout the home. Consumers will receive $3,000, or half the cost, for measures that reduce energy use by 20 percent, and can receive up to $8,000 when additional energy savings are achieved.

Home Star also creates an innovative financing program to be sure that energy efficiency investments continue after the program’s conclusion.

Source:

http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1986:h-r-5019-the-home-star-energy-retrofit-act-of-2010&catid=169:legislation&Itemid=55#what

On May 6th, this bill passed the House.  Now it is awaiting Senate approval.  A wide variety of groups support this bill including HARDI.

The second thing to know is that in order to qualify as a Home Star contractor, you must carry BPI certification for commercial and residential audits or RESNET certification for residential audits. Clarification– to qualify for Gold Star projects you need BPI(other certifications may be allowed in the final bill). For Silver Star projects BPI is not required.

www.bpi.org

www.resnet.us

There are testing agencies all over the US.  You can take courses online at www.greencollaredu.net

I live and work in Kansas and Missouri.

Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, where open con...

Image via Wikipedia Kansas City, MO

You can find information on local Kansas City classes and testing centers at:

www.hathmore.com
www.kcenergy.org

In St. Louis: www.earthwayscenter.org has information and an Energy Star program that promotes a list of approved contractors.  (There are only a couple of true HVAC contractors on there.)

Costs vary, but a course that includes the fee for taking the test goes for roughly $1200.00.

The state of Missouri does accept alternate training courses, or they will issue provisional certification if you have two years of field experience in energy audits. You must apply through the DNR.

So now I am certified and registered with my local power company and other green organizations, I optimized my website with key words, what tools will I need?

The good thing is that if you are an HVAC contractor looking to expand your business, you probably have many of the necessary tools already. You have flashlights, ladders, most likely a  digital psychrometer, combustion analyzer, and a manometer.

What you may not have is a Blower Door and capture hood(balometer): www.retrotec.com

Check out Retrotec’s training series videos on YouTube.

Blower Doors will allow you to calculate air infiltration and duct leakage in a whole house.

posted with permission from The Energy Conservatory

You probably wont have an Infrared Camera lying around: www.fluke.com

Fluke provides handy software with their cameras that  makes putting together a report a snap. They also have student discount programs as well as a lease to own finance option.

Air Infiltration

In addition to federal money, many local power companies offer rebates.  In Kansas City, Kansas City Power and Light offers the homeowner a $600.00 credit for performing an energy audit by a certified contractor and implementing one of the recommend improvements.

An invaluable website for finding rebate and tax deduction programs is www.dsireusa.net.

Just pick the state you work in and this DOE funded organization lists all the programs available.

Other questions I get:

Do I need to be a certified thermographer?

Not necessarily, but I am all for more education.  Snell www.thesnellgroup.com provides Type I Thermography certification for $1500-2000 for a three day course.  I’d recommend attending free webinars.  Fluke has some good videos on their website as well.  www.irtalk.com is a good networking resource for aspiring thermographers.

Does my TI camera need to be calibrated?

Yes,  every one to two years depending on how you use it/treat it. A good field test for calibration is the Tear Duct Test.  Focus the field of view on a person’s retina.  The temp should be close to actual internal body temp– 98.6 degrees.  Shooting a cup of ice water near 32 degrees would work as well, but it is more fun to tell someone you are using their eyeball for calibration.

Why are some of the new cameras so much cheaper?

Compare the image quality from one camera to the next. The proof is in the pudding.

How can I find enough work to stay afloat?

Make sure you line up some work before you go full bore, for one thing. Do some online marketing. That’s for another post. Make sure you are aligned with companies that sell doors and windows, roofing, etc.  You’ll need some recommendations.  Partner with an insulator.  You might be able to handle new duct work, but unless you are willing to spend even more time in attics and crawls spaces you’ll want to leave some of the retrofitting to those guys.

Get with the Greenies.  Most cities have a Greendrinks club.  Look on www.meetup.com to see if there is one in your area.  www.greendrinks.org

Utility Co-ops are a great resource as well.  When you get outside of the major cities you’ll find the co-ops in smaller communities will give you leads and all but pay you themselves.

Weatherization Assistance Program: Get with the WAP in your area. They have more work than they can handle.  There is a bid system to get the work and there are limits on what you can charge, but they will put you to work.

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