Blower Door Test Prep
The following are required to be completed/ready before a blower door test can be performed. Things may vary slightly depending on the stage of construction. If you have any questions please ask. Projects not ready for blower door testing upon my arrival will still be charged the site visit fee.
The air barrier system (tapes, membranes, liquid-applied products, etc as per design drawings/specs) should be 100% done - or very close. Small openings (ERV vents, conduits, etc) can be temporarily sealed. Any window or door rough openings will need to be sealed with plastic and tape (one RO can be used for the blower door if it is 28-40” wide by 52-96” tall).
The building can be '“locked down” for an hour or two. People can be inside working, and we can pause the test if needed, but people entering/leaving should be minimized. All windows and exterior doors must be closed, and all interior doors must be open. Doors/hatches to attics, basements, and crawl spaces will need to be open if those spaces are part of the conditioned space (inside the air barrier).
ERV exterior intake and exhaust vents can be sealed with tape & plastic from a 6’ stepladder, or a taller ladder or scaffolding is provided - or even better, these vents are sealed before my arrival.
Vents for dryers, range hoods, and fireplace and wood stove chimneys can NOT be sealed for an official test. However, it may be helpful to be able to temporarily seal them during a test to isolate their leakage.
If the plumbing is roughed in but traps are not yet wet, tape or plug all drain openings.
120v power available within 25’ of the door to be used - I can bring a generator if needed but need to know in advance.
No loose or partially installed elements of the building that may not be safe during the test - i.e., anything that would not survive a pressure of 2 lb/sqft (approx 30 mph wind).
A window or door opening, 28-40” wide by 52-96” tall, with at least a 1” wide flat jamb, is available to install the blower door in. For some European door frames we may need to remove some of the hardware to have a flat enough surface.
For occupied buildings the above applies plus:
No use of clothes dryers, range hoods, etc during the test.
HVAC systems will need to be turned off, especially if any of their ductwork goes outside the building’s air barrier (not typical in modern high performance buildings).
Fireplaces and wood stoves must be cold and free of any loose ash.
Gas/propane/oil boilers, water heaters, furnaces, etc will need to be turned off.
Lastly:
We cannot do final/official tests if it is very windy; it is difficult to get stable readings.
If you are unfamiliar with blower door testing please watch this 5 minute video: https://youtu.be/icZG05XU9pM