Last week we (Brad, Maxi, Robyn, and Peter) had an opportunity to go out to the almost completed Lonsdale Homes to get a glance at what happens during a blower door test and duct test. This is a step towards LEED for Homes certification. The Building Performance Rater set up the tests and walked us through the steps. These tests pinpoint the tightness of the duct system as well as physically locate any air leakage points.
There are three pieces that come with the test. A variable speed fan is used to pressurize and depressurize the house while a manometer measures the changes in those pressures. The mounting system (red piece in doorway) is used to secure the fan in place in an opening in the wall.
All of this is done to assess energy loss resulting from air leakage around the house.
