Blower Door Test in Wilmington, DE

Protect your energy investment and verify airtightness with advanced blower door test in Wilmington, DE. Our certified team helps homeowners, builders, and contractors locate air leaks, enhance indoor comfort, and meet all DE energy efficiency requirements.

What Is A Blower Door Test?

A blower door test evaluates air changes per hour, showing how often indoor air is replaced by fresh outdoor air — a process essential for healthy living spaces. If air changes happen too often, it forces your system to reheat or recool the air repeatedly, wasting energy and lowering performance. Excessive air circulation may cause drafts, discomfort from leaks, and indoor problems like condensation, mold, and moisture damage. A blower door test in Wilmington, DE enables early identification of air leaks, helping improve comfort, durability, and energy savings.

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How Is A Blower Door Test Conducted?

To carry out blower door test in Wilmington, DE, exterior doors and windows are fully closed, and interior doors are left open for even air distribution in the home. An adjustable aluminum frame and sturdy fabric panel are installed in one central exterior door to prepare for testing. A calibrated fan is connected to the frame, lowering the home’s internal pressure to 50 Pascals, roughly matching a 20 mph wind force.

When the fan pulls air out, outdoor air enters the house through cracks, openings, and unsealed areas. A nanometer is used to detect and compare the pressure created by the fan with the air pressure inside the structure. The collected data converts to air changes per hour (ACH), demonstrating how tightly sealed and efficient the home remains in DE climates.

What Is A Passing Blower Door Test Score?

In Wilmington, DE, residential buildings must meet the benchmarks set by the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or any newer codes adopted locally. Generally, a blower door test result of 3 air changes per hour or less is considered acceptable, ensuring proper energy performance. Reaching this target in your blower door test in Wilmington, DE helps maintain lower energy bills and fulfills local code obligations.

Why Do I Need A Blower Door Test?

The State of DE, along with its municipalities, observes the IECC requirements, mandating blower door test for newly constructed or updated homes. We routinely help home builders, contractors, and homeowners requiring blower door test in Wilmington, DE for energy code compliance and permit closure. A duct leakage test may also be performed when ductwork or HVAC equipment extends beyond the thermal envelope. Learn more about energy code compliance.

There are many benefits of blower door test in Wilmington, DE for homeowners. When the fan lowers indoor pressure, leaks become visible, allowing for easy identification of inefficiencies and energy-saving opportunities. 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.
Use materials like Tyvek or Zip Sheathing as your air barrier and ensure every seam is well taped for best results.
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 every transition point between conditioned and unconditioned environments, including attics, crawl spaces, and basements.
Many local building offices offer a step-by-step checklist to confirm compliance — view the Philadelphia sample 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 Wilmington, DE

To ensure accuracy during blower door test in Wilmington, DE, we begin by switching off the HVAC system and all exhaust fans in the home. 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. With the home properly sealed, we mount the blower door frame and fan in a central exterior door, using it to depressurize to 50 Pascals for exact airflow readings. After the pressure drops, outdoor air enters through gaps more noticeably, making leaks easier to identify. Using a thermal imager, we detect problem areas by observing temperature variations in walls, ceilings, and other surfaces that connect to unconditioned spaces. We’re fully equipped with chalk, spray foam, and weatherstripping to collaborate with homeowners or contractors in correcting visible air leakage issues immediately. Once sealing is finished, we conduct an instant retest to ensure the desired blower door score is reached, confirming compliance with Wilmington, DE building codes.

Blower Door Test for Contractors in Wilmington, DE

For contractors scheduling blower door test in Wilmington, DE, most professionally insulated homes can quickly fix minor issues on-site during the testing process. Using readily available materials like chalk and spray foam, our team can seal small leaks and gaps on-site in minutes. In more than 90% of cases, we achieve a passing blower door test score within two hours and provide complete documentation to finalize the building permit without delay.

888 213-3975

Schedule Your blower door test in Wilmington, DE

Get accurate, efficient, and certified blower door test in Wilmington, DE performed by our knowledgeable experts. Whether you’re a homeowner improving energy performance or a contractor completing certification, we make sure each test fulfills all energy code requirements.

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