Blower Door Testing
What is a Blower Door Test?
A blower door test measures a home's rate of air infiltration, identifies the home's air leaks and can help verify the effectiveness of weatherization, air sealing and insulation in your home (new or retrofit homes). The blower door test is a large, finely calibrate fan with a manometer (a tool for measuring air pressure) inside of a metal frame door. The door is installed over the front door of the home and creates an air tight seal. All exterior doors and windows are shut and all interior doors are opened for the test. The blower door depressurizes the home and can provide both a quantitative and qualitative measurement about the home's efficiency and leakiness. Using the manometer, we are able to determine the air change rate of the home which allows us to know how air tight or leaky a home is.
According to 2015 Michigan Energy Code N1102.4.1.2, homes that need to be inspected due to new construction or renovation may be subject to a required blower door test. Energy code states: “The building or dwelling unit shall be tested and verified as having an air leakage rate not exceeding 4 air changes per hour. Testing shall be conducted with a blower door at a pressure of 0.2 inches w.g. (50 Pascals).” The Energy Code also states that Code Officials require that “testing shall be conducted by a certified third party."
E3 is a BPI certified energy auditor and meets Energy Code requirements to perform blower door tests. Our price for a blower door test begins at $150, depending on the home's location. When a blower door test is conducted the home must be finished (drywall installed, water and electric turned on and all insulation and air sealing completed). This is typically the last step in the inspection process and must be completed before an occupancy permit is issued. We are typically able to schedule and complete the blower door test all within the same week as we know that timing is important when building or renovating your home. Once the blower door test is completed, with either a pass or fail determination, we will leave a certificate of completion at the home. If the home does not pass we are able to provide you with some additional steps that could improve your home's efficiency and air-tightness which would aid in allowing the home to pass.
A blower door test measures a home's rate of air infiltration, identifies the home's air leaks and can help verify the effectiveness of weatherization, air sealing and insulation in your home (new or retrofit homes). The blower door test is a large, finely calibrate fan with a manometer (a tool for measuring air pressure) inside of a metal frame door. The door is installed over the front door of the home and creates an air tight seal. All exterior doors and windows are shut and all interior doors are opened for the test. The blower door depressurizes the home and can provide both a quantitative and qualitative measurement about the home's efficiency and leakiness. Using the manometer, we are able to determine the air change rate of the home which allows us to know how air tight or leaky a home is.
According to 2015 Michigan Energy Code N1102.4.1.2, homes that need to be inspected due to new construction or renovation may be subject to a required blower door test. Energy code states: “The building or dwelling unit shall be tested and verified as having an air leakage rate not exceeding 4 air changes per hour. Testing shall be conducted with a blower door at a pressure of 0.2 inches w.g. (50 Pascals).” The Energy Code also states that Code Officials require that “testing shall be conducted by a certified third party."
E3 is a BPI certified energy auditor and meets Energy Code requirements to perform blower door tests. Our price for a blower door test begins at $150, depending on the home's location. When a blower door test is conducted the home must be finished (drywall installed, water and electric turned on and all insulation and air sealing completed). This is typically the last step in the inspection process and must be completed before an occupancy permit is issued. We are typically able to schedule and complete the blower door test all within the same week as we know that timing is important when building or renovating your home. Once the blower door test is completed, with either a pass or fail determination, we will leave a certificate of completion at the home. If the home does not pass we are able to provide you with some additional steps that could improve your home's efficiency and air-tightness which would aid in allowing the home to pass.
