Frequently Asked Questions - NY Air Leakage Test in New York

A. A blower door test  aka Air Leakage test or Air Barrier test is the colloquial term for an air leakage pressurization test, during which a fan is mounted into the frame of an exterior door and either pressurizes or depressurizes the building to a pressure difference of 50 Pascals (approximate equivalent of a 20 mph wind). 

A. 

1) IECC Mandates that all new construction should be tested. Check with your local code official if this is required at your construction site. 

2) to make your house more comfortable. Heating and cooling are designed for your house based on your room size, if you leak air to the outside you are not getting the air that was intended for you though making your room uncomfortable.

A. 

1) During the summer you are cooling the streets instead of your house.

2) during winter you are heating the streets instead of your house.

3) your are wasting energy and your money. 

A.  If your house is leaky at the upper areas and lowers areas, the pressure difference will cause the stack effect to kick in and move the air out. once air moves out you will naturally need fill the void of air and that will be sucked in at the lower floors. 

A. 

1) Air is always moving during pressure difference. The inside vs the outside of the house. 

2) As air moves out of the higher area of the house, more air is sucked in at the lower sections of the house. 

3) Higher building = stronger pressure difference. 

4) stronger pressure = more air is moved and faster air changes.

5) Faster air changes = more energy is wasted. 

A.   Some house you can open the cellar window just a drop and feel, test with a match or smoke as air is moving into the house. From a second floor window and above you will feel air moving out. 

A. Yes.  -  The 2020 and 2016 NYCECC Section R402.4.1.2 require that all buildings subject to the residential provisions perform this test on the building at a pressure of 50 Pascals and no more than 3 air changes per hour escapes the building thermal envelope.

A. Certain building are required.

The 2020 NYCECC requires that buildings between 10,000 and 50,000 square feet and less than 75 feet in height perform a blower door test and certify that the air leakage is less than 0.4 cubic feet per minute of enclosed building area, per 2020 NYCECC Section C402.5.1.3. 

 Buildings requiring air leakage testing and containing multiple dwelling units may follow the sampling protocol listed in Section R402.4.1.3.  

 The 2016 NYCECC requires that buildings between 25,000 and 50,000 square feet and less than 75 feet in height perform a blower door test and certify that the air leakage is less than 0.4 cubic feet per minute of enclosed building area, per 2016 NYCECC Section C402.5.1.3.

A. 2015 IECC defines residential building. For this code, includes

detached one- and two-family dwellings and multiple single family dwellings (townhouses) as well as Group R-2, R-3 and R-4 buildings three stories or less in height above grade plane.

 A Commercial building is all buildings that are not included in the definition of residential building. 

New York State Energy Conservation Construction Code

New York State Energy Conservation Code

New York City Energy Conservation Code " Energy Code " 

American Society for Testing and Materials 

International Energy Conservation Code 

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design