When you buy a car, you can look under the hood and see that everything is working. If you are buying a new commercial building, how can you see “under the hood”?
The walls are up, the ceilings in, and all the HVAC equipment is installed. An Air Barrier Testing and duct test, with simultaneous thermal imaging can show you what was once hidden. Although that might be valuable for a buyer, it is INVAULABLE for the general contractor. Why? Because it prevents call backs!
Most General Contractors will tell you that the most annoying part of their job is a call back. The job is sold, they’ve moved on to the next job, several years may even go by. Then someone complains about comfort issues, moisture, or high bills. The building owner discovers that insulation is missing in a section of the wall. Exterior cold air met interior warm moist air, hitting the dew point on the back side of the interior drywall. Mold formed creating health issues. The General Contractor has been informed. An insurance claim has started. This is a General Contractor’s nightmare.
An Air Barrier Test is common practice in several States. Most general contractors order a test to comply with the State Energy Code. However, another benefit is adding a thermal imaging scan while the building is under pressure. The exaggerated air pressure puts an emphasis on the temperature difference of an air leak or missing insulation making detection possible. It’s the effective way to “see under the hood” of a new construction Mastering the Blown Door Test.
Energy Incentives, INC has experienced air barrier technicians that are qualified in diagnostic investigations. AVOIS CALL BACKS! Hire us for your next air barrier test. Contact Energy Incentives, INC for a quote.
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