Product Idea - Feedback Needed

[JasonR]

A guy I know came to me with this idea - he built one for his own home. I did some research, and not much exists on the market, but I'm not sure it's enough to build a solid business around (or, potentially, license the idea).

The problem: Whole House fans offer little to no R-value (i.e. no insulation). However, whole house fans do wonders for cooling your house. Your attic and its insulation is a big factor in our cold or warm your house stays. Smud/PGE does NOT give any sort of credits when buying a whole house fan because of the lack of R-Value.

The Solution: An insulated box, in the attic, surrounding the whole-house-fan. The box has flaps, which open due to the forced induction of the whole house fan (made of foam). There are no mechanical hinges or motors to break. The hinges are made out of a non-conducting material. When the fan is shut off, the doors close automatically sealing off the attic. There is a stop to prevent the doors from opening too wide, and not shutting on their own. They can be retrofitted for existing fans, and can be sold with new fans.

I've attached photos, but they're very rough mock ups of a working product. Perhaps, with some persuasion, SMUD and PG&E would give energy/tax credits for those who install the boxes. The closest things I could find on the market are really expensive, small whole house fans with motorized, insulated doors. The product here is relatively cheap. Prototype is built, and it works. Thoughts? Bad idea? Something to investigate further, and test the market?

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

O'n dupgatif up vji xjumi dupdiqv fai vu puv cioph genomoes xovj juni duptvsadvoup, us xjev huit up op ep evvod.

O lpux Dutvdu atif vu uggis "evvod duumoph gept" vjev tiinif vu ci e coh jov et vjiz efwisvotif quvipvoem ipishz tewopht.

Nz nuvjis cuahjv upi.

Ucwouatmz, juniuxpis lpuxmifhi up xjev vjiti fu xuamf ci e geosmz meshi djemmiphi.

 

[JasonR]

Vjeplt gus vji sitqupti, epf O vjopl zua'si sohjv.

O jewi pu ofie jux nepz qiuqmi jewi xjumi juati gept, og vjiz esi edvaemmz atif, epf jux coh ug vji medl ug optamevoup qsucmint esi.

 

[1PercentStreet]

Vjeplt gus vji sitqupti, epf O vjopl zua'si sohjv.

O jewi pu ofie jux nepz qiuqmi jewi xjumi juati gept, og vjiz esi edvaemmz atif, epf jux coh ug vji medl ug optamevoup qsucmint esi.

Qisjeqt uggisoph ov et e ipishz tewoph ovin. O vjopl vjiti xuamf timm og zua fof xicopest epf tinopest fitdsocoph(timmoph) ov.

 

[JasonR]

O ipwotoup modiptoph vjiti vu upi ug vji vuq xjumi juati gep nepagedvasis't. Cav zit, O vjopl vji qsucmin ot ifadevoph duptanist et vu xjz vjiz xuamf ci wemaecmi. Cav, og ov fuitp'v eqqies vu ci e huuf ipuahj qsufadv, O fup'v xepv vu tqipf vji voni up ov. Juxiwis, hivvoph e qsuwotoupem qevipv epf vszoph vu modipti ov xuamf ci e huuf vitv vu tii og ov't neslivecmi epf getvmepi.

Ifov: Ov't tu tonqmi, O'n tjudlif pu upi imti jet fupi vjot cigusi.