Blower Door Test in Millsboro, DE

Test your home’s air barriers and meet energy regulations through dependable blower door test in Millsboro, DE. Our qualified technicians assist homeowners, builders, and contractors in detecting air leaks, optimizing comfort, and maintaining compliance with DE energy codes.

What Is A Blower Door Test?

A blower door test helps determine the air changes per hour to confirm that your home has sufficient fresh air replacement. Too frequent air replacement can reduce efficiency since every exchange requires your system to use more energy for heating or cooling. Excessive air changes often cause drafts, discomfort, and humidity-related issues such as condensation and mold growth inside the home. A blower door test in Millsboro, DE helps pinpoint problem areas early, improving insulation performance, comfort, and home lifespan.

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How Is A Blower Door Test Conducted?

In preparation for blower door test in Millsboro, DE, all exterior entry points are sealed, and interior doors are left open to allow consistent air circulation. One chosen exterior door is equipped with an adjustable aluminum frame and fabric panel for test installation. The mounted calibrated fan depressurizes the building to 50 Pascals, a condition similar to the effect of a 20 mph wind.

When the fan depressurizes the home, outdoor air seeps in through leaks, crevices, and other air pathways. A precise tool called a nanometer is used to compare the pressure generated by the fan with that inside the home. From these readings, the number of air changes per hour (ACH) is determined, revealing the home’s airtightness and performance efficiency in DE.

What Is A Passing Blower Door Test Score?

Construction in Millsboro, DE must comply with the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or updated versions recognized by local authorities. Typically, a passing blower door test result is 3 air changes per hour or lower, which indicates good energy efficiency. Meeting this benchmark in your blower door test in Millsboro, DE reduces ongoing energy costs while ensuring local regulatory compliance.

Why Do I Need A Blower Door Test?

In DE, both state and local jurisdictions follow the IECC (International Energy Conservation Code), requiring blower door test for new and remodeled homes. We regularly provide blower door test in Millsboro, DE for home builders, contractors, and homeowners working to meet local code requirements and close permits. A duct leakage test is often required whenever ducts or HVAC units are found outside the building’s thermal envelope. Learn more about energy code compliance.

Homeowners benefit from blower door test in Millsboro, DE because depressurization exposes airflow through cracks, helping identify leaks and boost efficiency. This simple test, completed in a few hours, creates a long-lasting impact on your home’s efficiency and comfort during DE’ hot and cold months.

How To Pass A Blower Door Test:

  • Anticipate potential air leaks before testing begins.
  • Install an effective air barrier, for example Tyvek or Zip Sheathing, and make certain all seams are sealed with durable tape.
  • Use insulation that has the designated R-value and confirm it’s properly applied throughout the building envelope for maximum efficiency.
  • 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.
  • Many cities provide compliance checklists through their building departments — see the Philadelphia version here.
  • Local Energy Audits uses thermal imaging tools, caulk, and spray foam to detect and seal leaks directly on-site./li>
  • In most situations—over 90% of the time—we get a passing score within two hours and finalize all required paperwork.

Preparing for a Blower Door Test in Millsboro, DE

We start the process of blower door test in Millsboro, DE by ensuring all heating, air conditioning, and exhaust systems are turned off. After that, we check the entire home to confirm all exterior doors and windows are tightly secured — even those leading to garages, unfinished basements, or other spaces outside the thermal envelope. After ensuring the home is fully sealed, we mount the blower door fan and frame on a central exterior door and depressurize the interior to 50 Pascals for accurate testing. After depressurization, air infiltration from outdoors increases, allowing faster and more accurate leak detection. With the help of a thermal imager, we can uncover leaks and weak spots by spotting temperature differences across walls, ceilings, and surfaces near unconditioned spaces. Our technicians arrive with chalk, spray foam, and weatherstripping materials, ready to work with homeowners or contractors to fix visible air leakage problems right away. Once leaks are addressed, we perform another test to confirm the desired blower door score and verify compliance with local efficiency regulations in Millsboro, DE.

Blower Door Test for Contractors in Millsboro, DE

For contractors conducting blower door test in Millsboro, DE, well-insulated homes generally require only minimal on-site corrections during the test. By applying materials such as chalk and spray foam, small leaks or gaps are often sealed on the spot. In over 90% of cases, we manage to secure a passing blower door test score within just two hours and immediately provide all necessary paperwork to close out the permit process.

Schedule Your blower door test in Millsboro, DE

Experience prompt, professional, and certified blower door test in Millsboro, DE from our knowledgeable team. Whether you’re improving comfort as a homeowner or completing a project as a contractor, we guarantee every test is performed with accuracy and full energy code compliance.