Services

Blower Door Test

Envelope leakage is tested using a piece of equipment called the Blower Door. It is placed in an exterior door opening and uses a large fan that allows it to depressurize (draws air out of) the building to exaggerate and help identify leakage pathways through the building’s walls, ceilings, floors, windows, and doors.  During the test a technician will walk through the structure looking (using a “smoke pencil”) and feeling for areas where air is being drawn in through the envelope.  Any areas where air is coming in during this test is an area where conditioned (heated or cooled) air escapes. These leaks cost money, degrade building performance, longevity and create poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Once the areas are identified we will recommend which improvements, if any, need to be made for each of the leakage sites.

Washington State Energy Code (WSEC) section 502.4.5 requires air leakage testing for all new houses. The requirement is met if the house has a Specific Leakage Area (SLA) of .00030 or less.

Thermal Imaging Scan

Infrared Camera – Thermal imaging scan is performed in conjunction with the Blower Door to see the air leakage that can only be felt using the Blower Door alone. Thermal imaging also finds areas of missing, inadequate, or damaged insulation. This is a great tool for visualizing where your building is wasting energy.

Duct Leakage Test

The average home’s duct system leaks 20% of the air flowing through it.  If your heating and cooling ducts are located in unconditioned spaces like the attic, basement, or crawlspace, then 20% of your heating and cooling costs are being lost through air leaks. The Blower Door used in conjunction with the Duct Blaster allows us to quantify the leakage of conditioned air to the outside. Pinpointing and sealing leaks can save as much as 40% on heating costs.

Based on the protocol for “Total Leakage Testing,” or “Leakage Testing to Outdoors” duct leakage in new construction shall not exceed 0.06 CFM25 x floor area (in square feet) served by the system for leakage to outdoors or 0.08 CFM25 x floor area (in square feet) served by the system for total leakage when tested post construction. When testing at rough-in, targets should not exceed 0.06 CFM25 x floor area (in square feet) for total leakage or 0.04 CFM25 x floor area (in square feet) if the air handler is not installed.

Our technicians will test New Construction and Existing Homes to Energy Code compliant standards. All accurate results presented with proper Washington State Energy Code Affidavit, signed and sealed.

Solar Site/Path Analysis

Available for both New Construction and Existing Buildings.

Combustion Safety Test

If you have combustion equipment such as natural gas, propane, or fuel oil water heaters or furnaces, we will perform combustion safety tests to verify that there is proper draft and no carbon monoxide spillage into the home.  Combustion safety testing is a very important part of Building Performance Testing since recommended improvements typically include air sealing.  Air sealing can change the amount of air available to combustion equipment and if not done properly can lead to safety issues.  When work is performed on a building, combustion safety should always be performed prior to the work and after the work is complete to verify that the results have not created a dangerous situation for the occupants.

Reports/Certification

Once testing is complete we will compile our findings in a signed/certified report, and affidavit for duct testing, which shows performance numbers, correction recommendations and comments, if any.