by Kim Tanner
Marketing Communications Specialist, The Energy Conservatory
About this time each year, people start thinking about their New Year’s resolutions. Some common resolutions are to lose weight, be more active, quit smoking, start a new hobby and travel more. While these are all great options for resolutions, we want to help you advance your professional career with TEC’s top 10 resolutions for 2016. Are any of these on YOUR list?
10. Jump into the future by purchasing TEC’s new gauge, the DG-1000
The future of gauges is almost here! TEC’s new gauge, the DG-1000, will be available for purchase in early 2016. The DG-1000 will have a responsive touchscreen, built-in WiFi, language choices, rechargeable and replaceable batteries, software that you can update to include new features such as guided walk-throughs and automated testing, and four magnets on the back for a variety of mounting options. You can learn more about the DG-1000 by visiting DG-1000.com.
9. Get your gauge(s) calibrated
TEC recommends gauge calibration every two years for any of its gauges. Check your records to see when your gauge was last calibrated, and be sure to send it in if it’s due. If you don’t know when your TEC gauge was last calibrated, give us a call at (612) 827-1117 to find out. For more information on calibration visit https://energyconservatory.com/calibration-repair.
8. Perform a calibration check on your fan(s)
Getting your fan re-calibrated is only necessary under special circumstances. In lieu of an actual calibration, we recommend doing a calibration check on your fan to make sure everything is still in alignment. This is a fairly simple and quick procedure that anyone can do. To learn how to perform a calibration check on your fan, click here.
7. Join the Ring 4 Club
You might not have heard of the Ring 4 Club yet, and that’s OK! It’s a small group of ambitious people who believe in very tight duct work. According to its website, the Ring 4 Club “is an exclusive membership organization of HVAC installers who are committed to doing top quality work.” The Ring 4 Club was founded around Ring 4 for the Minneapolis Duct Blaster®, which measures flow rates all the way down to 2.4 cubic feet per minute (CFM). You can learn more about the Ring 4 Club by visiting ring4club.com. You can learn more about Ring 4 by clicking here.
6. Attend the ACI National Home Performance Conference in Austin, Texas
If you haven’t attended the ACI National Home Performance Conference before, we strongly encourage you to do so! It is one of the best conferences in our industry because it joins together the brightest minds in home performance and weatherization. You’ll be able to learn from like-minded professionals who face the same challenges you do in their careers. In addition to the education agenda, some of the best learning experiences we’ve had come from informal conversations with people who share their successes, failures and ideas for improvement. You can also visit a variety of booths in the exhibit hall, including TEC! Click here to learn more and register to attend.
5. Attend TEC webinars and earn Building Performance Institute Continued Education Units
Did you know that TEC hosts a webinar almost every month to keep professionals up-to-date on the latest practices in our industry? And our webinars are always Building Performance Institute (BPI) approved for Continued Education Units (CEUs)? Well, now you do! We are committed to helping you continue your education and would love for you to attend our webinars in 2016. Click here to view our webinar schedule. We are always looking for webinar suggestions, so if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover, please email your suggestion to [email protected].
4. Attend the RESNET conference and see the new DG-1000 in action
RESNET is another conference everyone in our industry should make an effort to attend. Not only will you learn from the best of the best, but at the 2016 show, you’ll be amongst the first people to see the brand new DG-1000 in action! Visit conference.resnet.us to learn more.
3. Utilize TEC’s online support, including the community forum
TEC has a plethora of support documents and FAQ’s on its website, along with a moderated community forum. Have a technical question, such as how to do the blower door subtraction method, or what to do if you use the wrong ring setting on the gauge? The answer is there, in our online support documents. If your question isn’t listed, then you can post your question in our community forum, or you can use the Submit a Request feature. Check out our online support by visiting support.energyconservatory.com.
2. Check your tubing air tightness each month
The tubing used for air tightness tests can get tiny tears at the ends from continually attaching and detaching it from pressure taps. When this tubing gets torn, it causes air leakage at the connection, resulting in inaccurate readings on your gauge. Fortunately, there’s a simple fix for this. Simply trim the ends of tubing to allow an airtight connection. Check your tubing for leaks on a monthly basis by plugging one end of the tube with your finger, and sucking on the other end to see if it sticks to your tongue. If the tubing sticks to your tongue, there’s no need for a trim. If you can’t get the tubing to stick to your tongue, then it’s time to trim the ends.
1. Subscribe to the TEC email list and follow TEC on social media
Stay up-to-date with the latest and greatest from TEC by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on social media. TEC has a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a LinkedIn company page. So be sure to like or follow us, and share anything you think is interesting with your friends and colleagues. In addition we send out about one email a month including upcoming webinars, conferences we’ll be attending, useful articles and more. Click here to sign up for TEC’s newsletter.
As the world’s No. 1 manufacturer of the most accurate building performance testing equipment on the market, we are committed to helping you advance your professional career in this industry. These 10 New Year’s resolutions will help you become an expert energy rater in 2016. Of course, we know you have New Year’s resolutions other than the ones on this list. Share them with us via Twitter at @TEC_Minneapolis.
Have a happy New Year!