Blower Door Test in Souderton, PA

Ensure your home is sealed properly and energy-efficient with quality blower door test in Souderton, PA. Our licensed professionals help homeowners, builders, and contractors identify air leaks, enhance comfort, and achieve PA energy compliance.

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. When too much air is exchanged, it can cause drafts, reduce comfort, and create conditions for moisture buildup and mold. A blower door test in Souderton, PA detects air leaks early on, helping builders and homeowners boost efficiency and strengthen overall home comfort.

What Our Clients Say

How Is A Blower Door Test Conducted?

To execute blower door test in Souderton, PA, exterior windows and doors are secured shut, while interior doors are left open to distribute air evenly. An adjustable aluminum frame and sturdy fabric panel are installed in one central exterior door to prepare for testing. Technicians mount a calibrated fan onto the frame to achieve 50 Pascals of depressurization — similar to a constant 20 mph wind acting on the home.

As the fan extracts air, exterior air begins entering the house through any unsealed spaces or cracks. Using a nanometer device, we assess how the pressure from the fan differs from the home’s natural air pressure. These measurements yield air changes per hour (ACH), showing how airtight and energy-efficient the property is in PA.

What Is A Passing Blower Door Test Score?

Construction in Souderton, PA must comply with the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or updated versions recognized by local authorities. Generally, a blower door test result of 3 air changes per hour or less is considered acceptable, ensuring proper energy performance. When your blower door test in Souderton, PA meets this requirement, you ensure energy efficiency and maintain compliance with 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. Our team frequently assists home builders, contractors, and homeowners performing blower door test in Souderton, PA to verify compliance and secure permit approval. A duct leakage test could be required when air ducts or HVAC units extend outside the structure’s thermal envelope. Learn more about energy code compliance.

Using blower door test in Souderton, PA, homeowners can detect unwanted airflow. The depressurization process reveals leaks, helping them seal gaps and increase comfort. A blower door test, typically lasting only a few hours, offers a long-lasting impact on your home’s performance, efficiency, and comfort across PA’ seasons.

How To Pass A Blower Door Test:

  • Anticipate potential air leaks before testing begins.
  • Choose Tyvek or Zip Sheathing as your air barrier and check that all seams are securely taped to maintain airtightness.
  • Fit insulation with the correct R-value and make sure it’s installed without voids 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 all joints and gaps that connect conditioned and unconditioned areas such as basements, attics, and crawl spaces.
  • Many cities provide compliance checklists through their building departments — see the Philadelphia version here.
  • At Local Energy Audits, we utilize thermal imaging equipment, caulk, and spray foam to identify and fix air leaks during testing./li>
  • In over 90% of tests, we obtain a passing score within two hours and issue all paperwork required for permit closure.

Preparing for a Blower Door Test in Souderton, PA

To get ready for blower door test in Souderton, PA, our team turns off the HVAC system and shuts down kitchen and bathroom fans. We continue with a walkthrough inspection to confirm every exterior door and window is firmly closed — especially those to unconditioned spaces outside the thermal envelope. Once everything is sealed, we choose a centrally located exterior door and set up the blower door frame and fan. The fan then depressurizes the home to 50 Pascals, allowing us to measure airflow and leakage precisely. Once depressurization occurs, outdoor air enters the home more aggressively, revealing leaks more clearly. Using a thermal imager, we detect problem areas by observing temperature variations in walls, ceilings, and other surfaces that connect to unconditioned spaces. Carrying chalk, spray foam, and weatherstripping materials, we work directly with homeowners or contractors to resolve visible air leakage issues during the visit. We conduct a quick retest after sealing to verify that the desired blower door score has been achieved and that your home adheres to Souderton, PA energy efficiency codes.

Blower Door Test for Contractors in Souderton, PA

Contractors planning blower door test in Souderton, PA can expect most professionally insulated homes to address small issues easily during the testing phase. Using professional-grade materials like chalk and spray foam, we seal small leaks or gaps as soon as they’re detected. In over 90% of cases, our technicians achieve a passing blower door test score within just two hours and supply all necessary documentation to finalize the building permit efficiently.

Schedule Your blower door test in Souderton, PA

Enjoy fast response, professional service, and certified results with blower door test in Souderton, PA from our expert team. Whether you’re enhancing indoor comfort or finalizing a construction permit, we conduct every test with accuracy, care, and full compliance with energy standards.