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Blower Door Test
Understanding Air Infiltration Rates
Blower door tests are performed on homes to determine the air infiltration rate or air leakage/exchange rate. Just as important as R-Value is the amount of air that leaks in or out of your home. You can build an R-100 wall, but if there are cracks or tiny holes that allow air to flow through, then you have severely compromised the energy-efficiency of the wall. Blower door test are typically done by certified companies utilizing specialized equipment. The test consists of sealing of the house and attaching a blower to suck out the air. Measurements are taken to determine how tight the house is. The tighter the house, the more energy-efficient it is and the less money you will spend on utilities.
Below are the Blower Door Test results for an 1,800 square foot house built by Thermocore in Russell Springs, KY. The test was performed by South Rural Electric Company in March of 2004. Following are the test results and a comparison to a typical stick frame house.
| 2x Wall | Thermocore Wall | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Changes Per Hour* | 5 | .95 | 81% better |
| Airflow at 50 Pascals | 1500 | 350 | 77% better |
| Natural Air Infiltration Rate | .35 | .06 | 83% better |
Thermocore's 4″ wall and 6-1/2″ roof panels preformed on average 80% better than a typically built home. Lower blower door numbers mean less money spent on heating and cooling and more money in your pocket every month. Does this mean that you could suffocate in a Thermocore house?? Of course not. Homes that are built with Thermocore walls and roof panels also install a fresh air source as part of their HVAC package. This system allows you to control the air changes in your home, providing for a healthy, energy efficient environment. Healthy, environmentally and energy-efficient homes are what building with Thermocore is all about.
* with outside air sealed off
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- John T.,“We no longer have to worry about the impact of rising energy costs. Our utility bills are less than half of what our neighbors who use stick built. They all struggle under the increases where as we do not have to be concerned.”
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