What Is Blower Door Testing

Blower door tests are performed by trained and certified energy auditors but a homeowner can conduct a mini test to help pinpoint leaky areas of the home.

What is blower door testing.

Blower doors were developed originally for houses as most good energy efficiency technologies are commercial debt is basically 15 20 years behind and this blower door testing is a classic example. A blower door test is a way to check how air tight a structure is. Blower door testing is typically performed at the end of construction once the house is completely dried in all penetrations sealed and lighting trim kits installed. Simply put a blower door is a diagnostic tool used to measure how much air infiltration air leakage occurs in a house.

Blower doors consist of a frame and flexible panel that fit in a doorway a variable speed fan a pressure gauge to measure the pressure differences inside and outside the home and an airflow manometer and hoses for measuring airflow. Last year we built an energy star home for a customer and we used a blower door test to evaluate the houses air infiltration performance. To perform the test an exterior door is removed from the home and replaced with a modular hard panel or fabric. There are two types of blower doors.

The blower door test is the key because it tells you how much air you re losing and to pinpoint where those penetrations are. A blower door test is a machine used to calculate airflow between the interior and exterior of a structure measure the airtightness of buildings and identify spots where air is leaking through a building envelope. Blower door tests provide information to home builders on which areas they need addressing which ultimately leads to higher energy efficiency in homes. A blower door test provides an accurate way to measure air leakage in a home.

This test ensures a certain level of energy performance and is often used when a project team is aiming for a performance based. Before a final hers rating can be established a blower door test must be given by a trained technician. It is designed to check for air leaks in walls attics and mechanical penetrations. Basically anything that would allow an unwanted air leak needs to be sealed.

Blower door tests are a great way to test how much outside air is leaking into or out of a home. Home energy audits and air seals if you feel like a blower door test is a little more than you need you can always start with a free diy home energy audit to make some changes around your home.