502.4.5 Building Air Leakage Testing: Building envelope air leakage control shall be considered acceptable when tested to have an air leakage less than 0.00030 Specific Leakage Area (SLA) when tested with a blower door at a press of 50 Pascals (0.2 inch w.g.).
How does a blower door work? The fan motor and blades push air out of the building with the fan sensor located where the air is being pulled into the fan [more on this below]. Channel A reads the house pressure [with the reference outside], while Channel B measures the pressure at the fan sensor and just upstream of the sensor, converting this
How Does a Blower Door Test Work? A blower door is a diagnostic tool that includes a powerful, variable-speed fan, an air pressure gauge, an adjustable frame, and a flexible fabric panel. During the test, the fan is mounted inside the frame of a central exterior door, like your front entry door, and the panel is used to cover the open doorway.
A blower door is a tool that depressurizes a house; this depressurization exaggerates the home’s air leaks, making the leaks easier to measure and locate. An energy-efficient house must be as airtight as possible. Many older U.S. homes are so leaky that a third to a half of the home’s heat loss comes from air leaks.
This test is typically done after mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems are installed, and windows and doors are in place, but before insulating. The biggest difficulty when performing a blower-door test is how to address a vented attic or roof, which is often open to the outside.Testing can be accomplished by operating the blower door manually or with the aid of data acquisition and fan control software. The speed of the fan, in cubic feet of air per minute to hold a 50 Pa pressure difference, is recorded the CFM50 value. Alternately, this number can be divided by the air volume of the building to get the number of air
The blower door test provides insights on the following: How well your home is sealed against outside air. Possible leaks in and around doors, windows, the foundation, the attic, fixtures and appliances, etc. The flow of air through your home. The effectiveness of your home insulation. Based on these findings, the home energy auditor can assess
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