Blower Door Test Requirements

Beginning with the 2012 iecc a maximum air leakage rate is defined and each new home must meet this tightness level verified with a blower door test.

Blower door test requirements.

50 pascals the energy code chapter 11 also states that code officials require that testing shall be conducted by a certified third party pg. We have years of experience as bpi building performance institute building analysts and can perform the testing that you need to meet code and inspection requirements. A blower door test is performed to measure the exact air tightness of a home. 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.

These tests determine the air infiltration rate of a building. A blower door consists of a frame and flexible panel that fit into an exterior doorway. The blower door test simulates that following. By providing fields to indicate the ach50 used for compliance test forms provide project specific air leakage verification guidance.

The building or dwelling unit shall be tested and verified as having an air leakage rate of not exceeding 5 7 air changes per hour in climate zones 1 and 2 and 3 air changes per hour in climate zones 3 through 8. Record five 10 second average minimum baseline readings to determine the level of accuracy perform blower door test using the baseline and cfm50 functions. So far it seems clear. Suggested minimum requirements cost from 100 to several hundred dollars de pending on the level of detail and the types of tests provided.

However many testers architects builders and specifiers find that there is still much room for doubt. This entry was posted in all industries. For the blower door test it is specified that the test must be undertaken to en13829 method a and that the blower door reference volume called vn50 in the phpp is the full internal air volume of the building under test. Blower door energy assessment tests include a blower door test above to determine air leakage rates.

But since code credit is received for ach50 values less than 7 if a lower value is entered for compliance the blower door test must show that the house s leakage is at or below that lower value rather than 7. If a home had wind blowing against it at 20 miles per hour for an entire house the total volume of air in the house would exchange with outside air 7 times. Testing shall be conducted with a blower door at a pressure of 0 2 inches w g. How does it work.