Blower Door Test in Erwinna, PA

Evaluate your home’s air leakage and achieve energy compliance with precise blower door test in Erwinna, PA. Our certified specialists support homeowners, builders, and contractors by locating hidden air leaks, improving efficiency, and achieving PA energy code compliance.

What Is A Blower Door Test?

A blower door test is designed to measure air changes per hour inside homes, promoting a balance between airtightness and necessary ventilation. Excessive air changes can cause problems since each exchange requires reheating or recooling, resulting in greater energy consumption and reduced efficiency. Excessive air leakage can cause drafts, reduce comfort, and contribute to issues like condensation, moisture, and mold inside the home. A blower door test in Erwinna, PA enables early identification of air leaks, helping improve comfort, durability, and energy savings.

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How Is A Blower Door Test Conducted?

During blower door test in Erwinna, PA, exterior openings are closed securely, and interior doors are left open to maintain even air circulation across the house. A central exterior door is used as the setup point, where an adjustable aluminum frame and fabric panel are positioned. A calibrated fan is installed onto the frame, creating a pressure difference of 50 Pascals, comparable to a continuous 20 mph wind blowing on the home.

As the fan extracts air, exterior air begins entering the house through any unsealed spaces or cracks. A sensitive device called a nanometer measures how the fan’s pressure relates to the home’s internal air pressure. The gathered results are converted into air changes per hour (ACH) to determine how well-sealed and efficient the home is in the PA climate.

What Is A Passing Blower Door Test Score?

Houses in Erwinna, PA are required to meet the standards of the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or the latest locally adopted version. In most cases, passing the blower door test means reaching 3 air changes per hour or less, proving efficient home sealing. Meeting this requirement during your blower door test in Erwinna, PA helps reduce energy costs while keeping your home compliant with local building codes.

Why Do I Need A Blower Door Test?

Both PA and local jurisdictions adopt the IECC energy code, making blower door test mandatory for new and renovated residential structures. We provide support to home builders, contractors, and homeowners needing blower door test in Erwinna, PA for meeting energy efficiency standards and finalizing permits. If ducts or HVAC units are located outside the thermal envelope, a duct leakage test may also be mandated. Learn more about energy code compliance.

Homeowners can greatly benefit from blower door test in Erwinna, PA. The depressurization process makes air leaks noticeable, helping pinpoint trouble areas and improve energy efficiency. Though a blower door test lasts just a few hours, it offers a long-lasting impact on your home’s comfort, durability, and performance year-round in PA.

How To Pass A Blower Door Test:

  • Anticipate potential air leaks before testing begins.
  • Choose an appropriate air barrier, like Tyvek or Zip Sheathing, and ensure all seams are accurately and securely taped.
  • Install insulation with the appropriate R-value and ensure it is correctly fitted across the entire building envelope.
  • Seal all penetrations in exterior walls using caulk or spray foam.
  • Ensure doors and windows are properly installed, caulked, and weather-sealed.
  • Seal off any access points or gaps between conditioned and unconditioned spaces like attics, crawl spaces, and basements.
  • Local building authorities commonly offer checklists to verify code compliance — review the Philadelphia example here.
  • Our team at Local Energy Audits employs thermal imaging, caulk, and spray foam to locate and repair leaks efficiently on-site./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 Erwinna, PA

Preparation for blower door test in Erwinna, PA begins with switching off the HVAC system, as well as any bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans. We then perform a detailed walkthrough to verify that all exterior windows and doors are tightly shut, including any that lead to spaces beyond the thermal envelope. After ensuring the home is airtight, we install the blower door frame and fan in a central exterior door and depressurize the house to 50 Pascals to record airflow and leakage data accurately. When the house is depressurized, outside air begins entering faster, exposing hidden leaks more effectively. By using a thermal imager, we can spot temperature variations in walls, ceilings, and other surfaces that indicate leaks into unconditioned areas. We carry chalk, spray foam, and weatherstripping materials, allowing us to work directly with homeowners or contractors to fix visible air leakage issues on-site. Once leaks are addressed, we perform another test to confirm the desired blower door score and verify compliance with local efficiency regulations in Erwinna, PA.

Blower Door Test for Contractors in Erwinna, PA

For contractors arranging blower door test in Erwinna, PA, most homes with professional insulation can handle small air leakage issues during the test itself. Using quick-application materials like chalk and spray foam, small leaks or openings are sealed right during testing. In more than 90% of cases, we achieve a passing blower door test score within two hours and deliver all documents needed to finalize the permit without any delay.

Schedule Your blower door test in Erwinna, PA

Choose our professional team for quick, accurate, and certified blower door test in Erwinna, PA. Whether you’re a homeowner aiming to enhance comfort or a contractor needing to close out a permit, we make sure each test complies with energy codes accurately and efficiently.