Duct Leakage Test in Glassboro, NJ

Enhance your HVAC system’s efficiency and satisfy energy regulations through precise duct leakage test in Glassboro, NJ. Our certified technicians analyze and measure duct leaks to assist homeowners and builders in improving comfort, reducing energy waste, and fulfilling state requirements.

Why Duct Leakage Test is Important In Glassboro, NJ

Across the country, states and municipalities enforce the 2015 IECC, International Energy Conservation Code for single-family buildings and the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code for multi-family buildings. The change will create considerable implications for home builders and HVAC contractors carrying out projects in the state. A Duct Leakage Test plus a Blower Door Test are now compulsory in newly constructed or renovated homes according to the 2015 regulations. Did you know that ductwork often causes some of the highest levels of air leakage in homes throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware? Leaked air can cause higher energy expenses, burden your HVAC system, and push dust and insulation into different areas of your home. This makes duct leakage test beneficial for all homes, new or old. Keep reading to find out why duct leakage test is essential and how it can improve your home.

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How a Duct Leakage Test Is Conducted

To prepare for a duct leakage test in Glassboro, NJ, the technician seals every supply and return register, leaving only the main return or air handler unsealed. A duct blaster fan, carefully calibrated for accuracy, is then attached to the duct opening. It depressurizes the ductwork, allowing leaks to become more noticeable.

The duct blaster works in sync with a precision pressure sensor to assess airflow and find duct leaks without disturbing your living space. A duct leakage test — also called a duct blaster test — locates the points where duct air escapes, helping you implement the right sealing solution.

duct leakage test is rapid, clean, and performed without inconvenience to residents. Most tests in Glassboro, NJ are done in about 30 to 60 minutes, and the resulting enhancements can support your home’s comfort and efficiency for many years.

How to Measure Duct Leakage

Duct leakage is defined in cubic feet per minute (CFM) per 100 square feet of conditioned space within the structure. Your technician uses a nanometer to detect pressure variations, helping quantify the amount of duct leakage. Understanding this number helps you recognize where issues exist, plan meaningful improvements, and check your home against local energy code requirements in Glassboro, NJ.

Cost of Excessive Duct Leakage

If your energy bills are unusually high, your rooms feel unevenly heated or cooled, or your HVAC system needs frequent repairs, duct leakage could be the issue. According to ENERGY STAR, a large portion of homes lose between 20% and 30% of conditioned air due to leaky ducts. If outdoor hot or cold air infiltrates your system, your HVAC struggles to maintain temperatures, raising energy costs and lowering comfort.

Overworked equipment also makes breakdowns more common and repairs more expensive. Proper duct sealing helps support your HVAC system’s long-term operation, increasing its lifespan and lowering frequent maintenance needs.

Duct leaks can also draw in dust, mold spores, unwanted moisture, and other harmful contaminants. This can worsen allergy reactions, negatively affect indoor air quality, and contribute to costly hidden structural damage over the years.

How to Properly Seal Ductwork in an Old Home

The 2015 IRC/IECC instructs that new homes incorporate fully sealed duct systems using high-efficiency materials, including mastic, foil tape, and insulation. But what should you do when leaks are located deep within your walls or ceilings?

Aerosol sealing technology (AeroSeal) allows technicians to seal leaks located inside inaccessible parts of ductwork. To apply this method, every vent is sealed aside from one access point. The HVAC system is isolated, and a machine is connected to the ducts. It pressurizes the ducts and sends out a fine aerosol mist that seals tiny openings traditional sealing cannot reach.

This method seals small to medium leaks effectively. However, large gaps may still call for manual sealing using mastic and tape. Technicians complete a duct leakage test before and after aerosol sealing to track leakage reduction and confirm the treatment’s success.

Common Areas of Duct Leakage

The most common place for ducts to leak air is through the joints. Ductwork is made of multiple metal pieces pressed together using tight fittings and metal bands, but these connections are rarely airtight.

As your HVAC system delivers heat and cooling across different seasons, the ducts constantly expand and contract. Over time, this movement shifts and loosens the joints, resulting in gaps and leaks — which is why all homes in Glassboro, NJ, new or older, benefit from duct leakage test.

Many energy auditors assess duct leakage by touching the ductwork and using a small tool to check the width of gaps where joints connect. If your duct system hasn’t been sealed with mastic and approved tape, there is a strong likelihood that leakage is happening.

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

To achieve a passing duct leakage result, your system must remain below 4 CFM per 100 square feet with the air handler installed, or 3 CFM per 100 square feet if the air handler is missing. For new construction, obtaining an occupancy certificate requires passing a duct leakage test first.

If your home in Glassboro, NJ fails a duct leakage test, you are probably spending more than you should on heating and cooling — while also putting long-term stress on your HVAC system. Meeting the 3–4 CFM requirement is fundamental not only for code adherence but for boosting your home’s long-term efficiency and comfort.

Your technician will also provide professional insights on resolving leakage issues so you can achieve a passing score, lower your utility costs, and optimize home performance.

Local Energy Audits — affordable duct leakage test in Glassboro, NJ

Local Energy Audits proudly supports customers throughout Glassboro, NJ and the areas nearby. We specialize in testing for duct leakage and energy inefficiencies using blower door and duct leakage methods. Whether you’re building from scratch or upgrading your home, we’re here to assist.
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 securing duct mask tape over every duct and register on the supply and return sides.

After the registers are sealed we attached the duct tester to either the unit itself or a main return.

The ducts are then placed under 25 Pascals of negative pressure. With the ducts depressurized, we obtain the leakage reading using the nanometer.

Schedule Your Duct Leakage Test in Glassboro, NJ

Ensure your HVAC system stays energy-efficient, fully compliant, and operating at peak performance with accurate duct leakage test in Glassboro, NJ. Whether you’re a homeowner focused on comfort or a contractor closing out an inspection, our certified team provides 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.

Serving homeowners, builders, and contractors across Glassboro, NJ with dependable and energy-efficient testing solutions.