How Do Blower Door Tests Work?

The most sophisticated and high-tech HVAC system does not mean much if your building has air leaks. When a home or commercial building has an air leak, it can cost a large amount of money in wasted energy. Aside from the heating and cooling utility bills, it is not great for the environment or the power grid when buildings are not correctly insulated or protected from air leaks. That is why blower door tests and energy assessments are very important. In this article, we will cover how a blower door test works and how it can help save people money. 

What Is A Blower Door Test

A blower door works on the concept of air pressure. In physics, pressure always tries to equalize. So if something is pressurized, the air will escape through any potential holes; likewise, if a room is depressurized, air will be pulled in from any potential holes. How the test works is pretty straightforward. Your energy assessment team installs a special door called a blower door. This door is sealed against the door frame and features a large fan and an air pressure gauge. The door is calibrated, and initial readings are taken. Once that is done, the fan is used to pull air out of the room, which causes it to drop dramatically in pressure. 

If there are air leaks in a building, that pressure will stabilize quickly as air rushes through the leaks into the room. Throughout the process, the pressure gauge is used to track the speed at which air pressure changes in a building. If there are leaks, infrared cameras can be used to locate the leaks. 

What Is Aeroseal or Air Barrier Sealing

The blower door test can also be used with air sealing technology to not just identify leaks but solve them as well. Instead of depressurizing a room, air sealing works by creating pressure so that air has to escape through any leaks. Specialized devices emit small droplets of sealant into the air. The sealant naturally follows the air to the leaks, where it blocks up the leaks. This process can be done to quickly identify and solve air leaks in a building. 

Schedule Energy Assessments in New Hampshire 

Heat Loss Management provides energy assessments, blower door testing, and insulation services for buildings throughout the North Shore area. We work in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts to help homeowners and other businesses address HVAC energy usage concerns. If you notice drafts in your property or are interested in decreasing your utility costs, give us a call.