Blower Door Test

A primary energy audit test that measures the amount of air leakage to and from the house through walls, floors, ceilings, doors, windows, etc. To conduct this test, the auditor will use an adjustable fan to pull air out of the house, and reduce the pressure inside the house by a set amount (usually -50 Pascals). A calibrated pressure gage will then calculate the rate that air is leaking from the outside (including basements and crawlspaces) into the house. A number of techniques from feeling with the back of the hand, to using an imaging infrared camera can be used to locate the sources of leaks. A follow-up blower door test, after air sealing is complete, is an excellent way to measure the success of the sealing effort.