At Alpha Weatherization, we provide blower door testing services that reveal how airtight your home or building truly is—because understanding air leakage is the first step to improving comfort, efficiency, and indoor air quality. Serving homeowners, builders, and property managers across Chicagoland, we use advanced diagnostic tools to measure how much air escapes through your building’s envelope and pinpoint exactly where leaks are occurring. The result is actionable data that helps you make informed upgrades, meet local energy codes, and save on utility costs.
In today’s energy-conscious world, a tight, well-sealed building envelope is essential. Excess air leakage leads to drafts, uneven temperatures, and wasted energy as your HVAC system struggles to maintain comfort. Blower door testing quantifies those leaks and allows us to identify the pathways where conditioned air escapes and unfiltered outdoor air enters. Whether you’re preparing a new construction project for inspection or assessing an existing home’s efficiency, Alpha Weatherization provides accurate, code-compliant testing with clear, practical guidance on how to improve performance.
What Is Blower Door Testing?
Blower door testing measures how much air infiltrates or escapes a building when it’s pressurized. A powerful, calibrated fan is temporarily mounted in an exterior doorway to pull air out of the structure, creating a controlled pressure difference between the inside and outside. Specialized gauges then measure the rate of airflow needed to maintain that pressure, revealing the total air leakage of the building envelope.
From there, our technicians use infrared cameras, smoke pencils, and pressure diagnostics to locate the precise areas of leakage—such as around windows, doors, recessed lights, attic hatches, or wall penetrations. This process helps us identify both visible and hidden inefficiencies that contribute to energy loss and discomfort.
Our Proven Testing Process
At Alpha Weatherization, we follow a detailed, step-by-step procedure designed to ensure accuracy, compliance, and meaningful insights.
1. Site Preparation and Inspection
Before testing begins, we inspect the property to ensure windows and doors are closed, combustion appliances are shut down, and interior doors are open for consistent pressure. We also record baseline conditions like temperature and humidity to ensure valid readings.
2. Blower Door Setup and Pressurization
We install the blower door equipment—consisting of a frame, calibrated fan, and digital pressure gauges—into an exterior doorway. The system is then activated to depressurize the home or building to a standard pressure (typically 50 Pascals), simulating the effect of a strong, steady wind hitting all sides of the structure.
3. Data Collection and Diagnostics
As the fan runs, we measure the airflow rate required to maintain pressure, expressed as air changes per hour (ACH50). Lower numbers indicate a tighter, more efficient building envelope. Using infrared imaging and smoke diagnostics, we identify the exact locations of leakage and document them for your report.
4. Results, Reporting, and Recommendations
After testing, we provide a detailed report showing your building’s measured air tightness and how it compares to local energy code requirements. We also offer clear, prioritized recommendations for air sealing improvements that can enhance performance and comfort.
The Benefits of Blower Door Testing
Blower door testing offers more than just compliance—it’s an essential tool for improving your property’s comfort and efficiency. With Alpha Weatherization, you’ll gain:
- Accurate measurement of air leakage to guide energy upgrades
- Improved indoor comfort by reducing drafts and temperature swings
- Lower energy bills through a tighter, more efficient envelope
- Better indoor air quality by controlling where and how air enters
- Code compliance verification for builders and energy auditors
- Validation of weatherization improvements after air sealing or insulation work
For homeowners, blower door testing provides a clear understanding of where energy is lost. For builders and contractors, it ensures compliance with Illinois Energy Conservation Code requirements for new construction and renovations.
Why Chicagoland Trusts Alpha Weatherization
Alpha Weatherization is Chicagoland’s trusted name in energy-efficient building and performance testing. Our team combines hands-on construction experience with advanced diagnostic training to deliver accurate, reliable results. We take the time to explain our findings in plain language and help you plan practical next steps to improve performance.
Whether you’re a homeowner interested in reducing drafts or a builder needing official test results for code certification, you can rely on our expertise, professionalism, and commitment to quality. Every test we perform is guided by building science principles and verified through calibrated equipment to ensure precise, dependable data.
Test, Improve, and Save
Understanding your building’s air leakage is the key to achieving lasting efficiency and comfort. With Alpha Weatherization’s blower door testing services, you get the detailed data and expert insights needed to make meaningful improvements.
Contact us today to schedule a blower door test and discover how our Chicagoland energy professionals can help you build or maintain a more efficient, comfortable, and code-compliant property.
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