Search Results for: blower test

Blower Door and Duct Pressure Testing

Air and Duct Leakage Tests

Higher energy usage and lower savings can be a byproduct of improperly sealed homes. Luckily for homeowners, there are professional tests which can be used to measure a home’s performance. The two primary tests used by Eco Three to measure air leakage are blower door and duct pressure.

Blower Door Test

A blower door test is a diagnostic procedure performed by a certified professional to identify air leakage in a building. The test simulates a 20 mile per hour wind blowing on the top, the bottom, and all sides of a home or building. Wherever air can enter through gaps, cracks, or other voids, it will.

The blower door test is used by evaluators to discover paths of least resistance for air. It can quantify the amount of air leakage and, based on the volume of the home, can identify if a home is within the recommended flow standard. With this information, the evaluator can suggest upgrades for improved energy efficiency. For more information visit What Is A Blower Door Test.

New construction homes must not leak beyond a predetermined amount in order to meet Energy Code standards. This amount is known as “air changes per hour” at 50 pascals of pressure, or, ACH50. ACH50 is calculated using the cubic feet per minute for each individual home and its volume.

Duct Pressure Test

A duct pressure test measures the amount of leakage in a duct system and air handler. At Eco Three, we primarily use this test in new construction homes to ensure the system meets Energy Code requirements. During the test, we cover all registers/vents then attach our duct testing fan and manometer to a central return. Duct leakage is calculated based on the square footage area that the system heats and cools. If a system in a new construction home does not meet the requirements, we can pressurize the system and use a smoke pen to find leaks. Any identified leaks in the system will be properly sealed with mastic paste or special tape.

Blower Door Testing for Builders – Gulf Coast Area

Blower Door Testing for Builders – Gulf Coast Area, South Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle

Blower Door Testing could be what you need to pass inspection and get the Certificate of Occupancy. A Blower Door Test, also known as a Building Envelope Test, is a diagnostic tool used to quantify a home’s air leakage. While all homes have some amount of leakage, the less outside air that enters a home the better; alternatively, the more conditioned air that is kept inside the home the more efficient and comfortable it will be.

A Blower Door Test Can Set You Apart from Competitors and could mean the difference between satisfied and comfortable clients and unhappy ones.

Many municipalities are now enforcing the 2015 State Energy Code which includes proper air sealing and a blower door test to prove a home is appropriately sealed. Although not all areas require a blower door test, you may certainly opt for one to demonstrate high quality and projected comfort and energy savings for your clients.

As an energy efficient builder, your homes will outperform those of your competition because homebuyers know that a more efficient and tighter home will lead to lower energy bills and greater comfort.

Ensure a high-quality home that delivers comfort and value!

Use a blower door test results to demonstrate a superior home or to identify areas to address on future home builds, contact your home energy efficiency experts in Southern Alabama – Eco Three Gulf Coast.

Contact Eco Three to learn more about how you can make the homes you build energy efficient to save your clients money, and raise the bar for home building in your area. We’re your energy efficiency experts who have the knowledge and resources to improve the homes you build – and help you Feel the Difference!

Eco Three serves the Gulf Coast area – including Fairhope, Daphne, Spanish Fort, Mobile, and Orange Beach. Our service area covers both Baldwin and Mobile Counties and the Florida Panhandle. Call us today at 251-270-0942 for more information or to set up an appointment, or fill out the form below.

February 16, 2016 by Eco Three

What is a Blower Door Test?

In the world of energy efficiency, a blower door test may be the energy evaluator’s (or “auditor’s”) best friend, but this important test is still relatively unknown to most of the general public. In simple terms, a blower door test is a diagnostic procedure performed by a certified professional to identify air leakage in a building. It simulates observing the home (or building) with a 20 mile per hour wind blowing on it, so wherever air can enter it will. This test helps an evaluator confirm or discover paths of least resistance and areas that can be addressed through energy efficient upgrades such as air sealing.

The test involves one of the evaluator’s most important pieces of equipment, the blower door. At Eco Three, we use Retrotec blower doors. The blower door is essentially a calibrated fan that either depressurizes or pressurizes the home. This fan fits inside a framed nylon shroud that is set up inside an open exterior doorway, and a small computer called a manometer measures pressure differential between the inside and outside and controls fan speed. In most cases, the blower door test is set to depressurize a home/building, in which case the fan pulls air out of the home to reach a desired negative pressure. The manometer measures the amount of airflow (infiltration/exfiltration rate), usually measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM) at a certain pressure. For the test, all exterior doors and all windows should be securely closed while all interior doors remain open.
During the test, an evaluator will use tools (such as a thermal camera or a smoke pen) or the feeling of touch to identify air leaks throughout the home. We usually use a thermal imaging camera from FLIR that is especially helpful in identifying air leaks, specifically where hot or cold outside air is being pulled into the conditioned space of the home from outside, the attic, or basement/crawlspace.

The evaluator can then compare the manometer’s reading to the home’s building airflow standard (BAS), which is a calculated range of optimal airflow for that particular home/building. The BAS is unique for every built structure, and it is based on square footage, volume, number of stories, climate region, and what are referred to as “N factors.” If the measured amount of airflow in the home is greater than the BAS range, then the home/building is considered to be leaky, and improvements can be made to seal the building envelope tighter. A properly air sealed home/building reduces or eliminates drafts from outside while ensuring the air you pay to heat or cool stays inside the conditioned areas.
Contact us today to perform a blower door test on your home or building.

August 7, 2019 by Eco Three

Customer Testimonial: How We Transformed Our Uncomfortable Home

When you buy an older home, you inherit all the idiosyncrasies that make it unique. Some of these qualities like an established neighborhood or mature trees add to the charm of the home. But some of those inherited quirks can be a homeowner’s nightmare, especially if they affect your comfort.

Patrick Thompson can attest to that. He and his family moved into their tidy 1950s-era ranch-style home in Vestavia Hills, AL, about four years ago. The 2,500 square-foot home includes a half-story addition that Thompson and his wife thought would make a perfect bedroom for their daughter.

The only problem? That room heated up like an oven in the summer and turned freezing in the winter.

[Read more…]

Testimonials – Gulf Coast Area

Testimonials help explain our process and convey the individual experiences from our satisfied clients. If you would like to share your thoughts on Eco Three in the Gulf Coast Area, please email us at info@eco-three.com.

“Great job by the guys from Fairhope who blew in the insulation for my enclosed carport/sunroom. Courteous, efficient and hard working. I am very satisfied with the work performed and will recommend your company to others. Thanks for the professional job well done.”
– Robert S., Mobile, AL (May, 2018)

“Very professional. They worked hard and cleaned everything up afterwards. The additional insulation they added has cut my power bill from an average of $400 per month to $260 per month.”
– Wade L., AL (April, 2018)

“Amazing company and people! Very impressed with the service and work that was done. Thank you so much!”
– Shauna B., Pensacola, FL (April, 2018)

“They did a great job. Work was done in a timely manner. And they left our cabin spotless when they finished the job. I would highly recommend this company.”
– Tina K., Pensacola, FL (April, 2018)

“Very satisfied customer, here! Walker was great to work with; very knowledgeable, straight forward, and helped me through deciding how to handle my insulation needs as if it were his own home. After the attic was sprayed, he personally came to inspect the job with a blower-door test as well as a thermal camera. Again, I’m very satisfied with Eco Three.”
– Jordan M., Pensacola, FL (February, 2018)

“I was very happy with every aspect of Eco Three’s performance in insulating my attic with spray foam. I have a 110-year-old house and the extraction of the 3 layers of old attic insulation took about 3 times as long as Walker had estimated, but he never complained or tried to cut his costs on the other phases of the insulation project. His crew worked hard to do a good job. He came back twice to test the performance and correct any leaks. He was very professional and personable and took time to explain all aspects of the work and to answer questions. His sole focus was quality of work and customer satisfaction. You don’t find service providers of his caliber very often. I highly recommend Eco Three to anyone considering an attic insulation project.”
– Doug H., Pensacola, FL (January, 2018)

“As part of my carriage house remodel, they did the ceiling with spray foam and walls with batt and roll insulation. They did a great job and were easy to work with.”
– Mark G., Daphne, AL (December, 2017)

“They did a great job with the blown insulation at my hotel. Reasonable price also.”
– Ajit P., Pensacola, FL (October, 2017)

“Walker and his staff are professional, and straightforward. The work he did will end up saving me money for years. He is a nice guy with a slender support staff.”
– Patrick M., Fairhope, AL (October, 2017)

“Very nice and professional. I didn’t have to wait long for them to come out and blow insulation the Attic. The price was very reasonable, too.”
– Nelly S., Pensacola, FL (October, 2017)

“Great service and great solutions. Owner personally returned my phone call within 30 minutes. I can tell a difference in the increased efficiencies in my home. I would recommend them to anyone and would do business with them again.”
– Stephen L., Fairhope, AL (August, 2017)

“The Eco Three crew sealed up our numerous can lights, wall leaks, tightly insulated a turtleback in our bedroom and added blown insulation. Not only is the temperature in the house more even but the dust in the house is almost non- existent. The work done was on schedule and the team did an impressive job in leaving all areas clean. My wife and I can enthusiastically recommend their work and results.”
– John D., Montrose, AL (August, 2017)

“Walker is very knowledgeable about every aspect of his business. I would definitely refer them to anybody I know looking for insulation and how to improve their home energy efficiency. They do a great job!”
– Landon R., Fairhope (August, 2017)

“They did an excellent job. They worked within my budget and worked very well with my other contractor who was doing a major repair after massive water leak damage. They really fit the solution I needed and not the solution that was the most expensive. With their additional insulation, the house became 8-10 degrees cooler. I recommend them highly.”
– James S., Daphne, AL (July, 2017)

“Eco Three just finished an air sealing and insulation upgrade on our home in Daphne, AL. I did a lot of research prior to committing to this project and obtained multiple quotes from several insulation service providers…My decision to contract with Eco Three was based on quoted price and the quality of the information and answers that their representative provided. All I can say is that I would not trust a project like this to anyone other than Eco Three. Walker Goodrich had the right answers, was easy to work with, and quoted a fair cost. Additionally, the Eco Three installation crew was diligent, courteous, and did an excellent job of keeping my wife and I informed as the work was being done.”
– Chuck S., Daphne, AL (March, 2017)

“Walker arrived on time and did a thermal and leak evaluation of our house. He and his crew scheduled and completed the improved insulation work efficiently and on time. While energy savings payback may be in the range of 10 years, our house is much more comfortable and uniform in temperature. Loan was arranged through an Alabama state program with an extremely low interest rate.”
– Jim D., Spanish Fort, AL (February, 2017)

“Very personable, professional and was left with feeling of getting my money’s worth.”
– Robert S., Foley, AL (February, 2017)

“Owner showed up a hour after I called him. He surveyed the existing insulation and made his recommendations of adding new insulation over the old. This would bring the amount of insulation up to code. He quoted a price for the installation, which I found very reasonable and I accepted his quote. The crew showed up on time and went straight to work. After a couple of hours the work was completed and I made my inspection and was completely satisfied. All was cleaned up after the work was done. I highly recommend Eco Three Gulf Coast.”
– Larry N., Summerdale, AL (February, 2017)

“I was pleased with the work they did and would certainly recommend them to a friend or family.”
– Mike C., Creola, AL (January, 2017)

“I called Eco Three to help my family out with high energy bills. Additionally, our upstairs bedrooms were always impossible to keep cool during the summer. The rep from Eco Three showed up on time, and was very professional. He took around 2 hours to do a full inspection on my house. He used a thermal camera to help show me exactly why we were having such huge issues. If you walk around with the tech, he can show you exactly where the leaks are in your home! It’s actually pretty interesting…After the initial inspection, the same technician returned a few days later with a detailed report that listed and prioritized our issues. We chose the upgrades we wanted, set a date, and the work began. The Eco Three crew took 3.5 days to complete the work. My power bills dropped by about 50%! What used to be $1,000 per month became $500 per month. Our home is more comfortable and the monthly savings will easily recoup the cost of the work. I have never worked with a company that is so professional and a such a pleasure to work with.”
– Ralph A., Fairhope, AL (January, 2017)

“They were on time as stated. The clean up after the job was great. The guys were very polite and helpful.”
– Bill D., Pensacola, FL (October, 2016)

“I would highly recommend this company. Timely inspection of requirements leading to a very detailed breakdown of work. Installation was accomplished by a friendly crew.”
– Robert D., Fairhope, AL (September, 2016)

“Excellent service. Trustworthy, friendly, hardworking employees. I appreciated the prompt timing and communication.”
– Mary P., Pensacola, FL (August, 2016)