This article first appeared in issue 304 of Fine Homebuilding Magazine.
I bought my first blower door in 2009, back when new construction was in a downturn and energy auditing and weatherization projects were on the rise. I took a 40-hour energy auditing training course at a local college which included hands-on training on how to use a blower door. It took many tests before I became comfortable in its operation and understood the information it was providing. Though one of the more expensive tools I own, I’ve been able to keep it busy and add this specialized testing to my business’s income stream.