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The first blower door was further used to test the airtightness of the Saskatchewan Conservation House built in 1977, which was tested at 0.5 ach at 50 Pa. These early research efforts demonstrated the potential power of blower door testing in revealing otherwise unaccounted for energy losses in homes.
A home energy audit is a service where the energy efficiency of a house is evaluated by a person using professional equipment (such as blower doors and infrared cameras), with the aim to suggest the best ways to improve energy efficiency in heating and cooling the house.
4. When construction is done, the EnerGuide advisor verifies the applied energy upgrades and performs a blower door test. 5. After the data has been collected, the home receives its EnerGuide for New Houses rating. 6. The home owner is provided an official label to display the rating on the home’s furnace or electrical box.
Building airtightness levels can be measured by using a fan, temporarily installed in the building envelope (a blower door) to pressurize the building. Air flow through the fan creates an internal, uniform, static pressure within the building.
A blower door test can be used to test the quality of the air sealing of the building envelope. Smoke pencils can be used to detect gaps and caulking and weather-stripping can be used to improve air sealing. [10]
A third test method to determine if ductwork is leaking to the outside is to use a pressure pan, which is a register cover with a pressure tap for a hose connection. With the house pressurized (or depressurized) to 50 Pa (-50 Pa) using a blower door, a pressure gauge is attached to the pressure pan by means of a hose.
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In cold climates, with a 15 MPH wind, residences often have air exchange rates of 1.0 to 1.5 ACHs, far in excess of the ventilation air needs and are thus called loose construction. It is very easy to reduce infiltration rates to less than 1.0 ACH. Smoke candles and blower-door tests can help identify less-than-obvious leaks.