Retrotec Residential Pressure & Air Leakage - Manual (Page 3)

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2.3.3. Exhausts and Intakes ......................................................................................................... 16
2.4 Other Precautions ............................................................................................................ 18
2.4.1. Suspended Ceilings & Fluorescent Light Diffusers ............................................................ 18
2.4.2. Fragile Decorations ........................................................................................................... 19
2.4.3. Flying Floors ...................................................................................................................... 19
2.4.4. Airstreams ......................................................................................................................... 19
2.4.5. Energy Efficient New Homes............................................................................................. 19
2.4.6. Plumbing Traps ................................................................................................................. 19
2.5 Return the House to Pre-Test Condition. .......................................................................... 19
2.6 Site Conditions affect tests so need to be recorded ........................................................... 19
2.6.1. Estimate the Wind Speed ................................................................................................. 19
2.6.2. If needed, measure the inside and outside Temperatures .............................................. 20
2.6.3. Measure and record any Existing Pressure Differentials .................................................. 20
2.6.4. Interaction with Other Site Activities ............................................................................... 20
2.7 Only Measure the Building if required - takes a long time ................................................. 20
2.7.1. Volume needed for air change rates (ACH50) .................................................................. 20
2.7.2. Surface Area needed for normalized leakage areas or permeability ............................... 20
2.7.3. Floor Area needed by some protocols .............................................................................. 20
3. Test a house for total Air Leakage ........................................................................ 21
3.1 Initial set-up ..................................................................................................................... 21
3.2 Take Building Measurements ........................................................................................... 21
3.3 Perform Basic Tests .......................................................................................................... 21
3.3.1. Use the fan in the door panel to pressurize or depressurize the house .......................... 21
3.4 Find Air Leakage Locations by feeling for air flow .............................................................. 21
3.4.1. Locating Leaks without Tools just using your senses ....................................................... 22
3.4.2. Locating Leaks with Chemical Smoke that moves with air currents ................................ 22
3.4.3. Locating Leaks with Theatrical Smoke that oozes out the cracks .................................... 22
3.4.4. Locating Leaks with Infrared Camera to see different temperatures at leak locations ... 22
3.5 Perform a Single Point Test for a Standard or Protocol ...................................................... 22
3.6 Perform a Multi-Point Test ............................................................................................... 23
3.7 Use a Computer to run the multi-point Air Leakage Test ................................................... 24
3.8 Set the gauge to give results for tests based on Standards ................................................ 24
3.9 Standards specify test procedures for air leakage testing .................................................. 25