Duct Testing 101
The owner of Dr. Energy Saver® Delmarva, David Lawson, recently completed duct testing for a new home under construction in Ocean Pines, MD. In previous entries we reviewed the types of testing used to measure duct air leakage. This article will explain the meat and potatoes of the test.
What do duct tests measure?
Duck tests measure the amount of air loss pushing through the ducts. To measure this you need to pressurize or depressurize the ducts.
Before the ducts are depressurized, there must be zero pascals of air pressure inside the ductwork and inside the house. The ducts need to be depressurized or pressurized to 25 pascals. A pascal is the unit used to measure air pressure. When depressurizing the ductwork the pascal is negative because we are removing the air. 25 pascals is the standard number used in all residential duct testing to ensure the test is consistently performed no matter who is conducting the test. Once the duck tester is hooked up, the vents are sealed and the duct tester’s fan is turned to either pressurize or depressurize the ducts.
Once the air pressure difference in the ducts is 25 pascals, the duct tester measures the amount of cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air that is being lost through the ducts.
Ducts are required to be below a specific CFM to pass the test. The specific CFM score is dependent on the size of the home. One of our certified inspectors can tell you what CFM score your home needs to be below in order to pass the test.
Looking to have your ducts tested? Dr. Energy Saver® has the prescription!
We are able to test your ducts to let you know how well they are performing. We offer duct testing and duct cleaning throughout the Delmarva area. Service areas include: Dover, Newark, Wilmington, New Castle, Salisbury, Bear, Yorklyn, Middletown, Berlin, Hockessin, Easton, Seaford, Stevensville, Claymont, Georgetown, Lewes, Millsboro, Cambridge, Milford, Smyrna, Laurel, Princess Anne, Chestertown, Ocean City, Rehoboth Beach, and surrounding areas.
Contact us and schedule your duct test today!
