This is a test that determines how energy efficient your home is.
Licensed energy auditors use a blower door test to figure out the level of a home’s airtightness. It is one of the key tests performed during a home energy audit.
Most homeowners don’t have any idea how energy inefficient their homes may be. With increasing utility bills and the global protection thrust, greater guidelines of construction methods and mandatory energy testing at the government levels and municipalities are enforced. As part of an energy audit, a blower door test is mandatory which determines how airtight an old or newly constructed house is, and more municipalities may soon add the requirement to their building codes.
Reasons for the proper building air-tightness:
- Decreasing energy consumption due to air leakage
- Calculating the necessary amount of mechanical ventilation needed to provide acceptable indoor air quality
- Avoiding rough drafts produced by cold air leaking inside the house
- Eliminating moisture condensation
A powerful fan that mounts into the frame of an exterior door pulls air out of the house, lowering the air pressure inside. The higher outside air pressure causes the air to flow in through all unsealed cracks and openings.
Getting Ready for a Blower Door Test
The necessary steps to prepare your home for a blower door test:
- Make sure all fires are completely out and remove any ashes from open fireplaces before starting the test.
- The auditor will need access to all areas of your home like rooms, closets, attics, crawl spaces, etc.
- All the exterior doors and windows should be closed
- Interior doors are left open to ensure that all rooms in the home are included in the test.
- fireplace dampers have to be closed.
- The blower door test may take up to an hour or more, depending on your home condition.
The Blower Door Test
- The blower door will be fitted inside the entrance door frame.
- Pilot lights from water heaters and stoves must be extinguished.
- The total volume of airspace inside the house will be calculated by the energy auditor.
- As soon as the blower door fan is engaged, digital gauges monitor the air pressure inside and outside the home.
- The fan pulls the air out of the house, this causes additional air in through unsealed gaps in the home. These are called “penetrations.”
- The auditor will check around the doors and windows for air leakage.
Identify Air Leakage in Your Home
To schedule an Energy Audit and a blower door test in Ontario, call or contact us for a Free Estimate. Our licensed technicians are highly trained to perform air sealing tests and seal your home’s air leaks. We proudly service Toronto, Hamilton, Burlington, Mississauga, Oakville, Markham, Brampton, Richmond Hill, Aurora, New Market, and Scarborough in the GTA regions including, York Region, Peel Region, Halton Region, and Durham Region, and all surrounding areas!
