Blower Door Test in Westtown, PA

Confirm your home’s energy performance and identify leaks through accurate blower door test in Westtown, PA. Our experts help homeowners, builders, and contractors pinpoint air leaks, improve efficiency, and comply with PA building energy standards.

What Is A Blower Door Test?

A blower door test is performed to identify the rate of air changes per hour, confirming your home receives a healthy exchange of fresh air. If air changes happen too often, it forces your system to reheat or recool the air repeatedly, wasting energy and lowering performance. Excessive air changes can bring drafts and air leakage discomfort while promoting moisture buildup, mold, and condensation. A blower door test in Westtown, PA helps spot air leaks before they worsen, improving efficiency, comfort, and long-term structural quality.

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How Is A Blower Door Test Conducted?

When performing blower door test in Westtown, PA, the technician ensures all exterior doors and windows are sealed and interior doors are open for steady air movement. One primary exterior doorway is used, where a flexible aluminum frame and fabric panel are mounted tightly. The technician mounts a calibrated fan to the frame to depressurize the house to 50 Pascals, roughly matching a 20 mph wind effect.

As air is drawn out by the fan, it causes outdoor air to infiltrate through existing leaks and gaps in the structure. A sensitive device called a nanometer measures how the fan’s pressure relates to the home’s internal air pressure. These readings are then converted into the total number of air changes per hour (ACH), revealing how airtight the home is and how well it performs in the PA climate.

What Is A Passing Blower Door Test Score?

Residential buildings in Westtown, PA must adhere to the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or newer versions adopted by city or county regulations. Most areas recognize 3 air changes per hour or less as the target blower door test value to ensure energy efficiency. Meeting this benchmark in your blower door test in Westtown, PA reduces ongoing energy costs while ensuring local regulatory compliance.

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 often work with home builders, contractors, and homeowners requiring blower door test in Westtown, PA to meet local energy codes and obtain permit approval. 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.

Through blower door test in Westtown, PA, homeowners can easily find leaks. When the fan reduces internal pressure, air movement through problem areas becomes noticeable, offering chances to save energy. A short blower door test can result in a long-lasting impact on your home’s energy efficiency, comfort, and year-round performance in PA.

How To Pass A Blower Door Test:

  • Anticipate potential air leaks before testing begins.
  • Apply an effective air barrier such as Tyvek or Zip Sheathing, ensuring every seam is tightly sealed with proper tape.
  • 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.
  • Close gaps and penetrations between conditioned zones and unconditioned sections like attics, basements, and crawl spaces.
  • Many cities provide compliance checklists through their building departments — see the Philadelphia version here.
  • Equipped with thermal imaging tools, caulk, and spray foam, Local Energy Audits can find and fix leaks directly at your property./li>
  • Over 90% of our projects pass within two hours, with all required paperwork issued immediately to close the permit.

Preparing for a Blower Door Test in Westtown, PA

We start the process of blower door test in Westtown, PA by ensuring all heating, air conditioning, and exhaust systems are turned off. Next, we check the home thoroughly to ensure all exterior openings — even those leading to garages or unfinished basements — are securely closed and within the thermal envelope. Once all doors and windows are sealed, we set up the blower door system in a centrally located exterior door and reduce air pressure to 50 Pascals to evaluate leakage. When the house is depressurized, outside air begins entering faster, exposing hidden leaks more effectively. Using a thermal imager, we easily locate air leaks by noting temperature differences on walls, ceilings, and other surfaces adjacent to unconditioned spaces. We bring the tools and materials—chalk, spray foam, and weatherstripping—to work with homeowners or contractors in fixing visible air leakage issues immediately. After sealing the leaks, we can immediately run another test to verify that the desired blower door score meets the local efficiency standards for homes in Westtown, PA.

Blower Door Test for Contractors in Westtown, PA

Contractors arranging blower door test in Westtown, PA will find that homes with professional insulation can typically resolve small issues right on-site during testing. Using materials like chalk and spray foam during the inspection, small leaks or gaps can be sealed right away. In over 90% of cases, we complete a passing blower door test score within two hours and provide the required paperwork to close out the building permit promptly.

Schedule Your blower door test in Westtown, PA

Receive professional, accurate, and certified blower door test in Westtown, PA from our highly skilled technicians. Whether you’re a homeowner improving energy performance or a contractor completing certification, we make sure each test fulfills all energy code requirements.