Blower Door Test in Somerville, NJ

Evaluate your home’s air leakage and achieve energy compliance with precise blower door test in Somerville, NJ. Our certified technicians assist homeowners, builders, and contractors in detecting hidden air leaks, boosting comfort, and ensuring full compliance with NJ 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. Excessive air changes force constant reheating or recooling, driving up energy use and reducing overall home efficiency. Excessive air circulation may cause drafts, discomfort from leaks, and indoor problems like condensation, mold, and moisture damage. A blower door test in Somerville, NJ locates leaks and inefficiencies quickly, allowing homeowners to enhance energy performance and create a cozier living space.

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How Is A Blower Door Test Conducted?

While performing blower door test in Somerville, NJ, technicians make sure exterior doors and windows are shut tight and interior doors are open for uniform pressure. Technicians install a fabric panel and adjustable aluminum frame into one central exterior door opening. A calibrated fan is placed within the frame and operated to depressurize the structure to 50 Pascals — nearly the same as a 20 mph wind hitting the building.

As the fan removes air from inside, exterior air flows in through leaks and gaps in the building envelope. By employing a nanometer, we measure the variance between the fan’s pressure and the internal home pressure. From these readings, the number of air changes per hour (ACH) is determined, revealing the home’s airtightness and performance efficiency in NJ.

What Is A Passing Blower Door Test Score?

Homes in Somerville, NJ are typically required to follow the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or the most recent version adopted locally. In most locations, 3 air changes per hour or less is the standard blower door test result for efficient home performance. Passing this requirement during a blower door test in Somerville, NJ keeps your home efficient and aligned with local building code standards.

Why Do I Need A Blower Door Test?

NJ, along with many city governments, enforces the IECC, which requires blower door test for residential projects after construction or renovation. Our company assists home builders, contractors, and homeowners who rely on blower door test in Somerville, NJ to fulfill energy code compliance and finalize construction 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 can greatly benefit from blower door test in Somerville, NJ. The depressurization process makes air leaks noticeable, helping pinpoint trouble areas and improve energy efficiency. Although it’s a short process, a blower door test produces a long-lasting impact by improving comfort and lowering energy costs throughout NJ’ climate extremes.

How To Pass A Blower Door Test:

  • Anticipate potential air leaks before testing begins.
  • Use materials like Tyvek or Zip Sheathing as your air barrier and ensure every seam is well taped for best results.
  • Install insulation that meets the required R-value and check that it’s evenly and securely placed throughout 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.
  • Most building departments provide detailed compliance resources — view the Philadelphia checklist example here.
  • Our team at Local Energy Audits employs thermal imaging, caulk, and spray foam to locate and repair leaks efficiently on-site./li>
  • Typically, over 90% of the time we record a passing score in two hours and handle all permit-related documentation.

Preparing for a Blower Door Test in Somerville, NJ

To prepare for blower door test in Somerville, NJ, we start by turning off the heating and cooling system, along with all bathroom fans and kitchen exhaust fans. Next, we do a complete walkthrough to ensure all exterior doors and windows are sealed — including those opening to garages, unfinished basements, or areas beyond the thermal envelope. Once everything is closed off, we set up the blower door fan on a centrally located exterior door and depressurize the interior to 50 Pascals to assess air leakage accurately. When depressurization is complete, outside air flows in swiftly, allowing easy detection of leakage spots. With a thermal imager, we identify issues by locating temperature differences across walls, ceilings, and surfaces leading to unconditioned areas. Our team provides on-site repair using chalk, spray foam, and weatherstripping, working with homeowners or contractors to fix visible air leakage problems. After completing the sealing process, we can retest right away to check if the desired blower door score has been obtained, confirming compliance with Somerville, NJ efficiency standards.

Blower Door Test for Contractors in Somerville, NJ

During blower door test in Somerville, NJ, contractors will find that well-insulated homes can manage minor issues directly on-site. Using easy-to-apply materials like chalk and spray foam, we can correct small leaks or gaps during the test itself. In over 90% of cases, we successfully reach a passing blower door test score within two hours and hand over all necessary paperwork for immediate permit closure.

Schedule Your blower door test in Somerville, NJ

Get trusted, professional, and certified blower door test in Somerville, NJ from our experienced technicians. Whether you’re a homeowner improving energy performance or a contractor completing certification, we make sure each test fulfills all energy code requirements.