Blower Door Testing

Home energy professionals use a blower door as a diagnostic tool  to  determine how much air is entering or escaping from your home.

Professional energy assessors use blower door tests to help determine a home’s airtightness. Our blower door instructional video illustrates how a blower door test is performed, and how your contractor utilizes the diagnostic information provided to identify areas of air leakage in your home, and make energy-saving improvements.

These are some reasons for establishing the proper building tightness:

  • Reducing energy consumption from excess air leakage
  • Avoiding moisture condensation problems
  • Avoiding uncomfortable drafts caused by cold or warm air leaking in from outside
  • Controlling outdoor contaminants, pests, and odors from entering your home.
  • Determining proper sizing and airflow requirements of heating and cooling equipment.
  • Determining whether mechanical ventilation is needed to provide acceptable fresh air and maintain indoor air quality in your home.

diagnostic tools Crawl Space Encapsulation

Blower Doors: What Are They and How Do They Work?

A blower door is a powerful fan that a trained energy professional temporarily mounts into the frame of an exterior doorway in your home. After calibrating the device, the fan pulls air out of the house, lowering the air pressure inside. The higher outside air pressure then flows in through all unsealed gaps, cracks and openings such as gaps, cracks, or wiring penetrations. If conditions do not allow for lowering the pressure in the home, the fan may also be operated in reverse, with air pressure increased inside the home.

While the blower test is being conducted, the analyst may use an infrared camera to look at the walls, ceilings, and floors, to find specific locations where insulation is missing and air is leaking. The analyst may also use a nontoxic smoke pencil to detect air leaks in your home. These tests determine the air infiltration rate of your home, which is recorded on a laptop or tablet.

The blower door test is conducted as part of the energy assessment of your home. Your contractor may also operate the blower door while performing air sealing (a method known as blower door assisted air sealing), and after to measure and verify the level of air leakage reduction achieved.

Blower doors consist of a frame and flexible panel that fit in a doorway, a variable-speed fan, a digital pressure gauge to measure the pressure differences inside and outside the home, which are connected to a device for measuring airflow, known as a manometer.

There are two types of blower doors: calibrated and uncalibrated. It is important that auditors use a calibrated door. This type of blower door has several gauges that measure the amount of air flowing out of the house through the fan.

Uncalibrated blower doors can only locate leaks in homes. They provide no method for determining the overall tightness of the home.

The calibrated blower door’s data allow your contractor to quantify the amount of air leakage prior to installation of air-sealing improvements, and the reduction in leakage achieved after air-sealing is completed.

Preparing for a Blower Door Test

Your home energy professional will perform the blower door test, including a walk-through of your home, setting up the blower door, and conducting the test. The following steps will help prepare your home for a blower door test:

  • Plan to do a walk-through of your home with the auditor. Be prepared to point out areas that you know are drafty or difficult to condition comfortably.
  • Expect the auditor to request access to all areas of your home including closets, built-in cabinets, attics, crawl spaces, and any unused rooms.
  • The auditor will need to close all exterior doors and windows, open all interior doors, and close any fireplace dampers, doors, and woodstove air inlets.
  • If you heat with wood, be sure all fires are completely out – not even coals – before the auditor arrives. Remove any ashes from open fireplaces.
  • Expect the auditor to set controls on all atmospheric fossil fuel appliances (e.g., furnace, water heater, fireplaces, and stoves) to ensure that they do not fire during the test. The auditor should return them to the original position after the test.
  • Expect the test to take up to an hour or more, depending on the complexity of your home.

Contact Attic and Crawlspace Solutions Today!

Attic and Crawlspace Solutions will do everything we can to ensure your experience with us is excellent.

CALL US NOW 

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Servicing Columbia, SC and Nearby Cities

Crawl space repair, crawl space encapsulation, and foundation repairs are all services offered by Attic & Crawl Space Solutions in Columbia, SC and the surrounding regions to alleviate moisture and fungi concerns.

 

Related Services in Columbia, SC

Please find a list of our most often requested services below. We can help if your crawl area is flooded due to a lack of a french drain or sump pump. We’ll make sure your crawl space stays clean, dry, and healthy if you require fungi removal due to excessive humidity levels.

Contact Information

Phone: 803-310-6330

Business Hours:

Mon-Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sat-Sun: Closed

APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE

CLICK HERE 

Crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation

Installing a crawl space vapor barrier in the crawl area is a cost-effective solution to moisture management issues. Vapor barriers in the crawl space are used to prevent moisture, water, and damp air from entering the home via the floor. This helps to avoid the growth of fungi and mildew, which may cause structural damage and make living circumstances uncomfortable for your family!

Crawl Fungi Cleaning

One of the most critical tasks in resolving moisture management issues is to remove fungi from the crawl space. Fungi may rapidly become a serious problem in a house, and those who act immediately to clean up and remediate the situation will have a better chance of preventing it from spreading. You will save time and money if you remove the fungi before it spreads throughout your house.

Will a crawl space dry out on it's own?

Without the standing water, you have access to the floors, walls, and ceilings. Allowing the crawl space to dry on its own is inadequate. You must ensure that all moisture and humidity are removed from the area. Install a dehumidifier in the crawl space while the surfaces dry.

Should I put a vapor barrier in my crawl space?

Yes. A vapor barrier is required in your crawl space. Furthermore, a moisture barrier is the bare minimum of protection you should have in your crawl space. A vapor barrier might help you prevent costly repairs.

Does a vapor barrier prevent fungi?

Installing a crawl space vapor barrier system reduces moisture levels significantly, preventing fungi and bad odors from developing and forming.

Should I put a vapor barrier in my crawl space?

Yes. A vapor barrier is required in your crawl space. Furthermore, a moisture barrier is the bare minimum of protection you should have in your crawl space. A vapor barrier might help you prevent costly repairs.

What is the purpose of a vapor barrier in a crawl space?

Crawl space vapor barriers are long-lasting membranes that prevent water vapor from entering the crawl space and help with basement waterproofing.

What cities in South Carolina do you work in?

  • Arcadia Lakes
  • Bethune
  • Boykin
  • Camden
  • Cane Savannah
  • Cayce
  • Chapin
  • Cherryvale
  • Columbia
  • Dalzell
  • Dentsville
  • East Sumter
  • Eastover
  • Elgin
  • Forest Acres
  • Gadsden
  • Gaston
  • Gilbert
  • Hopkins
  • Irmo
  • Lake Murray of Richland
  • Lakewood
  • Lexington
  • Lugoff
  • Mayesville
  • Mulberry
  • Oak Grove
  • Oakland
  • Oswego
  • Pelion
  • Pine Ridge
  • Pinewood
  • Privateer
  • Red Bank
  • Rembert
  • Seven Oaks
  • Shiloh
  • South Congaree
  • South Sumter
  • Springdale
  • St Andrews
  • Stateburg
  • Summit
  • Sumter
  • Swansea
  • Wedgefield
  • West Columbia
  • Woodfield

Schedule Your FREE Crawl Space Evaluation!

Did you know YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE HOME for us to provide you with your 100% FREE crawl space inspection and report?