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About Blower Doors.

What is a blower door, how is it used, and what kind of
information is available on the Web? Everything you always
wanted to know. Call (540) 943-2776 weekdays 7AM-4PM EDT for assistance.

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OTHER INSTRUMENTS | Personal Seismometers | Infrasound Monitors |Micro-Manometers: Single Channel Dual Channel |

What is a blower door?

A blower door is a large calibrated fan that is temporarily mounted in a house door to measure the "leakiness" of the house and to assist in finding the location of the leaks. Modern blower doors have variable speed fans so that the pressure in the house can be adjusted, and they also have door mounting frames so that the fan can be sealed tightly into the door jamb. In order to measure the leakiness of the house, the blower door measures both the air flow through the fan and the pressure difference between the house inside and outside.

What does a blower door look like?

Infiltec E3-A-DM4 Blower door image

Why should you care about air leakage in houses?

Everyone knows that air leakage can cause uncomfortable drafts in houses, but energy researchers have discovered that sealing air leaks is one of the simplest and least expensive way to save energy in homes. A typical house may lose about 1/3 of its heat through walls and ceilings, 1/3 through windows and doors, and 1/3 through air leakage. A few hours of air sealing with inexpensive sealants can often reduce the air leakage by about 1/4 to 1/2, resulting in a saving of 10% to 20% of the total house heating and cooling bill. Each house has different amounts and types of air leakage, and the most efficient technique is to spend the most time sealing the leakiest houses. Duct leakage is probably the worst type of house air leak. Therefore, you need a tool that can quickly identify the leaky houses and show you where the leaks are.

How can you use a blower door?

Air leaks can be simple and inexpensive to seal if you can just find them, and that is where the blower door comes in. First you use the blower door to measure the air leakage and see how the house rates on a scale of "leaky" to "tight". If it is already tight, then you can forget about air sealing and look at other ways to save energy. But if it is too leaky, then the blower door can tell you how bad it is and then it can help you to find the location of the leaks. After you seal the leaks, the blower door can tell you how well you have done.

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Some Articles About Blower Doors on the Web:

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Other Blower Door Related Information on Infiltec Web Pages:

For further assistance, call (540) 943-2776 weekdays from 7 AM to 4 PM EDT, or email: Infiltec Factory .
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| New | Search | Links | Infiltec | Staff | Fun |
RADON CONTROL | About Radon | Radon FAQ | Pictures | Drawings | Fans | Water | Large Buildings | Radon Catalog |
AIR LEAKAGE | About Blower Doors | FAQ | Ducts | Fire | Large Buildings | Contractors | Blower Door Catalog |
OTHER INSTRUMENTS | Personal Seismometers | Infrasound Monitors |Micro-Manometers: Single Channel Dual Channel |

This page copyright © 1996-2016 by Infiltec Inc., all rights reserved. It was last updated October 07, 2016

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