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Green & Sustainability

Going Green is trendy. Going Green is a political football. Most of what is written or spoken about Going Green is just noise.

At is true core Going Green as about efficiency, and the HVAC industry has been Going Green for decades, long before is was the thing to do. Insulation is green, so is more efficient systems. Getting the job done right the first time, is green. Fewer trips to the parts store is green. Anything that reduces waste is green.

Blower Door Test? We Don't Need No stinkin Blower Door!

John

Who needs a blower door test when you have an economizer and an infrared camera?

People get all caught up on blower door tests now days, and I guess I can see why; they let you know how much air is 'leaking' from the structure.

Ok, that's fine, but in the end, does the amount really matter? I mean, do you really care if the building is leaking 400 cfm or 200 cfm; a leak is a leak, and it needs to be fixed.

Here's a little trick; pressurize the building using the HVAC system's outside air damper.

(Careful, you can damage the building if you pressurize it too much! If you're not sure how much is too much, DON'T DO THIS!! I mean it, you can blow windows out and turn a rubber roof into a really big ballon animal....bad stuff)

Once the building is slightly pressurized talk a stroll around the exterior with an infrared camera; the leaks will be obvious.

You may not know what the leak rate is, but you know something the blower door guys don't; you know where the leaks are!

Want to learn the proper way to perform this test? Drop me a comment.

John C.

Comments (2)

Nothing Screams Green Like a One-Ton Dual-Wheel Pickup Truck!

Kevin

The phone rings; it's another response to the advertisement you ran plugging energy efficient, Green HVAC equipment. You grab your sales kit and hop into your Frd-Chvy-Dge 3500000 turbo diesel, dual wheel, four wheel drive, four door, Uber-Deluxe pickup, and head out to the prospects home. Arriving at the home, you park in the street because the driveway isn't big enough to accommodate your status symbol....I mean truck, and the home owners Prius. You immediately apologize for being late; explaining to the potential customer how long it takes to fill two, forty gallon fuel tanks. You then start your sales pitch.