Who needs Duct Leakage Testing?
Duct Leak Testing or “Duct Blasting” is required in many Florida counties for new construction homes. Duct Leakage Testing is required on your project if anything other than “Default Leakage“ is specified under the ducts section of your R405 Energy Calculation. It is also valuable for existing homes because it can help quickly and inexpensively diagnose a problem that can be costing homeowners significant amounts of money.
What is a Duct Leakage Test?
A Duct Leakage Test or “Duct Blasting” is an energy test where a large fan is installed to the main return of the a/c system, along with covers placed on all supplies and grills. A negative or positive pressure of 25 pascals is then placed on the duct work and calculated out. Once the calculation is complete, the energy auditor can determine how loose or tight the duct work is.
The importance of Duct Leakage Testing.
Leaks in the air ducts can cause conditioned air (air that you paid for to heat or cool) to be lost in the attic, crawl space or garage. In many cases, air losses of 20-30% occur before air even enters the conditioned space. This not only increases energy bills but also discomfort in the home. Pressure buildup in these unconditioned spaces often leads to mold growth, and ultimately creates more air leakage in the home. A leaky duct system can also shorten the life of your air handler and condensing unit by causing them to run more than needed to keep the conditioned space at temperature.