Blower Door Test in Swarthmore, PA

Verify your home’s airtightness and meet energy-efficiency standards with a professional blower door test in Swarthmore, PA. Our certified technicians assist homeowners, builders, and contractors in detecting hidden air leaks, boosting comfort, and ensuring full compliance with PA energy codes.

What Is A Blower Door Test?

A blower door test helps calculate air changes per hour in your property. This natural air exchange process refreshes the indoor environment with new air. Excess air exchange can harm efficiency because each replacement of indoor air requires extra energy to heat or cool it again. Excessive air changes can also lead to drafts and discomfort caused by air leaks, along with moisture, condensation, and mold problems inside the home. A blower door test in Swarthmore, PA detects early-stage air leaks, enabling effective energy use and a more durable, comfortable living environment.

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How Is A Blower Door Test Conducted?

To execute blower door test in Swarthmore, PA, exterior windows and doors are secured shut, while interior doors are left open to distribute air evenly. A central exterior door is picked, where the technician fits an adjustable aluminum frame and fabric panel for airtight testing. A calibrated fan is then attached to the frame and used to depressurize the home to 50 Pascals, which is about the same as a steady 20 mph wind pushing against the structure.

When the fan pulls air out, outdoor air enters the house through cracks, openings, and unsealed areas. A sensitive nanometer is used to monitor and compare the pressure difference between the blower fan and the home’s interior air. These measurements are used to calculate air changes per hour (ACH), which reflects the home’s airtightness and performance under PA weather.

What Is A Passing Blower Door Test Score?

In Swarthmore, PA, residential buildings must meet the benchmarks set by the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or any newer codes adopted locally. An acceptable blower door test result in most areas is 3 air changes per hour or less, demonstrating solid energy performance. Meeting this benchmark in your blower door test in Swarthmore, PA reduces ongoing energy costs while ensuring local regulatory compliance.

Why Do I Need A Blower Door Test?

PA and several of its municipalities comply with the IECC (International Energy Conservation Code), mandating blower door test for new or updated homes. We often work with home builders, contractors, and homeowners requiring blower door test in Swarthmore, PA to meet local energy codes and obtain permit approval. A duct leakage test may also be necessary if any ducts or HVAC systems are positioned outside the building’s thermal envelope. Learn more about energy code compliance.

A blower door test in Swarthmore, PA helps homeowners discover inefficiencies. Depressurizing the home makes leaks more noticeable and highlights where energy can be conserved. Taking only a few hours, a blower door test creates a long-lasting impact by improving comfort, performance, and efficiency in PAhomes.

How To Pass A Blower Door Test:

Anticipate potential air leaks before testing begins.
Apply an air barrier like Tyvek or Zip Sheathing, making sure all connecting seams are properly taped and sealed.
Install insulation of the appropriate R-value and inspect to confirm it’s correctly fitted in all envelope areas.
Seal all penetrations in exterior walls using caulk or spray foam.
Ensure doors and windows are properly installed, caulked, and weather-sealed.
Seal cracks and openings between conditioned interiors and unconditioned areas such as crawl spaces, attics, and basements.
Local jurisdictions frequently publish compliance checklists — the Philadelphia version can be downloaded here.
Local Energy Audits identifies and repairs leaks on-site using thermal imaging tools, caulk, and high-quality spray foam./li>
We achieve a passing score within two hours in more than 90% of tests and issue the documents to close the building permit.

Preparing for a Blower Door Test in Swarthmore, PA

To prepare for blower door test in Swarthmore, PA, we start by turning off the heating and cooling system, along with all bathroom fans and kitchen exhaust fans. We continue with a walkthrough inspection to confirm every exterior door and window is firmly closed — especially those to unconditioned spaces outside the thermal envelope. After all openings are closed, we choose a central exterior door, install the blower door frame and fan, and depressurize the house to 50 Pascals to gauge airflow. After depressurization, air infiltration from outdoors increases, allowing faster and more accurate leak detection. Through the use of a thermal imager, we find problem zones by detecting uneven temperatures in walls, ceilings, and surfaces connected to unconditioned spaces. We’re equipped with chalk, spray foam, and weatherstripping materials, so we can partner with homeowners or contractors to repair visible air leakage problems right on-site. Once sealing work is done, we immediately retest to verify that the desired blower door score has been achieved for compliance with local standards in Swarthmore, PA.

Blower Door Test for Contractors in Swarthmore, PA

For contractors conducting blower door test in Swarthmore, PA, well-insulated homes generally require only minimal on-site corrections during the test. By using materials such as chalk and spray foam, our team can fix small air leaks immediately on-site. In over 90% of cases, we reach a passing blower door test score in less than two hours and hand over the documents needed to close the building permit right away.

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Schedule Your blower door test in Swarthmore, PA

Trust our experienced team for quick, accurate, and certified blower door test in Swarthmore, PA. Whether you’re a homeowner seeking better efficiency or a contractor finalizing a build, we ensure every test aligns perfectly with energy code standards.

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