Blower Door Test Notice
Mandatory Residential Air Infiltration (Blower Door) Testing
In Pinellas County, Florida Building Code R402.4.1.2 requires all new residential buildings or dwellings need to have a blower door test before they can be issued a Certificate of Occupancy. Buildings with improper air flow can waste a substantial amount of energy on heating and cooling; in Florida, it’s estimated that 30% of the energy used for cooling a building is wasted by air leaking between the inside and outside.
By conducting a blower door test, we can ensure that a new building is airtight enough to meet energy design requirements.
For more information, review the 2016 code supplement or contact us at (727) 464-3888.
Test Process
For a blower door test, a house is closed up from the outside, including windows, doors and fireplace dampers. A frame with a blower fan is mounted in one exterior door, and it sucks air out of the house at a negative pressure difference of 50 Pascals (ach50). The frame is equipped with airflow manometers — devices that measure the volume of air being removed from the house.
If the volume of air being removed per hour is between 3 and 7 times the volume of air inside the house, the test passes. Less than 3 implies not enough outside air can enter into the house, so indoor air quality will be poor; more than 7 means that too much air is leaking out of the house and wasting an unacceptable amount of energy.
Approved Testers
Blower door testing can be performed only by:
- Anyone defined under FS 553.993 (5) or (7) who is:
- An energy auditor or energy rater.
- Currently certified through the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) or the Building Performance Institute.
- Anyone licensed under FS 489.105(3)(f), (g) or (i) who is a:
- Class A air conditioning contractor.
- Class B air conditioning contractor.
- Mechanical contractor.
- Anyone otherwise approved by the Building Department.
To become registered with the Building Department, you must submit proof of Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board (PCCLB) registration or submit the following:
- Proof of professional license and/or certification.
- Proof of liability insurance ($100,000 bodily injury/$25,000 property).
- Proof of workman’s compensation insurance or an exemption.
- Proof of business tax receipt for your company (if applicable).
In order to get a Certificate of Occupancy, you must submit a blower door test report to the Building Department. It must verify 7 air changes per hour or fewer and be signed by the approved, registered tester.
Additional Resources
For more information, visit:
Building Energy Codes Program
Building Science Corporation
Building Codes Assistance Project