What is a Blower Door Airtightness Test?
During this test, our energy advisor sets up a large industrial fan in an exterior door of the home and completely seal the door. The home is then depressurized by the fan that blows the air out, creating a negative pressure or vacuum effect, air from the outside will find its way inside through any natural air leakage points, such as doors, fireplaces, windows, attic hatches, wiring and receptacles, etc. This process allows us to walk around the home and identify all of these air leakage points. After the test is done, we will know your ACH (air changes per hour). The blower door airtightness test is the best tool for identifying where the air leakage spots are in your home.
For Existing Homes
BluTek offers blower door airtightness tests as part of our home energy evaluation service.
- Conducting this test is the best tool to identify all of drafty and leaky areas are in your home.
- Draft-proofing is among the top cost-effective solutions that allows you to reduce your spending on utility bills.
- Eliminate the cold spots in your home to improve comfort and liveability.
- Government rebates are available for this service, which can significantly reduce the amount out of your pocket.
For New Homes
The test is performed after the windows, doors, and insulation have been installed to ensure newly installed elements of the home are up to airtightness standards. It is sometimes referred to as the pre-drywall blower door airtightness test. BluTek performs a blower door airtightness test at the mid-construction point.
The next step is to go around every square inch of the building in order to identify all air leakage points and other potential deficiencies of the envelope, including windows, insulation, and air barriers. This test is important to complete as problem areas are very hard to fix once drywall has been installed.
This process also allows us to get a preliminary ACH number and compare your project to benchmark standards and make the needed changes to reach your airtightness target before the home is completed.