Component leakage testing in residential buildings

Conference · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982

OSTI ID:6866437

Dickerhoff, D J; Grimsrud, D T; Lipschutz, R D

The common approach to leakage area measurements in residential housing is through pressurization of an entire structure with a blower door. However, this technique does not provide quantitative measurements of the leakiness of individual building components. By pressurizing individual components, it is possible to determine the distribution of leakage within a structure. The studies described involved measurement of the leakage areas of fireplaces, bathroom and kitchen exhaust vents, electrical outlets and leakage in the ducts of forced air distribution systems. Component leakage measurements were made in a total of thirty-four houses in Atlanta, Georgia, Reno, Nevada, and the San Francisco Bay area. Damperless fireplaces and ductwork were found to be the most significant sources of leakage in the western houses. In the Atlanta houses, where cooling loads dominate, the significant leakage area was in the ductwork of the distribution system for central air conditioning that passes through the unconditioned space in the attic and crawlspace.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 6866437
• Report Number(s): LBL-14735; CONF-820849-7; ON: DE82022055
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320101* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Residential Buildings-- (-1987)
AIR INFILTRATION
BLOWERS
BUILDINGS
CALIFORNIA
DOORS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FEDERAL REGION IV
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEORGIA
HUMIDITY
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LEAKS
MEASURING METHODS
NEVADA
NORTH AMERICA
OPENINGS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SPACE HVAC SYSTEMS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
USA