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Air Permeability Testing
Air Permeability Testing
Airtightness Testing for Building – Ensure Comfort, Save Energy, and Stay Compliant
Testing for airtightness is a crucial step in designing a structure that is cozy, effective, and energy-efficient. This process, which has also come to be known as the blower door test or air permeability test, determines the quantity of air that leaks across openings, cracks, and joints in a building.
Most importantly, airtightness testing saves you money, improves indoor comfort, and meets building codes if you’re remodelling an existing building or designing a new one.
What is an Air permeability test?
There is a specialist process known as airtightness or air permeability test to measure the amount of uncontrolled air entering and leaving a building. A blower door fan is used in the test to produce a pressure differential between the air within and outside the building. This allows us to measure the air permeability of the building, or how “leaky” it is.
The findings are expressed in cubic meters of air leakage per hour per square meter of building envelope, or m³/h/m². Your building will perform better in terms of energy efficiency and be more airtight if its score is lower.
Air Permeability Testing
Why Is Airtightness Testing Important?
1. Cut Down on Energy Costs
Unwanted drafts release a lot of heat in the winter and allow hot air to enter in the summer. Your heating and cooling systems must function more intensively as a result, increasing your energy bills. Hence, an air permeability test boosts productivity and saves costs by identifying leaks and sealing them.
2. Increase Comfort Levels Indoors
Airtight buildings ensure a more stable interior temperature through the elimination of windy and cold spots, creating a warm place of work or residence.
3. Meet building regulations
Most new buildings in the UK require airtightness testing under Building Regulations Part L. In order to obtain ultimate sign-off and verify conformity, passing the test is required.
4. Maintain the Building Structure
With time, mold, decay, and other deterioration can be caused by water accumulation behind walls due to air leaks. Thus, by identifying weak areas early, airtightness testing prevents these issues.
Air Permeability Testing
How Does Airtightness Testing Work?
While the process of building an air tightness test is straightforward, you require the right equipment and experienced professionals like us:
Preparation: All functional openings, including extractor fans, chimneys, and vents, are closed before the test. Windows and doors are examined to make sure they close correctly.
Blower Door Fan Installation: A temporary airtight enclosure that contains a large fan is installed on an outdoor doorway.
Generating Pressure Difference: To generate a pressure difference (usually 50 Pascals), the fan blows air into the building or sucks air out of it.
Leakage Measurement: The volume of leakage is indicated by sensors that measure the volume of air that needs to be transferred to provide the pressure differential.
Locating Leaks: To visually determine problem areas, instruments such as smoke pens or thermal imaging cameras are used.
Results & Recommendations: You get a full report of your airtightness score and recommendations on how to reduce it.
Air Permeability Testing
When Should You Book a Building Air Tightness Test?
New Builds: In order to comply with building regulations, prior to final completion.
Large-scale remodelling: Especially where window and door replacements or improved insulation are involved.
Energy Efficiency Upgrades: To check how effectively the upgrades are performing.
Commercial Buildings: To save operating costs and maintain comfort.
Typical Air Leakage Points in Buildings
New, well-constructed properties can also have undetectable gaps. Problem areas typically include:
- Window and door frame surrounds
- Loft hatches and roof junctions
- Service penetrations (pipes, cables, ducts)
- Floor-to-wall and wall-to-ceiling junctions
- Electrical sockets and switches
- Skirting board and wall lining gaps
By detecting these locations through airtightness testing in the UK, you can perform focused sealing work without guesswork.
Airtightness Testing and Building Regulations
Part L of the Building Regulations sets a requirement for air tightness testing in the UK on most new residential and commercial builds. The exact target varies depending upon building type and design, but is generally 10 m³/h/m² at 50 Pascals or less for many buildings.
If this is not achieved, there could be delays, extra costs for remedial action, and potentially denial of completion certificates.
In order to make sure that any leaks can be remedied without ruining completed work, it is advisable to carry out the test at the right time, which is usually before the last finishes are applied.
How to Prepare for an Air Permeability Test
To avoid delays and get the optimum results:
- Ensure that all outside windows and doors are sealed.
- Install draught-proofing where required.
- Finish skirting boards, sealing, and insulation of the service pipes.
- For future reference, preserve a duplicate copy of the building’s design specifications.
- Prior to the air tightness testing in the UK, our team can assist you with preparing if you are not sure.
Book Your Airtightness Test Today
Airtightness testing is not only a legal requirement; it’s also an investment in the long-term health, comfort, and efficiency of your building.
To schedule your airtightness test and begin the journey towards an energy-efficient building, contact us today.
FAQS
No. It's a short and non-invasive procedure. The majority of air permeability tests take one to two hours, depending on the size of the structure.
Yes, but before they pass, older structures might require repair work to stop leaks.
To increase your score, we provide an in-depth inspection that shows weak areas and provides budget-friendly solutions.
Building size and type influence pricing, but we have budget-friendly prices with no hidden charges.
No. Whereas ventilation ensures that fresh air is allowed into the building in a controlled fashion, airtightness avoids unwanted leakage of air.
