Real thermal scans, real case files, real savings — written up here so you can see exactly what's costing you money before Curtis ever shows up at your door.
Every entry is a real investigation from the field — thermal scans, findings, and the fix, all written up in one place.
Every building that isn't complaining looks innocent. Most of them aren't. A look at why "good enough" energy performance is quietly the most expensive kind — and the checklist for opening your own case.
A 1985 ranch with high bills and cold floors. Curtis's thermal scan turned up 18 separate infiltration points, most of them right at the attic hatch.
We opened Case #104 on a cold morning after the homeowner said their heating bills had crept up for years with no clear cause. The thermal camera told a different story than the furnace repair estimate they'd already gotten: 18 infiltration points, most concentrated around an unsealed attic access hatch. Foam-sealing the top plate penetrations and weatherstripping the hatch cost $340 total. Payback: five weeks.
No engineering degree required. Curtis breaks down what every color in a thermal scan actually means, and why orange is the color that costs you money.
A thermal camera photographs heat, not light, and every shade in the image is a clue. Bright white and yellow mean critical heat loss — missing insulation or a major gap that needs fixing immediately. Orange marks a major leak, usually air infiltration at a penetration. Red is a moderate leak or thermal bridging through framing. Purple is a minor variance worth monitoring. Blue and black mark cold zones, often at floor perimeters where exterior air is getting in. Curtis reads these images the way a detective reads a crime scene — every color narrows down where the money's going.
A large multi-family complex with an HVAC system working overtime. The thermal scan showed massive air infiltration across the entire ceiling plane.
We opened Case #127 on a cold Tuesday after the client said their heating bills had doubled in three years. The attic told the whole story: infiltration across the entire ceiling plane, unit after unit, all feeding into an HVAC system that had been fighting a losing battle since day one. Estimated annual cost of the leak: $12,400. Attic remediation and access-point sealing are underway, with a full re-test scheduled once the work is complete.
Most homeowners have never heard of a blower door test. By the end of this one, you'll understand why it's the most important diagnostic tool in energy auditing.
A blower door is a large, calibrated fan mounted in a doorframe. It pressurizes the whole building to 50 Pascals — roughly like a 20 mph wind hitting every surface at once — and measures exactly how much air is escaping, in CFM50. It's completely non-destructive: nothing gets opened, drilled, or damaged. The fan runs, the numbers come back, and Curtis knows within minutes whether a building is tight or bleeding money.
The quick wins any homeowner can tackle with a $20 tube of foam sealant — and the three fixes that actually need professional equipment.
Not every leak needs a professional. Weatherstripping attic hatches, caulking baseboard gaps, foam-sealing rim joists, sealing electrical and plumbing penetrations, and adding a door sweep are all weekend jobs with a $20 tube of sealant. What you can't fix yourself: duct leakage in unconditioned spaces, missing wall-cavity insulation, and anything requiring a pressure diagnostic to even locate. Those need Curtis's equipment to find safely — DIY sealing them blind usually wastes the sealant and misses the real leak.
Move the sliders. This estimate is powered by Curtis's field data from 247+ audits — most owners are surprised by the number.
Estimates based on Curtis's field data from 247+ audits. Actual losses vary by building — a real audit gives you exact numbers.
Sworn testimonies from property owners whose cases Curtis cracked.
"I'd been paying $380 a month in heating bills for 6 years. Curtis ran his blower door and in 3 hours found 14 leaks I never knew existed. My bill dropped to $210 — first month."
"Curtis found our HVAC units were cooling the attic, not the retail spaces. His duct report alone saved us from a $15,000 replacement that wasn't needed."
"I'm a contractor — Curtis caught three insulation voids on a new build my crew missed. Now I use him on every project before drywall goes up."
No jargon — just straight answers.
A typical residential property (2,000 sq ft) takes 3–4 hours. Commercial varies — a small office might be 4 hours, a warehouse 6–8.
Residential audits typically run $300–$600. Most clients see payback in 3–8 months from reduced utility bills, sooner with rebates and tax credits factored in.
No. It's a calibrated fan mounted in a doorframe that pressurizes the building to measure airflow. Nothing gets opened, drilled, or damaged.
Curtis provides a detailed, severity-ranked report and works with a network of trusted contractors for implementation. You're also welcome to use your own contractor.
Yes. Curtis regularly finds construction defects in homes under a year old. Catching them early means builder warranty coverage before it expires.
Yes — federal tax credits can cover up to 30% of audit and weatherization costs, and most KC metro utilities offer additional rebates. Curtis provides documentation for all applicable programs.
Every day you wait, the energy thieves steal more. Curtis responds to all inquiries within 24 hours.