Comments on: Get Green With Blower Door Tests http://www.todaysgreenconstruction.com/2008/08/get-green-with-blower-door-tests.html Constructing Today's Buildings with the Environment In Mind Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:43:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Today’s Green Construction - Energy Star Home | Blower Door Test http://www.todaysgreenconstruction.com/2008/08/get-green-with-blower-door-tests.html/comment-page-1#comment-1015 Today’s Green Construction - Energy Star Home | Blower Door Test Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:46:52 +0000 http://localhost/test/2008/08/get-green-with-blower-door-tests.html#comment-1015 [...] on an Energy Star home for a customer so it was time to perform a blower door test. The blower door test is used as an analytical measure of a houses air tightness. The Energy Star Certification program [...] [...] on an Energy Star home for a customer so it was time to perform a blower door test. The blower door test is used as an analytical measure of a houses air tightness. The Energy Star Certification program [...]

]]> By: Performing Blower Door Test on an Energy Star Home | Home Construction Improvement http://www.todaysgreenconstruction.com/2008/08/get-green-with-blower-door-tests.html/comment-page-1#comment-948 Performing Blower Door Test on an Energy Star Home | Home Construction Improvement Thu, 05 Mar 2009 03:02:49 +0000 http://localhost/test/2008/08/get-green-with-blower-door-tests.html#comment-948 [...] blower door test provides a measurable comparison of the homes “tightness” compared to industry [...] [...] blower door test provides a measurable comparison of the homes “tightness” compared to industry [...]

]]> By: ZIP System Sheathing On Ranch Style Home | Home Construction Improvement http://www.todaysgreenconstruction.com/2008/08/get-green-with-blower-door-tests.html/comment-page-1#comment-173 ZIP System Sheathing On Ranch Style Home | Home Construction Improvement Thu, 12 Feb 2009 01:28:40 +0000 http://localhost/test/2008/08/get-green-with-blower-door-tests.html#comment-173 [...] The ZIP system is certainly an integral part in the final rating of this home when we perform the blower door test. The other big benefit with the ZIP system is how quickly we’ll have the building weather [...] [...] The ZIP system is certainly an integral part in the final rating of this home when we perform the blower door test. The other big benefit with the ZIP system is how quickly we’ll have the building weather [...]

]]> By: Air Sealing Homes Saves Energy Costs | Home Construction Improvement http://www.todaysgreenconstruction.com/2008/08/get-green-with-blower-door-tests.html/comment-page-1#comment-169 Air Sealing Homes Saves Energy Costs | Home Construction Improvement Thu, 12 Feb 2009 01:24:15 +0000 http://localhost/test/2008/08/get-green-with-blower-door-tests.html#comment-169 [...] If you stop and think about this concept it makes so much sense. We take the time to insulate the wall cavities but we typically ignore the small gaps between the wood members that lead directly to cold (or hot) air. This simple step shows up really well when you have a house tested for air infiltration with a blower door test. [...] [...] If you stop and think about this concept it makes so much sense. We take the time to insulate the wall cavities but we typically ignore the small gaps between the wood members that lead directly to cold (or hot) air. This simple step shows up really well when you have a house tested for air infiltration with a blower door test. [...]

]]> By: greg http://www.todaysgreenconstruction.com/2008/08/get-green-with-blower-door-tests.html/comment-page-1#comment-135 greg Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:02:00 +0000 http://localhost/test/2008/08/get-green-with-blower-door-tests.html#comment-135 Excellent summary, Todd.<br/><br/>LEED for Homes addresses this issue in it's Energy & Atmosphere section. One interesting fact that we learned in building our home is that you can get your home almost TOO sealed. LEED recognizes that fact and urges whole-home ventilation systems built into the HVAC mechanisms.<br/><br/>Basically the ventilation system is designed to bring fresh air into an otherwise very sealed home. The air quality and conditioning is maintained because the incoming air is sent through the HVAC system before hitting your lungs (and not just through a hole near an electrical socket). The ventilation system that we opted for includes a heat exchange mechanism to increase the efficiency of the system (we heat/cool the outside air via a heat exchange mechanism before it hits the HVAC system itself).<br/><br/>One of the downsides of little natural ventilation is that LEED discourages fireplaces - even those touted as environmentally friendly - because they can still deplete oxygen levels in very sealed homes. You can install one, but only if power ventillated and sealed. We didn't like that asthetic, so we opted for no fireplace (which was disappointing). Excellent summary, Todd.

LEED for Homes addresses this issue in it's Energy & Atmosphere section. One interesting fact that we learned in building our home is that you can get your home almost TOO sealed. LEED recognizes that fact and urges whole-home ventilation systems built into the HVAC mechanisms.

Basically the ventilation system is designed to bring fresh air into an otherwise very sealed home. The air quality and conditioning is maintained because the incoming air is sent through the HVAC system before hitting your lungs (and not just through a hole near an electrical socket). The ventilation system that we opted for includes a heat exchange mechanism to increase the efficiency of the system (we heat/cool the outside air via a heat exchange mechanism before it hits the HVAC system itself).

One of the downsides of little natural ventilation is that LEED discourages fireplaces – even those touted as environmentally friendly – because they can still deplete oxygen levels in very sealed homes. You can install one, but only if power ventillated and sealed. We didn't like that asthetic, so we opted for no fireplace (which was disappointing).

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