Blower Door Testing
Should You Get A Blower Door Test Done On Your Home?
A powerful fan is mounted in the frame of an exterior door. During a depressurization test, the fan pulls air out of the house, lowering the interior pressure and pulling air in from the outside through unsealed cracks and openings.
Anyone thinking of buying a house or building one should consider having a blower door test performed. It will help determine the cost of future energy bills.
A blower door test is a diagnostic tool used to measure the airtightness of a structure. A powerful fan is mounted in a temporary airtight frame of an exterior door. During a depressurization test, the fan pulls air out of the house, lowering the interior pressure and pulling air in from the outside through unsealed cracks and openings. A pressure gauge measures the amount of air pulled out of the house by the fan and coming in through unsealed cracks and openings.
Results of the test can determine if there are unsealed cracks and openings in the house’s shell that should be sealed. Infrared cameras can be used to locate every leak which can then be amended. Properly sealing a house will increase comfort, reduce energy costs, and improve indoor air quality.
The diagram shows the many leakage points possible in the home.
This test is required for certain certification programs, including ENERGY STAR and Passive House. Passive House has the most stringent blower door test requirements, allowing a maximum infiltration of 0.6 air changes per hour (ACH) when measured at 50 Pascals pressure difference. (Pascals are a measure of pressure.)
For reference, typical new houses that have not been properly air sealed will test between 4 to 6 ACH @ 50 Pascals, and typical existing houses will test between 8 to 10 ACH @ 50 Pascals.
Results below 2.0 ACH @ 50 Pascals may be considered “tight,” while 1.0 ACH @ 50 Pascals is a typical target for high-performance new construction.
Understanding Air Tightness
