The American AWS team specializes in energy audits and home performance upgrades for all of Long Island. Part of our process is to complete a blower door test on most homes we visit.

Why should I get a blower door test and what can I expect?

To make your home perform better, you need to know how much heated and cooled air is leaking out, and where the drafts exist. There’s really only one way to accurately determine how much air is leaking out of your home. We recommend a blower door test, which is basically a measurement of the total airflow occurring between interior and exterior spaces whenever there is a pressure difference.

Here are the steps in a professional blower door test:

1. We will prepare your home for the test, ensuring complete safety
2. We’ll install the blower door on an exterior door
3. We’ll pressurize the home and gather our data

Blower door tests take all the guesswork out of the air leakage question. It’s one thing to feel a draft when you are sitting next to a leaky window or door. It’s another thing entirely to gather a full measurement of all the drafts throughout your home – from windows and doors to floors, walls, ceilings and foundation.

What happens after a blower door test?

Knowing the airtightness of your home allows American AWS to make a recommendation on how much you could save by completing a range of home performance upgrades. If your home is relatively tight, additional air sealing and insulation may not be a useful investment. However, most homes we visit could benefit from air sealing improvements. We’ll tell you exactly what those improvements will cost and, by applying the information from our blower door test, we can estimate how much you’ll be able to save in your monthly utility bill.

Keep in mind that it’s not only the cost savings you’ll enjoy, it’s also the increased comfort. Significant air leakage is happening every day of the year in almost every home on Long Island. That creates drafts and discomfort, only some of which has an obvious source. Bring in the professionals to determine where the rest of it is coming from!

Take the first step in improving home airtightness by getting a blower door test with American AWS. You’ll be amazed when you see the results! We’re here to help you through every step in the process – from testing to improvements. Start today!