Why Test Ducts?
Leaky ducts pose health, safety and comfort problems and account for about 25% of the total energy lost in a typical house. Because it’s “by far the most cost effective way to save energy”, building codes now demand higher performance. Duct testing provides an easy, fast, verifiable test result.
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Advantages of Duct Testing
The International Energy Conservation Code requires duct leakage testing in all new construction, or in existing houses where more than 50% of the ducts are replaced.
To properly size a heating and/or cooling system in a home, a load calculation must be completed. Undersizing a system will cause comfort issues since the system will not be able to heat or cool to the desired temperature. Oversizing also causes issues such as short cycling, where the system reaches the desired temperature too fast causing it to start and stop more often. This can use more energy consumption and increase the likelihood of equipment failure. For areas with high moisture content in the air, short cycling also prevents the system from running long enough to adequately remove moisture from the home. Air infiltration is an important factor that contributes to proper system sizing and can sometimes make up 15% of the load.
Duct Testing Procedure
The Flex Duct connects the calibrated fan to a return register. All other registers are sealed off. The gauge is connected to the supply register closest to the supply plenum and to the fan that creates a test pressure of + or - 25 Pascals (Pa). The gauge displays the test pressure and the corresponding duct leakage flow in cubic feet per minute (CFM). The gauge will also display CFM/100 square feet to compare directly to the requirement in the table, when Floor Area is entered into the gauge.
Solve Duct Leakage Test Failure Problems
The Energy Calc Services team will quickly find and seal all problem areas of the HVAC system. Using fully approved and/or specified sealant materials, our Techs have the experience to trouble shoot and seal any system. To schedule sealing, give us a call!