Duct Leakage Test in Flourtown, PA

Verify your HVAC system’s efficiency and meet local requirements with reliable duct leakage test in Flourtown, PA. Our certified technicians trace and measure duct leaks, supporting homeowners and builders in enhancing comfort, lowering energy waste, and staying compliant with state codes.

Why Duct Leakage Test is Important In Flourtown, PA

States and municipalities have standardized around the 2015 IECC, International Energy Conservation Code for single-family builds and the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code for multi-family builds. The change will result in significant implications for home builders and HVAC contractors doing business in the state. A Duct Leakage Test and a Blower Door Test are now mandatory for newly built or renovated homes under the 2015 regulations. Did you know that ducts are among the biggest contributors to air leakage in homes all across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware? Leaked air can increase your energy costs, overwork your HVAC system, and distribute insulation particles and dust around your home. This makes duct leakage test a key step for new and older homes alike. Read ahead to see why duct leakage test is needed and what advantages it offers.

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How a Duct Leakage Test Is Conducted

To begin performing a duct leakage test in Flourtown, PA, your technician closes off all supply and return registers except the main return or air handler system. A specially calibrated duct blaster is then installed onto the opening. The fan lowers the pressure inside the ducts, helping reveal any leakage points.

The duct blaster, aided by a precision pressure sensor, accurately measures airflow and reveals duct leaks without interrupting activities in your home. A duct leakage test — also referred to as a duct blaster test — highlights where air is leaking from your ducts to help you choose the proper sealing method.

duct leakage test is fast, clean, and comfortable for residents throughout the process. Most tests in Flourtown, PA take around 30 to 60 minutes, but the efficiency and comfort improvements can last for many years.

How to Measure Duct Leakage

Duct leakage is specified in cubic feet per minute (CFM) for each 100 square feet of conditioned space. Your technician uses a nanometer to read small pressure variations, helping determine the volume of air escaping through the ducts. Understanding this number allows you to highlight problem zones, explore improvement possibilities, and confirm compliance with local energy code requirements in Flourtown, PA.

Cost of Excessive Duct Leakage

If you’re facing higher energy bills, uneven heating or cooling, or recurring HVAC repairs, duct leakage could be to blame. According to ENERGY STAR, the average duct system loses between 20% and 30% of its conditioned air due to leaks. Outside air that’s too hot or too cold entering your system strains your HVAC, resulting in higher energy consumption and less comfort.

Overworked equipment also leads to more breakdowns and costly repairs. Proper duct sealing helps sustain your HVAC system’s long-term condition, increasing its operational lifespan and decreasing maintenance requirements.

Duct leaks can also introduce dust, mold spores, moisture, and additional contaminants into the duct system. This can trigger more severe allergies, diminish indoor air quality, and create expensive structural problems behind walls or ceilings over time.

How to Properly Seal Ductwork in an Old Home

The 2015 IRC/IECC requires that all new homes feature fully sealed duct systems utilizing updated, energy-efficient materials like mastic, foil tape, and insulation. But what do you do about leaks that sit deep within walls or ceilings?

Aerosol sealing technology (AeroSeal) offers a method to access hidden leaks deep within ductwork. To apply this method, every vent is sealed aside from one access point. The HVAC system is isolated, and a machine is connected to the ducts. It pressurizes the ducts and sends a fine aerosol sealant through the system, closing small gaps that normal sealing approaches can’t reach.

This method is effective at treating small to medium leaks. However, big openings may still need to be addressed with manual mastic-and-tape sealing. Technicians do a duct leakage test before and after aerosol sealing to calculate how much leakage has been reduced and validate the results.

Common Areas of Duct Leakage

The most common location for air leakage in ducts is the joints. Ductwork includes several metal sections pressed together with tight fittings and metal bands, but those connections are almost never airtight.

As your HVAC system transitions between warm and cool air throughout the year, the ducts expand and contract. Over time, this movement makes the joints loosen, forming gaps and leaks — meaning a duct leakage test is advised for both new and older homes in Flourtown, PA.

Many energy auditors check duct leakage by feeling around the ducts and using a small tool to test the width of gaps between joints. If your duct system was never sealed using mastic and approved tape, there is a high probability that air leakage is present.

What Is an Acceptable Amount of Duct Leakage per Energy Code?

To achieve a passing duct leakage result, your system should fall under 4 CFM per 100 square feet with the air handler, or 3 CFM per 100 square feet when the air handler is absent. For new construction, the duct leakage test must be passed prior to the home being approved for an occupancy certificate.

If your home in Flourtown, PA cannot pass a duct leakage test, you are likely wasting money on heating and cooling — and causing long-term wear on your HVAC system. Meeting the 3–4 CFM requirement is required not only for code approval but for keeping your home efficient and comfortable.

Your technician will also offer specialized recommendations to repair leakage issues so you can meet passing requirements, reduce utility bills, and improve your home’s performance.

Local Energy Audits — affordable duct leakage test in Flourtown, PA

Local Energy Audits proudly serves homeowners, contractors, and builders throughout Flourtown, PA and nearby regions. We specialize in identifying and addressing duct leakage and energy inefficiencies using blower door tests and duct leakage tests. Whether you’re constructing a new home or optimizing an existing one, we’re here to help.
If you’d like to schedule a test, call us during business hours or contact us online to request an appointment.

The Duct Leakage Test Steps Explained

A duct leakage test begins by applying duct mask tape to seal every duct and register on both the supply and return sides.

After the registers are sealed, we position the duct tester on the HVAC unit or on a primary return.

The ducts are then pulled down to 25 Pascals of depressurization. With the ducts in this state, we take a leakage reading using the nanometer.

Schedule Your Duct Leakage Test in Flourtown, PA

Ensure your HVAC system maintains top efficiency, remains compliant, and delivers strong performance with dependable duct leakage test in Flourtown, PA. Whether you’re a homeowner seeking better comfort or a contractor wrapping up a final inspection, our certified team delivers fast, accurate, and affordable testing.

We use industry-standard duct blaster equipment and supply on-site guidance to help you pass your test, reduce energy loss, and maintain the long-term health of your HVAC system.

📞 Call 888-213-3975 ✉️ Request a Quote

Serving homeowners, builders, and contractors across Flourtown, PA with dependable and energy-efficient testing solutions.