Domestic & Commercial Air Pressure Testing

What is an Air Permeability Test – Air Pressure Test – Air Tightness Test – Blower Door Test?

Well there all the same, and if you need one then we can help.

We’ve been Air Pressure Testing for over 10 years, and on site for more than 30 years, We know and understand the issues site work can present and will do our best to assist not hinder.

The process is relatively simple, first we must create a pressure differential between inside and out, we do this by using a large fan or multiple fans that fit in a temporary screen in an external door or opening. We can then measure just how leaky the building is and identify where the problem areas are.

Before we carry out the Air Pressure Test we calculate the Envelope Area of the dwelling or building using your plans and section drawings.

We check the SBEM/Brukl or SAP Calculations for the Design Air Leakage Rate and at this point offer further advice on how best to ensure you achieve a Pass result.

We will send a checklist and information that covers the usual problem areas.

The most common cause of Air Leakage in dwellings is due to the method used for fixing plasterboard to walls (Dot & Dab) the gap behind the plasterboard allows air to escape into floor/ceiling voids in and around cavity closures and under window sills.

Another common area for failure includes the soil and vent drainage pipe runs, these often travel vertically through the building. This is boxed in by plasterboard however, very often this acts like a chimney allowing air to escape into floor/ceiling voids.

This image shows the ideal method for fixing (dabs) the plasterboard to the wall, a continuous bead of adhesive is visible around the window and perimeter of the wall, preventing air movement into window reveals floor, voids and loft spaces.
This image shows what typically happens, virtical dabs of adehesive are used providing a perfect route for air and heat loss behind the plasterboard. If this is the method used then sealing the skirting to the floor will be essential.
The plasterboard which is bonded to the wall on dabs of adhesive is not sealed to the floor, this is very common behind Kitchen/Utility units, and allows air to escape into the voids around the adhesive and intern behind Cavity Closures - Floor/Ceiling Spaces - Service Voids
Again the plasterboard is not sealed to the floor, this is also very common behind fitted baths.
Under shower trays waste pipes are often unsealed as they pass into floor voids allowing air movement, and again the plasterboard is not sealed to the floor.
This is a particularly bad example, pipe work serving the bath pass into a large service void. This void terminated in a ventilated roof space allowing excessive uncontrolled air movement.
This is a typical scenario, the soil pipe from the toilet travels horizontally into a vertical box which conceals the soil vent pipe which passes through floor voids and terminates in the roof space allowing excessive uncontrolled air movement.
Holes surrounding pipes passing through the plasterboard have not been sealed, this is common in bathrooms and also behind radiators where propietary termination boxes have'nt been installed.
The hole is visable around the boiler flue, and requires sealing.