Blower Door Testing
- Form of diagnostic testing used to determine the amount of air leakage in a buildling and to identify the main sources of leakage. The blower door consists of a panel with a built-in fan that fits an open doorway. The fan either pressurizes or depressurizes the building to a standard pressure. Gauges then measure the air leakage.
- Air leakage occurs through holes in the thermal barrier of a building. Common areas of leakage include areas around door and window frames, plumbing and electrical fixtures, through fireplaces, and access doors or stairs to attic spaces.
- Air leakage results in air that is intentionally heated or cooled by heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment — known asconditioned air — escaping a building, resulting in wasted energy and higher utility bills.
- The same holes that cause air leakage also cause air infiltration, where unconditioned outside air entering the building can cause indoor air quality and thermal comfort problems for building occupants. This can lead to potential durability issues with the building itself.
Home buyers often link comfort with central heating and cooling. In most houses, central systems use ductwork to distribute conditioned air. However, buyers don’t know that the comfort of a ducted central system comes with an energy penalty. Recent research shows that ducts contribute 20 to 60 percent of the air leakage in houses.
To reduce air leakage, residential duct systems are starting to receive the same treatment as much larger systems in commercial buildings. The treatment is called duct mastic. Although the name implies adhesive, duct mastic doesn’t hold ducts together. That’s a job for screws, rivets and straps.
Mastic is really a flexible sealant. It varies in consistency from that of mashed potatoes to yogurt. Because it never fully hardens, mastic stretches as the duct (or other surface) expands and contracts. It withstands wetness. Some mastics contain tiny strands of fiberglass to increase strength.
PRECONSTRUCTION SERVICES
Furnace duct leakage is generally the greatest heat loss in most manufactured homes. Many manufactured homes have unbalanced supply heat, causing the registers farthest away from the furnace to be insufficient in heating the rooms where they are located. In many cases, the cross-over duct connecting the furnace to both supply sides of the home is damaged, improperly sized, or, in some cases, not even connected. Having your ductwork repaired is one of the most cost-effective and hassle-free fixes that can be done on manufactured homes.
Manufactured Home owners can receive $250.00 worth of Duct Sealing from Clark Public Utilities and Save Money By Reducing Your Utility Bills Up To 30 Percent or more!!!
Clark Public Utilities is offering owners of manufactured homes the opportunity to seal up leaky ductwork and receive other energy efficiency upgrades.
To qualify, homeowners must be a Clark Public Utilities electric customer living in an existing manufactured home which uses electric forced-air as the primary heat source.
