Blower Door Testing
Blower Door Testing
(OP)
What can you tell me about the practical meaning behind the numerical results from a blower door test??? For example, I have 1000 ft^2 area I wish to pressurize to a desired value of "x" iwg. The blower door test says I need 500 cfm to achieve "x" iwg. (I assume, a low cfm result means the room is well sealed.) But...the supply air (SA) flow to the area is normally 1500 cfm.
Does this mean, to achieve "x" iwg, I need to supply a total of 1500 cfm SA + 500 cfm more? Is that the practical meaning of the results?
Thanks,
- CuriouslyGeorge
Does this mean, to achieve "x" iwg, I need to supply a total of 1500 cfm SA + 500 cfm more? Is that the practical meaning of the results?
Thanks,
- CuriouslyGeorge





RE: Blower Door Testing
The blower door is a variable-speed fan mounted on an adjustable panel that can fit into any door opening. When the energy technition turns on the fan, the pressure inside your room is gradually reduced to allow outside air to flow into the room through unsealed opening or cracks in the room structure. Pressure gauges connected to the fan measure the rate of airflow required to keep the room at a constant pressure so that the technition can calculate your room's resistance to air infiltration.
While the fan is still running, the technition will walk though the room to see, using a smoke pencil, the exact points where the room is leaking air and where it needs to be sealed. So you need to shut the air flow to the room and according to your specs remove 500 cfm and ck for leaks
RE: Blower Door Testing
Keep in mind also that if you have any exhaust fans in the room, the amount of excess air will have to be increased to makeup for the air that you are removing by exhaust.
---KenRad