I just read a couple of interesting blogs about the tax credits.
If you own your own home and it is your principal residence, this federal tax credit program provides up to 30% of some of your upgrade costs in tax credits back to you. Wow! That can be alot of money at the end of the day.
What is included? The easiest way to find out is to visit the Energy Star website here: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index.
The U.S. Department of Energy has a great article that discusses how a thermographic inspection can detect defects and air leakage. http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11200
So how does this tie in with a thermographic inspection? Easy. In this economy, you want every penny that you spend to count. An infrared inspection can quickly identify areas where heat is leaking (for example, drafts around windows and doors), where you need to replace insulation, or other structurally weak areas (does your roof need replacing?). This allows you to make informed decisions about what areas of your home need renovating.
The federal tax credit applies to such areas as adding, replacing or upgrading:
Biomass Stoves
Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC)
Insulation
Metal and Asphalt Roofs
Water Heaters
Windows and Doors
Please visit the Energy Star website for detailed information about the homeowner tax credit program and call us for your affordable thermography inspection!
IR Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Baby It's Cold Out There!
As temperatures continue to drop around the Carolinas, how sure are you that you are not losing precious heat because of unseen heat loss? Rather than put another sweater on (and maybe some gloves and a hat!) consider a thermal imaging scan.
A infrared inspection will inspect the quality of insulation inside your building, as well as numerous other areas where heat loss can occur, such as cracks or breaks in building seals. Temperature scans inside and outside – along ceilings, floors, walls, windows, doors, vents and pipes – immediately show problem areas. A thermal imager with a blower door will quickly locate other sources of heat loss, such as insufficient insulation or broken seals, leaking HVAC ductwork or improper construction techniques.
Another quick hint is that wood alone is NOT a good insulator. Replacing inefficient wood doors with insulated fiberglass or metal doors is a good investment. With energy prices out of sight, replacement costs can be recovered quickly.
A infrared inspection will inspect the quality of insulation inside your building, as well as numerous other areas where heat loss can occur, such as cracks or breaks in building seals. Temperature scans inside and outside – along ceilings, floors, walls, windows, doors, vents and pipes – immediately show problem areas. A thermal imager with a blower door will quickly locate other sources of heat loss, such as insufficient insulation or broken seals, leaking HVAC ductwork or improper construction techniques.
Another quick hint is that wood alone is NOT a good insulator. Replacing inefficient wood doors with insulated fiberglass or metal doors is a good investment. With energy prices out of sight, replacement costs can be recovered quickly.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Certified Thermographers
Technology and equipment is becoming increasingly more sophisticated. I'm always surprised by the equipment people have stashed away! Remember when PCs first became available for your house? Not quite the streamlined netbooks on the market today!
Sometimes all this instant technological availability means I run into customers who already have some infrared equipment. Why use a certified thermographer if you already have a small infrared camera?
First, a thermographer will have professional level equipment that generally will produce higher and better quality scans. It's his job to have the best equipment available. For example, would you use a mobile phone camera to take your Christmas family photo or a high quality camera? Having a relatively small number of pixels, low resolution and small field of view, there is a higher probability of missing or misinterpreting a fault. These devices are best used for spot checks.
The sophisticated level of technology and the value of use makes infrared cameras expensive. One really must look at the economics of purchasing an IR camera. There is a lot of economic merit in using an experienced, qualified full time thermographer, delivering a quality service with good equipment at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a camera to be used occasionally by relatively inexperienced operators.
IR Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com.
Sometimes all this instant technological availability means I run into customers who already have some infrared equipment. Why use a certified thermographer if you already have a small infrared camera?
First, a thermographer will have professional level equipment that generally will produce higher and better quality scans. It's his job to have the best equipment available. For example, would you use a mobile phone camera to take your Christmas family photo or a high quality camera? Having a relatively small number of pixels, low resolution and small field of view, there is a higher probability of missing or misinterpreting a fault. These devices are best used for spot checks.
The sophisticated level of technology and the value of use makes infrared cameras expensive. One really must look at the economics of purchasing an IR camera. There is a lot of economic merit in using an experienced, qualified full time thermographer, delivering a quality service with good equipment at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a camera to be used occasionally by relatively inexperienced operators.
IR Services provides top quality thermographic service at a competitive price to commercial and residential end users in North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.irinfraredservices.com.
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