Uncover the Source of Your Heating and Cooling Issues with Infiltrometer Blower Testing
Infiltrometer blower testing is one of our home performance tests that determines the underlying cause of heating or cooling issues in your home or office. If your heating and cooling bill seems high or the building is drafty, the professionals at Bradley Mechanical can help by performing an infiltrometer blower test and creating a step-by-step plan to fix the problem.
Benefits of Infiltrometer Blower Testing
The infiltrometer or “blower door” test was developed after building scientists discovered that even well-insulated spaces could have highly insulated energy. Homes must be built tight with no room for air leaks and drafts. That means it’s important to understand how to control the movement of air as a transport mechanism for heat and moisture. Infiltrometer Blower Testing helps us understand:
- Airflow. Revealing how the airflow in a space moves. We need this information to best determine where any airflow issues stem from and how they can be improved.
- Leaks. Through the infiltrometer test, our technicians can find and fix the most extensive gaps that make your home drafty.
- Moisture. If air becomes trapped or cannot properly flow, there’s a chance moisture and condensation could build, creating a mold and mildew problem.
- Opportunities to save. By improving the air barriers in your home, you’ll save money on your energy bills by not overcompensating and running your HVAC system 24/7.
How Infiltrometer Blower Testing Works
One of our certified technicians will arrive to set up the “door” in a central location in the HVAC system. All the exterior windows and doors must be closed with interior doors open. Fuel-burning appliances are then turned off, and fireplaces are closed. We turn off all fans, including the dryer and bring the house up to 50 pascals — the industry standard for measuring house leakage. The building airflow standard is usually determined by the volume of the home, its height, and its location. Our technicians will go above and beyond to attain this baseline in your home.
The fan will mimic a twenty-mile-an-hour wind blowing on all sides. The volume is determined, and a computer program compares how much air passes through the fan, which indirectly measures the size of any holes. Using this data, we determine the building airflow standard for providing good air quality and minimizing excessive drafts.
Save Energy with Infiltrometer Blower Test
Bradley Mechanical is dedicated to offering services such as our blower door test, which can potentially reduce your monthly energy fees. If you’re dealing with an annoying draft or high energy bill, give us a call.
Lower your utility bill by connecting with Bradley Mechanical.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you save energy with an infiltrometer blower test?
This diagnostic tool allows us to determine how much air enters and escapes your home. By verifying where the air leakage stems from, we can address the issue and improve the comfort of the space. This all results in your HVAC system functioning as intended and not constantly in overdrive to fix a chilly draft or pump cool air right outside. We often see our customers save energy with infiltrometer blower tests and enjoy the results for years to come.
My house is new. Do I need an energy audit, or is it only relevant to old homes?
We believe every homeowner should consider an energy audit. Even new construction can have some flaws, so it’s best to fix those areas before it results in high energy bills.
