Envelope Air Leakage

HICAPS performed air tightness testing, IR thermographic air leakage site detection and return air plenum pressure testing to determine whether or not the building would be a good candidate for envelope air sealing and to establish a baseline unplanned airflow rate that could later be compared with the post-air-sealing airflow rate to quantify building air tightness improvements. Air tightness testing was performed according to ASTM E779 using blower door fans and pressure/airflow gauges. Air leakage site detection was performed according to ASTM E1186 using an infrared thermal imager.During the air sealing process, blower door and IR thermographic monitoring was conducted to verify the progress of air sealing measures.

Air tightness testing and IR thermographic air leakage site detection were again performed to confirm that no significant air leakage remained around the targeted areas, specifically around the perimeter of the building’s roof-to-wall transition and at other penetrations and chases within the return air plenum. A new unplanned airflow rate was established and compared with the baseline airflow rate to quantify building envelope tightness improvements and to model energy savings.