Does Your Energy Audit Business Need A Thermal Camera?

9/10/2014

For the first 2 years of my home performance business, I did resisted the itch to purchase a thermal camera. I think anyone starting their energy audit business wonders the same thing. Furthermore, I debated what type of thermal camera to buy. There was the $10,000 thermal cameras, the $2,500 low end IR guns and then there were the manufacturers, FLIR or FLUKE. I wondered if I should I get certified to use them. It can be hard to wade through all the choices for a potentially large investment. While my home performance business survived fine without the infrared camera and now I have two low end FLIR cameras. I sometimes sub out my overflow audits to another auditor who has a $10,000 FLIR camera and I can definitely see the difference between my cheap-o's and his high end camera.

Looking back, my low end infrared cameras were the right choice for a boot-strapping solo-prenuer as I was, but more importantly for my business and anyone asking themselves the same questions was the preparation implemented before the cameras were ever purchased. Specifically, it is imperative that processes and SOPs (stand operating procedures) are implemented for the IR cameras use. An IR camera is a big investment and even if its just you using them, setting guidelines now help to increase conversions and ensure smooth transitions when your energy auditing business grows.

Guidelines should be set for:

Charging the camera the night before.
It's use and how to work it (it's amazing how many newbies that are handed a camera leave the lens closed).
Use during energy audits as a selling tool. Do you let the homeowner use it, what do you take the time to show the homeowner, how do you explain winter vs summer use, do yo use it before or after you do your blower door or attic inspection.
Use during energy audits as a diagnostic tool. i.e. telling the difference between looking at air leaks verses insulation misalignments, how much time will it add to your audits.
Its safe return and sign off sheets.
Picture guidelines, how to tell what you are looking at if you don't have picture-in-picture. Also how do you differentiate between houses.

Once you have your SOPs and guidelines in order, it's time to pick a camera that's right for you. If you don't have much capital to work with, I vouch for the cheap $1,500 cameras to use as a selling tool. However I will add that I live in Phoenix where most of the homes have accessible attics and platform framing. If you live in an area where most of the homes have cathedralized attics, no accessible attics or were balloon framing was common, a thermal camera can be a very valuable diagnostic tool along with a good knowledge of pressure mapping. If you live in more temperate climate, a good IR camera will be able to discern insulation misalignments and air leakage better than a cheap camera. For example in the winter time in Phoenix, our IR cameras are basically paper weights.

Does Having a Thermal Camera Increase Sales?

It is difficult to say that having the infrared camera has directly contributed to more sales but I can contribute increased audits and therefore sales to having the IR camera.

Many audits have been booked specifically because we offer a free infrared scan of the house and those audits have turned into sales.
Using the infrared camera adds to wow factor when doing the audit but good pictures in the attic showing misalignments are also just as effective.
Using a good thermal camera shows temperature differences much more vividly for homeowners.
Some homeowners like it when get get to use the thermal cameras themselves. It adds value to the energy audits.

However, if you do the thermal camera and never show the homeowner the pictures or the hot items you find live, having a thermal camera doesn't do any good. The more you show the homeowner and promote and sell using the thermal camera, the more value it adds and that increases sales.

Where To Buy A Thermal Camera

Buying a FLIR and FLUKE thermal camera has to be done from approved distributors. Distributors typically add a nice mark up to their costs but offer technical support. Technical training may be best had by reading blogs and asking your peers. I do not have any experience with the infrared certifications offered. The cheapest way to buy a thermal camera and my preferred method is on eBay. There are i7 IR cameras regularly on sale for a flat rate of $1500.

Links:

iPhone thermal camera

FLIR TG165

FLIR E4

FLUKE TI9

2 Comments

Sheila link

9/21/2014 08:37:55 am

Our company began energy auditing with the use of a good thermal camera with picture in picture and we were certified shortly after purchasing it. We feel that it does have a positive impact on both setting of appointments and on making sales. Make it part of our practice to have the home owner accompany us on a tour of the home with the infrared camera while the blower door is running. We take lots of pictures and use them in our reports. It is particularly useful when the deciding partner is not able to be at the audit. the one that is at home can feel the air leakage from different areas, but this give evidence for the one that can not be there. We also take lots of digital pictures in areas where the home owner may not be able to access.

while we have and do use smoke for areas we can reach, the Infrared has a better impact because it also shows the temperature of the air flow which really hits home why they are having the comfort or high energy bill issues.

I highly recommend that those using the camera get good training so that they know how to understand what they are seeing and why. I have heard and seen many examples where they were totally wrong on the explanation of what was in the image.

We are fortunate to have winter and summer for using thermal imaging. We try our best to schedule the apt when we can benefit from it during the milder spring and fall. On raining over cast days we have been known to reschedule. Because we want to give the best information possible to the home owner. I know there are times we would not have found some issues without the benefit of the Thermal imaging and the blower door. We also know that without the blower door with the infrared much would be missed. Unless of course your checking duct work or just lack of insulation.

Nate Adams link

9/22/2014 04:30:31 am

I recently bought a Flir One that fits my iPhone. I'm really impressed by it, and since it attaches to the phone, I don't have to carry a separate item into the attic or crawlspace. For $350 you don't have to do a lot of audits to pay for it, either. Too bad they came out with it a month before the iPhone 6...

David Byrnes

Owns and operates Green ID, a residential home energy auditing and contracting company in Phoenix, AZ. He is a BPI Proctor and has trained over 40 energy auditors.