FAQ

Professional energy auditors use blower door tests to help determine a home’s air tightness.

These are some reasons for establishing the proper building tightness:

• Reducing energy consumption due to air leakage
• Avoiding moisture condensation problems
• Avoiding uncomfortable drafts caused by cold air leaking in from the outdoors
• Making sure that the home’s air quality is not too contaminated by indoor air pollution.

How They Work

A blower door is a powerful fan that mounts into the frame of an exterior door. The fan pulls air out of the house, lowering the air pressure inside. The higher outside air pressure then flows in through all unsealed cracks and openings. The auditors may use a smoke pencil to detect air leaks. These tests determine the air infiltration rate of a building.

Blower doors consist of a frame and flexible panel that fit in a doorway, a variable-speed fan, a pressure gauge to measure the pressure differences inside and outside the home, and an airflow manometer and hoses for measuring airflow.

There are two types of blower doors: calibrated and un calibrated. It is important that auditors use a calibrated door. This type of blower door has several gauges that measure the amount of air pulled out of the house by the fan. Un calibrated blower doors can only locate leaks in homes. They provide no method for determining the overall tightness of a building. The calibrated blower door’s data allow the auditor to quantify the amount of air leakage and the effectiveness of any air-sealing job.

A duct blaster combines a small fan and a pressure gauge to pressurize a house’s duct system and accurately measure air leakage of the ductwork. This test is similar to the way a plumber pressure test a plumbing system to find leaks. Duct leakage can contribute to health and safety problems as well as increase the costs of heating and cooling significantly.

Air sealing is one of the most significant energy efficiency improvements you can make to your home. Air sealing will not just reduce energy costs; it will also improve your home’s comfort and durability.

Before air sealing, you should first do the following:

• Detect air leaks
• Assess your ventilation needs for indoor air quality

You can then apply air sealing techniques and materials as needed, including caulk and weather stripping.

What to Expect from Home Performance with ENERGY STARThe assessment takes 3 – 6 hours and is performed by certified technicians using state of the art equipment. At the end of the assessment you will be provided with a detailed written report with test results and recommendations. H.E.L.P is a Trade Ally of Energy Trust of Oregon and is fully qualified to explain the available cash rebates and help you apply for them. H.E.L.P is also a Clean Energy Works contractor, you may apply for a FREE Home Performance Assessment as well as cash rebates and financing for home efficiency improvements paid on your utility bill. Use instant rebate code: “CNHLP.”

Home Performance with ENERGY STAR^® assessments include:

• Exterior home inspections- inspects for moisture problems, proper attic and crawl space ventilation and window inefficiencies.
• Interior home inspection- inspects for indoor moisture problems, proper room ventilation, air leaks and insulation levels.
• Attic inspections- inspects insulation levels and ventilation.
• Crawl Space and basement inspection- inspects for moisture problems, insulation levels and air sealing.
• Diagnostic testing and combustion safety- tests for efficiency and any natural gas leaks or gaseous toxin levels.
• The blower door test- measures volume of air leaking from your home.
• Duct blaster test for duct leakage- measures volume of air leaking from your ducts.

Diagnosing the Problem

Rather than focusing on a single component, such as single-paned windows, an old air conditioning system, or leaky ductwork, a participating contractor will assess how improvements to all of these components can work together to provide:

• fewer drafts
• consistent temperatures across rooms,
• better ventilation and humidity control, and
• lower utility bills

Common Recommendations

Sealing Air Leaks and Adding Insulation
Many air leaks in homes are fairly obvious, such as around windows, doors, and electrical outlets. But others, like those in attics, around chimneys, and through recessed lighting fixtures, are often the more significant sources of energy loss in a home. Sealing air leaks is critical to improving the overall efficiency of your home and will make your heating and cooling system perform better. Along with air sealing, your contractor may recommend that you add insulation. Many older homes are not well-insulated, and some have no insulation at all. Properly installed insulation in walls, floors, and attics provides for more even temperatures throughout the house and results in a quieter, more comfortable living environment that is easier to heat and cool.

Sealing Ductwork
Many homes have leaky ductwork and poor air flow, resulting in stuffy and uncomfortable rooms — regardless of the thermostat setting. The home performance contractor may recommend sealing your home’s ducts with mastic, metal tape or spray-on sealant, and balancing the duct system to optimize air flow to all rooms. Insulating ductwork in attics, crawlspaces, and some basements can also help to ensure that your home will be more comfortable.

Improving Heating and Cooling Systems
If your furnace or air conditioner is more than 10 years old, your contractor may recommend that you replace it with high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment that has earned the ENERGY STAR label. Installed correctly, these units can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs. Make sure to insist on a quality installation of your cooling equipment, in particular. Studies show that half of all central air conditioners in U.S. homes never perform to their advertised capacity and efficiency due to incorrect installation. The EPA has introduced ENERGY STAR Quality Installation Guidelines to help ensure that your cooling equipment is properly installed by a contractor to deliver efficiency and comfort.

Quality Installation Guidelines are based on industry best practices to help avoid common cooling equipment installation problems like incorrect sizing, insufficient refrigerant charge and airflow, and poorly sealed and improperly balanced duct systems. Only selected contractors have the training and certifications necessary to conduct installations that meet ENERGY STAR Quality Installation Guidelines.

For more information on how to ask for a quality installation of a new or replacement central air conditioner system, check out ENERGY STAR Quality Installation.

Upgrading Lighting and Appliances
Energy used for lighting and appliances can account for half of your home’s total utility bill. As a result, the home performance contractor may recommend ENERGY STAR qualified products, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, electronic equipment, light fixtures, and compact fluorescent bulbs. An energy- and water-efficient hot water heating system may also be recommended.

Quality Assurance
A local Home Performance with ENERGY STAR sponsor (a State Energy Office, utility, or nonprofit energy efficiency organization) is responsible for ensuring that participating contractors maintain high standards for quality. This typically includes providing specialized training for contractors and conducting quality assurance inspections to verify that Home Performance with ENERGY STAR projects get done right.

Learn more, watch the ENERGY STAR video.Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Brochure