Blower Door Testing

Blower door testing measures how much air leaks into or out of a building. A powerful fan temporarily mounted in an exterior door changes indoor air pressure to identify drafts, air leaks, and weak points in the building envelope. The test helps improve energy efficiency, comfort, and indoor air quality by pinpointing areas that need sealing.

What is a blower door test?

A blower door test is a powerful diagnostic tool used to analyze and identify energy loss within a building. The test uses a high-capacity fan that is temporarily mounted into an exterior doorway of the home. When the fan is activated, it depressurizes the building, allowing professionals to measure the amount of air leakage in cubic feet per minute (CFM). A qualified energy professional can then calculate the appropriate target CFM for your specific home.

During a blower door test, escaping air can be physically felt through gaps and leaks in the building’s exterior envelope. In many cases, homeowners can feel these air leaks by hand while the fan is operating, making problem areas easy to identify.

Our team uses blower door testing to locate weak points in your building envelope and establish a baseline for recommended improvements. These results help guide effective repairs that improve energy efficiency, comfort, and overall building performance.

Home testing Benefits

  • Reducing energy consumption from excess air leakage
  • Avoiding moisture condensation problems
  • Avoiding uncomfortable drafts caused by cold or warm air leaking in from outside
  • Controlling outdoor contaminants, pests, and odors from entering your home.
  • Determining proper sizing and airflow requirements of heating and cooling equipment.
  • Determining whether mechanical ventilation is needed to provide acceptable fresh air and maintain indoor air quality in your home.

Preparing for a Blower Door Test

Your home energy professional will perform the blower door test, including a walk-through of your home, setting up the blower door, and conducting the test. The following steps will help prepare your home for a blower door test:

  • Plan to do a walk-through of your home with the auditor. Be prepared to point out areas that you know are drafty or difficult to condition comfortably.
  • Expect the auditor to request access to all areas of your home including closets, built-in cabinets, attics, crawl spaces, and any unused rooms.
  • The auditor will need to close all exterior doors and windows, open all interior doors, and close any fireplace dampers, doors, and woodstove air inlets.
  • If you heat with wood, be sure all fires are completely out – not even coals – before the auditor arrives. Remove any ashes from open fireplaces.
  • Expect the auditor to set controls on all atmospheric fossil fuel appliances (e.g., furnace, water heater, fireplaces, and stoves) to ensure that they do not fire during the test. The auditor should return them to the original position after the test. 
  • Expect the test to take up to an hour or more, depending on the complexity of your home.