Blower Door Test in Ocean View, DE

Ensure your home is sealed properly and energy-efficient with quality blower door test in Ocean View, DE. Our professional technicians help homeowners, builders, and contractors identify air leaks, improve home comfort, and satisfy DE energy code regulations.

What Is A Blower Door Test?

A blower door test is conducted to assess air changes per hour inside a home or structure, ensuring the right balance between air leakage and fresh airflow. Having too many air changes can waste energy because each new cycle demands the air be reheated or recooled, cutting overall efficiency. 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 Ocean View, DE assists in finding and sealing air leaks early to improve home comfort, energy efficiency, and overall durability.

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How Is A Blower Door Test Conducted?

During blower door test in Ocean View, DE, exterior openings are closed securely, and interior doors are left open to maintain even air circulation across the house. One primary exterior doorway is used, where a flexible aluminum frame and fabric panel are mounted tightly. A calibrated fan mounted on the frame reduces the home’s pressure to 50 Pascals, simulating the force of a continuous 20 mph wind.

When the fan depressurizes the home, outdoor air seeps in through leaks, crevices, and other air pathways. A nanometer is used to detect and compare the pressure created by the fan with the air pressure inside the structure. The test results are converted into air changes per hour (ACH), which determines the airtightness and performance level of the home in DE weather.

What Is A Passing Blower Door Test Score?

Houses in Ocean View, DE are required to meet the standards of the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or the latest locally adopted version. For most regions, achieving 3 air changes per hour or less on a blower door test ensures that the home is properly energy efficient. Achieving this standard in your blower door test in Ocean View, DE lowers utility bills and guarantees adherence to local code requirements.

Why Do I Need A Blower Door Test?

DE, along with many city governments, enforces the IECC, which requires blower door test for residential projects after construction or renovation. We proudly serve home builders, contractors, and homeowners who need blower door test in Ocean View, DE to pass inspections and fulfill energy code obligations. A duct leakage test can be required when ducts or HVAC components are installed outside the structure’s thermal envelope. Learn more about energy code compliance.

Homeowners can greatly benefit from blower door test in Ocean View, DE. 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 DE.

How To Pass A Blower Door Test:

  • Anticipate potential air leaks before testing begins.
  • Select a proper air barrier such as Tyvek or Zip Sheathing and ensure every seam is thoroughly taped for airtight sealing.
  • Install correctly rated insulation with the proper R-value and confirm it’s well positioned in every part of the building envelope.
  • Seal all penetrations in exterior walls using caulk or spray foam.
  • Ensure doors and windows are properly installed, caulked, and weather-sealed.
  • Eliminate air leaks by sealing all openings between conditioned areas and unconditioned spaces, including basements and attics.
  • Many building departments provide step-by-step compliance guides — you can find the Philadelphia example here.
  • Local Energy Audits technicians carry thermal imaging devices, caulk, and spray foam to pinpoint and seal air leaks immediately./li>
  • Over 90% of projects pass within two hours, and we immediately provide the required paperwork to close out the building permit.

Preparing for a Blower Door Test in Ocean View, DE

Before conducting blower door test in Ocean View, DE, we make sure all heating, cooling, and ventilation fans are switched off. We then perform a brief inspection throughout the home to make sure all exterior doors and windows are tightly shut — even those opening to garages, basements, or 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. Once the home is depressurized, outside air starts infiltrating more forcefully, making it easier to spot air leaks. Using a thermal imager, we locate inefficient areas by tracking temperature changes in walls, ceilings, and surfaces bordering unconditioned spaces. Equipped with chalk, spray foam, and weatherstripping, we can directly assist homeowners or contractors in resolving visible air leakage problems on-site. After sealing, we can immediately retest to confirm whether the desired blower door score has been reached, ensuring your home complies with local energy efficiency standards in Ocean View, DE.

Blower Door Test for Contractors in Ocean View, DE

Most professionally insulated homes undergoing blower door test in Ocean View, DE can resolve small issues on-site during the contractor’s visit. Using materials like chalk and spray foam, small leaks or gaps can typically be sealed right away during the test. In over 90% of cases, we successfully achieve a passing blower door test score within just two hours and promptly deliver all required documentation to close out the building permit without any delay.

Schedule Your blower door test in Ocean View, DE

Get dependable, efficient, and certified blower door test in Ocean View, DE performed by our qualified and experienced experts. Whether you’re enhancing indoor comfort or finalizing a construction permit, we conduct every test with accuracy, care, and full compliance with energy standards.