Duct Leakage Test in Brookhaven, PA

Ensure your HVAC system operates efficiently and meets local energy codes with professional duct leakage test in Brookhaven, PA. Our certified technicians assess and measure air leaks in ducts to help homeowners and builders increase comfort, reduce energy inefficiencies, and ensure state compliance.

Why Duct Leakage Test is Important In Brookhaven, PA

States and municipalities have standardized around the 2015 IECC, International Energy Conservation Code for single-family builds and the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code for multi-family builds. The change will introduce meaningful implications for home builders and HVAC contractors active in the state. A Duct Leakage Test along with a Blower Door Test is now required for any newly constructed or remodeled home as outlined in the 2015 regulations. Did you know that improperly sealed ducts account for a major portion of air leakage in homes across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware? Leaked air can increase monthly energy costs, stress your HVAC system, and scatter dust and insulation across your living areas. This makes duct leakage test an important requirement for homes regardless of age. Keep reading to understand why duct leakage test is necessary and how it can help you.

888 213-3975

What Our Clients Say

How a Duct Leakage Test Is Conducted

To conduct a proper duct leakage test in Brookhaven, PA, your technician first seals all supply and return registers except the main return or air handler. A specially calibrated duct blaster fan is then secured to the opening. Its job is to depressurize the duct system, allowing air leaks to reveal themselves clearly.

The duct blaster operates alongside a precision pressure sensor to track airflow and identify duct leaks without disrupting your home. A duct leakage test — often known as a duct blaster test — exposes duct air loss, allowing you to apply the most effective sealing techniques.

duct leakage test is quick, low-impact, and does not disturb residents. Most tests in Brookhaven, PA require only 30 to 60 minutes, yet the upgrades can improve your home’s comfort and efficiency well into the future.

How to Measure Duct Leakage

Duct leakage is specified in cubic feet per minute (CFM) for each 100 square feet of conditioned space. Your technician relies on a nanometer to read slight pressure variations that show the amount of air leaking through the duct system. Understanding this number allows you to identify concerns, evaluate upgrade opportunities, and determine whether your home fulfills local energy code requirements in Brookhaven, PA.

Cost of Excessive Duct Leakage

If you’re seeing higher energy bills, irregular heating or cooling, or frequent HVAC malfunctions, duct leakage may be at fault. According to ENERGY STAR, a large portion of homes lose between 20% and 30% of conditioned air due to leaky ducts. Outside air that’s too hot or too cold entering your system strains your HVAC, resulting in higher energy consumption and less comfort.

Overworked equipment also triggers more mechanical failures and costly service calls. Proper duct sealing helps promote the long-term integrity of your HVAC system, extending its lifespan and limiting continued maintenance needs.

Duct leaks can also permit dust, mold spores, extra moisture, and other airborne contaminants into the duct system. This can make allergies more severe, reduce the quality of indoor air, and produce costly structural harm behind walls or ceilings as time progresses.

How to Properly Seal Ductwork in an Old Home

The 2015 IRC/IECC requires new homes to use fully sealed duct systems crafted from up-to-date, efficient materials such as mastic, foil tape, and insulation. But what happens when air leaks are concealed deep in the walls or ceilings?

Aerosol sealing technology (AeroSeal) offers a method to access hidden leaks deep within ductwork. To begin this method, every vent is sealed except for one access opening. The HVAC unit is isolated, and a machine is installed onto the duct system. It pressurizes the ducts and sends a fine aerosol sealant through the system, closing small gaps that normal sealing approaches can’t reach.

This method excels at sealing small to medium leaks. However, bigger holes often must be sealed manually with mastic and tape. Technicians use before-and-after duct leakage tests to measure improvement and make sure the aerosol sealing process was successful.

Common Areas of Duct Leakage

The most usual area for air leakage in ducts is at the joints. Ductwork includes various metal pieces pressed together using tight fittings and metal bands, but these connections are hardly ever airtight.

As your HVAC system cycles through heating and cooling each year, the ducts naturally expand and contract. Over time, this movement weakens joint connections, producing gaps and leaks — making duct leakage test essential for both new and older homes in Brookhaven, PA.

Many energy auditors verify duct leakage by feeling around the ducts and using a small tool to assess the opening size at the joints. If your duct system has not received sealing with mastic and approved tape, leakage is very probable.

What Is an Acceptable Amount of Duct Leakage per Energy Code?

To achieve a passing duct leakage result, your system must measure under 4 CFM per 100 square feet with the air handler in place, or 3 CFM per 100 square feet if the air handler is not installed. For new construction, a passing duct leakage test is mandatory before a home can be granted an occupancy certificate.

If your home in Brookhaven, PA cannot pass a duct leakage test, you are likely wasting money on heating and cooling — and causing long-term wear on your HVAC system. Meeting the 3–4 CFM requirement is key not only for staying code-compliant but for maintaining energy efficiency and consistent comfort in your home.

Your technician will also give professional advice on resolving leakage issues to help you achieve a passing score, cut down utility bills, and boost your home’s performance.

Local Energy Audits — affordable duct leakage test in Brookhaven, PA

Local Energy Audits proudly supports customers throughout Brookhaven, PA and the areas nearby. We specialize in diagnosing duct leakage and energy inefficiencies through blower door and duct leakage test. Whether your home is new or existing, we’re ready to help.
If you’d like to book a test, call us during business hours or contact us online to request an appointment.

The Duct Leakage Test Steps Explained

A duct leakage test begins by applying duct mask tape to seal every duct and register on both the supply and return sides.

After the registers are sealed, we set up the duct tester by attaching it to the unit or a main return.

The ducts are then depressurized until they reach 25 Pascals. With them depressurized, the nanometer measures the amount of leakage.

Schedule Your Duct Leakage Test in Brookhaven, PA

Ensure your HVAC system stays efficient, compliant, and operating at peak performance with expert duct leakage test in Brookhaven, PA. Whether you’re a homeowner enhancing energy comfort or a contractor wrapping up the inspection process, our certified team offers fast, accurate, and affordable testing.

We use industry-standard duct blaster equipment and offer on-site expertise to help you pass your test, reduce unnecessary energy loss, and protect your HVAC system over the long term.

📞 Call 888-213-3975 ✉️ Request a Quote

Serving homeowners, builders, and contractors across Brookhaven, PA with dependable and energy-efficient testing solutions.