Jesse Fairall

We completed a negative pressure blower door test. We followed the specified procedure on this well-built and well-sealed home. The home met the Code requirement easily.

But they had not finished installing the front door weatherseal and the deadbolt and handle, so I wanted to see how much tighter this home would become if I sealed the leaks around the front door. To test this I used painter's tape and covered the gaps and re-tested. The results were significant - over 200 CFM of air leakage just in an unsealed front door (see photos), which confirms that house leakage is often the result of many small leaks vs one large one.

We installed an Aprilaire Steam Humidifier to her system. At peak demand this steam humidifier can add up to 30 gallons of humidity to her home.

To ensure this system works at peak efficiency and capacity, we added a new water line with shut-off and a new, dedicated electric circuit. We completed all components and showed them how to operate it in one day.

We performed out standard furnace tune-up - verifying safe function with carbon monoxide checks inside the home and proper operation of the furnace and all furnace safeties. We also confirmed proper condensate drainage and airflow. 

We identified that the filters being used are too restrictive and made a recommendation for a better filter to improve airflow and system performance.

We also noted that one zone did not operate as intended. We confirmed that it functioned properly but did not always receive the correct signal from the zone board. We re-programmed the unit and the problem resolved itself.

Blower Door tests are now required on new construction to demonstrate that the house is well sealed for energy efficiency. Depending on the level of leakage, we usually recommend, and Code requires, some type of mechanical ventilation such as a fresh air ventilator.

We typically recommend an Energy Recovery Ventilator, ERV, over a fresh air system because of the temperature extremes and humidity we see in central Virginia. An ERV can exchange humidity in addition to temperature which will lead to greater comfort and HVAC system efficiency - a combination which will win over time for the owner.