Table of Contents
What is a blower door test and what is the purpose?
Home energy professionals use a blower door as a diagnostic tool to determine how much air is entering or escaping from your home. Professional energy assessors use blower door tests to help determine a home’s airtightness.
Is a blower door test worth it?
If a house is built to a blower door test standard, not only will it save the most on energy, it will also ensure the structure’s health and longevity. Replacing recessed lighting, upgrading insulation, adding weather-stripping – these are all easy energy fixes.
When should you do a blower door test?
Blower door testing is often done near the end of the building process of a new construction home, when the paint is done, final doors and windows are in place, and the weather stripping is installed.
How do I prepare for a blower door test?
Easy Steps to Seal: How to Prepare for a Blower Door Test Step 1: Close all windows. Step 2: Open all interior doors. Step 3: Close all exterior doors. Step 4: Turn off thermostats, air conditioners and fans. Step 5: Prepare the fireplace.
How hard is it to pass a blower door test?
The blower door test takes the guess work out of detecting air leaks in a structure; however, most contractors would like to pass the blower door test the first time. It is estimated that 50% of newly constructed homes will fail the blower door or air-tightness test.
How much does a blower door test kit cost?
What is the Cost of a Blower Door Test? The cost of a blower door test will vary depending on the market in which you live, the specific location of the home or neighborhood, and the company you choose. But generally speaking, you can expect to pay between $200-$450 for a test.
How do you read a blower door test?
An ACH of 5 indicates a semi-airtight home and is a favorable result for older homes. ACH readings of 6 to 9 indicate a moderately leaky home. ACH readings over 9 indicate a very leaky home.
How much is a blower door?
A home energy auditor will also assess the health of your home, as well as any safety issues that might exist. Usually, a blower door test cost is included in the price of an audit, which is between $300 to $500.
How much does a blower test cost?
What does it cost? The blower door test costs about $450.00 for a typical house. This includes a report of the air leakage locations and recommendations for the sealing approach. The report lists the sealing measures in a cost efficient priority.
How do you check for duct leaks?
Turn your HVAC system on and return to the areas where ductwork is accessible. Check the connections between each section of duct, placing your hand over the metal. If you feel air against your hand, the connection is loose and there is an air leak. A common place for leaks is the duct joints.
How do I check for air leaks in my house?
Start by checking your attic, basement and crawl spaces for any cracks, gaps and openings where cold air may be coming through. You can also try a smoke test. On a windy day, shut all windows and doors, and turn off all appliances. Then hold a lit incense stick next to potential air leakage spots.
What is a good blower door test score?
A good rule of thumb is that your home should have a blower door number less than or equal to its square footage. Here are some things to know: a. If your home is 2000 square feet, a blower door number of 2000 cfm50 is decent (but not especially good).
What is a good air tightness score?
A test between 3 – 5 m3h-1m-2 would usually be acceptable by building control and your SAP assessor. A reading of less than 3 m3h-1m-2 might mean the building is too airtight.
What is ACH50?
ACH50 is the abbreviation for air changes per hour at 50 pascals (Pa) pressure differential and is one of the most important metrics we use to determine the energy efficiency of a house. It is the number of times the air volume in a building changes per hour at 50 Pa of pressure.
What happens if you fail a blower door test?
That number is very easy to hit. A blower door test on a single family home. So what does happen if I fail? You can also switch to the Simulated Performance Path to the code which, in some circumstances, will allow you to go over 4.00 ACH50 on the Blower Door Test.
What is a duct tightness test?
Duct pressure testing (or “duct leakage testing”) measures the amount of leakage in a duct system and air handler. The manometer measures the cubic feet per minute pulled through the system by the fan.
How much air leakage should a house have?
Airtight and Ventilate Right The 2015 IECC Code states that 3.0 ACH (about three hours for a complete air change cycle) is the target. Most new construction houses have been in the 4.0-5.0 range. Many homes measure as high as 1.5 to 2.0 ACH, meaning that the air is completely changed as often as once every 30 minutes.
What is blower door Ela?
ELA stands for Effective Leakage area. Some blower doors produce an output reading in CFM50 (airflow difference at a pressure of 50 pascals) or ACH50 (air changes per hour at a pressure of 50 pascals).
