Seattle,WA Energy Audit Door Blower Test
What is a Blower Door Test?
A blower door is a test instrument used by an energy analyst (e.g., HERS rater) to assess the tightness of a building. It is the ONLY test that evaluates the airtightness of a building.
Is a Blower Door Test Necessary?
Finding the holes in a building’s exterior without a blower door is like trying to find a hole in a bicycle tube when the tube is sitting there naturally versus pumping it full of air and putting it in a tub of water to see where the air is leaking. During a blower door test, the building is pumped up and put under pressure so that it is easier to find the leaks and plug them.
Can You Do Your Own Testing?
Setting up and running the blower door is not difficult for a HERS rater who has been through the process many times, but is not something for most people to try without the proper training. The equipment is costly, it requires calibration and rental systems are not readily available. In addition, the HERS rater will often combine the blower door test with a thermal imaging scan of the structure to find the leaks in the building envelope. All told, the cost of equipment used to run the test can easily exceed $10,000.
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