Air tightness blower door to detect draught

[Wyleecoyote]

I don’t need a test for building regs but to prove the extent of the cold air draught entering my home and to pinpoint the location of the draughts.

What kind of certification would a blower test operative hold to give their findings and report credibility ?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I can't see how such a test would pinpoint air leakage, only that the whole house only achieves a certain level of air tightness.

 

[Wyleecoyote]

I’m no expert myself but apparently, the test draws air through the building, in my case, a one bed flat; and with the use a portable smoke generator on the outside around windows etc, the smoke is drawn in through gaps or inefficient seals; alternatively, the building can be filled with smoke, then pressurised and the smoke from inside is be forced through gaps or inefficient seals.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I can't see how either are practical for a finished flat, are you on the ground floor at least? Will any of your adjacent neighbours be OK with a load of smoke wafting into their property? What about any air leakage holes that will simply lead to a floor or ceiling void or into the wall cavities etc? I can see that it might have some benefits before the buildings are occupied but not afterwards.

 

[Wyleecoyote]

Thanks for your opinion, although ideally I’m looking to confirm the certification the company/operative carrying out the test should hold, the official body of certification, so I know what to look out for.

From the YouTube footage, what’s depicted, it looks to be effective and all the other methods of draught detection are useless.

The property isn’t on a ground floor but balcony access to windows and doors; the ceilings and floor are concrete, only one neighbour below, who will be out, no neighbours above and other neighbours are only on one side and are separated by a communal stairwell, the smoke/fog used is odourless and dissipates after a few minutes, it’s the same as the smoke generated in Nite clubs and music videos.

 

[foxhole]

A candle will detect a draught, easy and cheap.

 

[Wyleecoyote]

Candle doesn’t work but even if it did, how would I get a certified written report from a recognised industry body.
It’s the certification that’s gives the report its credibility.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You seem to be ignoring the practicalities of undertaking such a test.

 

[Wyleecoyote]

Have you carried out the test yourself to pinpoint a draught and proved it to be ineffective ?

The YouTube footage shows a smoke generator creating smoke/fog and due to the suction/vacuum generated within the building the smoke is withdrawn into the building via ineffective window, door seals or elsewhere but despite the many YouTube videos showing similar results, you believe its impractical.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Yes, impractical for all of the reasons in the 4th post in this thread.