ventilation: airtightness, air leakage,

ASHRAEˇŻs Standard 62.2, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings, published in 2003, provides requirements for whole-house ventilation, local ventilation and source control measures within singlefamily houses and multifamily structures of three stories or fewer. -- A seminar discussing the standard, 2005

ASHRAE, 2002, Standard 62.2P, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings

Air leakage usually refers to the unintended air flow through unidentifiable cracks on the building envelope. Air flow through the other two types of openings, cracks and purpose provided openings, esp. later, is normally called infiltration. But, the terms in some publication are used interchangeably.

"Air leakage in a building represents 5-40 % of the space-conditioning cost. Air leaking in is often referred to as infiltration, and air leaking out as exfiltration. Controlling air leakage is one of the most important functions and often the most difficult for existing construction. For new homes, it is very important to address air-sealing techniques and strategies during construction." (by HEAT)

A more shocking statement " Air leaks between your home's interior and the outdoors can be a constant drain of energy and money. The air leakage in a typical U.S. home is equal to leaving a window wide open." by DOE Online source (Online source)

Air leakage is important issue for energy, IAQ, and moisture control.

For a up-to-date review on airtightness, read Sherman's recent (2004) review: Sherman, M. H., Chan, R., 2004, Building Airtightness: Research and Practice

For an airtightness survey of all provinces of Canada see: Hamlin, T. and Gusdorf, J., 1997, Airtightness and energy efficiency of new conventional and R-2000 housing in Canada, 1997

For pertinent publications check out AIVC publications

Air movement accounts for more than 98% of all water vapor movement in building cavities-- EERE

Air Sealing of the Thermal Shell

The amount of air sealing applied to the thermal shell determines the comfort level in your home. Air sealing also has a direct impact on annual heating and cooling costs. Air sealing will keep unconditioned air from entering the home and conditioned air from leaving the home. Typical air infiltration into the home can increase annual heating and cooling costs 30-40 percent. It is recommended that you air seal your home with caulking, expanding foam sealants, and Lessco airtight plastic boxes. Any penetration from the conditioned space to the unconditioned space should be sealed. Be sure to seal window and door jambs, sill box areas, ceiling penetrations, and ducts that extend into unconditioned areas. For more information visit the Source (www.les.com/residential/efficient_home.asp)

An image of An image of View image: Air leakage through electrical outlet by CHMC (Source: http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/burema/gesein/Momo/moaipr/moaipr_011.cfm)

See Air Leakage Control by (M.E. Lux and W.C. Brown) in Building Science Insight '86.

Visit Air Movement and Natural Ventilation for basics

ASTM standards

E1554-94 Standard Test Methods for Determining External AIR LEAKAGE of AIR Distribution Systems by Fan Pressurization

E1186-98 Standard Practices for AIR LEAKAGE Site Detection in Building Envelopes and AIR Retarder Systems

E283-91(1999) Standard Test Method for Determining the Rate of AIR LEAKAGE Through Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, and Doors Under Specified Pressure Differences Across the Specimen

E1424-91(2000) Standard Test Method for Determining the Rate of AIR LEAKAGE Through Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, and Doors Under Specified Pressure and Temperature Differences Across the Specimen

E1827-96(2002) Standard Test Methods for Determining Airtightness of Buildings Using an Orifice Blower Door

Other references

CSA Standard CAN 3-A440-M84, Windows. Canadian Standards Association, Rexdale, Ontario, 1984.

Measures for Energy Conservation in New Buildings. NRCC 22432, National Research Council, Ottawa, 1983.

AAMA Standard 501-83, The Methods of Test for Metal Curtain Walls. American Architectural Manufacturers Association, Des Plaines, Ill., 1983.

CGSB Standard CAN/CGSB-149.10-M-86, Determination of the Airtightness of Building Envelopes by the Fan Depressurization Method. Canadian General Standards Board, Ottawa, 1986.

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Tidbits

AIVC Newsletter (free) for latest information.

Infiltec on biz-oriented info in solving radon mitigation and building air leakage measurement and control problems

A good lecture note

Tracer gas technique by NILU

PFT Air Infiltration Measurement Technique

A report on SF6 tracer gas test

One study showed that "Studies undertaken by the organization I belong to, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), have found that air leakage in apartment buildings can contribute to as much as 20% of the annual space-heating energy load. " -- Online source

CBD-229. on Thermographic Identification of Building Enclosure Effects and Deficiencies: "Infrared thermography has been proved to be very useful in detecting and identifying defects and deficiencies in building enclosure systemsˇ­"

Sealing Air and Moisture Leaks S

AIVC publications

"include journals and technical publications as well as a bibliographical and a numerical database in electronic format, and proceedings from previous AIVC conferences."




AIVC--Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre

IEA Annex 5, "to provide a high quality international technical and information forum covering the areas of ventilation and air infiltration in the built environment with respect to efficient energy use, good indoor air quality and thermal comfort" "AIRBASE is the Bibliographic Database ˇ­ of articles and publications related to energy efficient ventilation ˇ­ about 15000 references" since 1979. "Air Information Review (AIR) is a quarterly newsletter"




Caulking and Weatherstripping - Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

complete information on Caulking and Weatherstripping




COMIS Multizone Air Flow Model Conjunction Of Multizone Infiltration Specialists




Wall Thermal Performance Calculator

"an on-line, interactive method for determining the whole-wall R-value for a variety of wall systems and house plans. " byOak Ridge National Laboratory




Weatherize Your Home-Caulk and Weather Strip

Nice lists of Caulk and Weather Strip, and some web links




weathertightness service of New Zealand

Weathertightness Service The Government has established a weathertightness service to help homeowners with 'leaky buildings'. For information on the service, please visit the website: www.weathertightness.govt.nz

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149.15-96-CAN/CGSB, Determination of the Overall Envelope Airtightness of Buildings by the Fan Pressurization Method Using the Building's Air Handling Systems, by CGSB, 1999

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A comparison of the power law to quadratic formulations for air infiltration calculations, by Walker, J. S., D. J. Wilson and M. H. Sherman, 1998

tracer gas used

A concentration rebound method for measuring particle penetration and deposition in the indoor environment, by Thatcher, T. L., Lunden, M. M., Revzan, K. L., Sextro, R. G. and Brown, N. J., 2003

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A proposed test procedure for separating exterior envelope air leakage from interior partition air leakage , by Proskiw, G. and Parekh, A., 2001

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A study on single blower door methods for multifamily buildings in Montreal (Quebec), by Depani, S., 1999

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A transient pressurization method for measurements of airtightness, by Mattsson, B., Claesson, J., 2007

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Air pressure and building envelopes, by Lstiburek, J., Pressnail, K. and Timusk, J., 2002

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Air tightness, air movement and indoor air quality in Quebec high-rise apartment buildings, by CMA Chalifour, Marcotte et Associ¨¦s Inc., 1991

airtightness survey of Canada, 1997

Airtightness and energy efficiency of new conventional and R-2000 housing in Canada, 1997, by Hamlin, T. and Gusdorf, J., 1997

review 2004

Air-tightness of US. Dwellings, by Sherman, M., Dickerhoff, D., 1994

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Airtightness of wall sheathing as a function of lumber drying, by Onysko, D.M. and Jones, S.K, 1989

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Airtightness testing and air flow modeling of two and three-unit multifamily buildings, by Depani, S. and Fazio, P., 2001

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Airtightness testing of two- and three-unit buildings with a single fan, by Depani, S. and Fazio, P., 2005

test of airtightness

Airtightness tests on components used to join different or similar materials of the building envelope, by Leblanc, R., 1991

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ASHRAE'S Residential Ventilation Standard: Exegesis of Proposed Standard 62.2, by Sherman, M. H., 1999

balanced fan test, row house

Balanced fan depressurization method for measuring component and overall air leakage in single-and multifamily dwellings, by Reardon. J. T., Kim A. K., and Shaw, C. Y., 1900

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Building airtightness: research and practice, by Sherman, M. H., Chan, R., 2004

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Building ventilation : a pressure airflow model computer generation and elements of validation, by Boyer, H. et al, 1999

commissioning

Commissioning and Monitoring the Building Envelope for Air Leakage, by Morrison Hershfield Limited, 1996

at window joints

Creating durable bonds between windows and walls, by Rousseau, M. J. (Ed.), 1999

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Design considerations for an air barrier system, by Quirouette, R., Marshall, S. and Rousseau, J., 1991

reducing electricity by control air leakage

Development of design procedures and guidelines for reducing electric demand by air leakage control in high-rise residential buildings: final report, by Scanada Consultants Limited and CanAm Building Envelope Specialists Inc, 1991

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DIN 4108-7, Thermal insulation and energy economy of buildings - Part 7: Airtightness of building, requirements, recommendations and examples for planning and performance, by DIN, 0

site detection

E1186-98 Standard practices for air leakage site detection in building envelopes and air retarder systems, by ASTM, 1998

fun pressurization

E1258-88 Standard Test Method for Airflow Calibration of Fan Pressurization Devices, by ASTM, 1998

test, rate of air leakage, fenestration

E1424-91, Standard test method for determining the rate of air leakage through exterior windows, curtain walls, and doors under specified pressure and temperature differences across the specimen, by ASTM, 2000

blower door

E1827-96 Standard Test Methods for Determining Airtightness of Buildings Using an Orifice Blower Door, by ASTM, 1996

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E1827-96(2002) Standard Test Methods for Determining Airtightness of Buildings Using an Orifice Blower Door, by ASTM, 2000

ASTM E283 for air leakage - fenestration

E283-04, standard test method for rate of air leakage through exterior windows, curtain walls and doors, by ASTM, 2004

ASTM tracer gas decay

E741-00 Standard Test Method for Determining Air Change in a Single Zone by Means of a Tracer Gas Dilution, by ASTM, 2000

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E779-03, ASTM Method for Determining Air Leakage Rates by Fan Pressurization Test, by ASTM, 2003

ASTM 779 fan pressurization

E779-99 Standard test method for determining air leakage rate by fan pressurization, by ASTM, 2001

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E783-02 standard test method for field measurement of air leakage through installed exterior windows and doors, by ASTM, 2002

air pressure differential on vapor flow

Effect of air pressure differential on vapor flow through sample building walls, by Stewart, W. E., 1998

protocol for air leakage and flow patterns in high-rise, done 1980

Establishing the protocol for measuring air leakage and air flow patterns in high-rise apartment buildings, by Institute for Research in Construction / National Research Council Canada, 1998

map air leakage patterns

Experimental setup for the study of air leakage patterns, by Desmarais, G., Derome, D., Fazio, P., 1998

airtightness and IAQ in highrise

Field investigation survey of airtightness, air movement and indoor air quality in high-rise apartment buildings: summary report, by Gulay, G.W., C.D. Stewart, G.J. Foley, 1993

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Field measurement of uncontrolled airflow and depressurization in restaurants, by Cummings, J. B., Fairey, P. W., Withers, C. R. J., Mckendry, B. B. and Moyer, N. A., 1996

map air leakage pattern in walls

Impact of added insulation on air leakage patterns, by Derome, D., Fazio, P., Desmarais, G., 2000

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Infiltration Degree-Days: A Statistic for Quantifying Infiltration-Related Climate, by Sherman, M. H., 0

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Interstitial condensation due to air leakage: a sensitivity analysis, by Hens, J. A. and H. Hens, 2003

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Mapping of air leakage in exterior wall assemblies, by Desmarais, G., Derome, D. and Fazio, P., 2000

guarded air leakage test

Measured airtightness of an installed skylight, by Shaw, C. Y., Magee, R. J. and Poirier, G. F., 2000

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Measuring air leakage characteristics with flexible double air chambers, by Fazio, P., Rao, J., and Ge, H., 2002

measure air leakage

Measuring air leakage of full-scale curtain wall sections using a non-rigid air-chamber method, by Fazio, P., H. Ge, and J. Rao, 2001

multi-story apartment

Methods for conducting small scale pressurization tests and air leakage data of multi storey apartment buildings, by Shaw, C. Y., 1980

moisture condition in wall, effect on air leakage

Moisture conditions in a north-facing wall with cellulos loose-fill insulation: construction with and without a vapor retarder and air leakage, by Hagentoft, C. E. and Harderup, E., 1996

exterior wall, field

On-site exterior wall monitoring methods for air leakage, condensation and rain penetration control problems, by Quirouette, R., 1999

fenestration account for 20% of air leakage for low-rise

Particle penetration through windows, by Liu, D. and Nazaroff, W.W., 2002

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Standard 62.2, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings, by ASHRAE, 2003

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The effect of air leakage through the moisture damaged structures in a school building having mechanical exhaust ventilation, by Backman, E., Hyv?rinen, M., Lindberg, R., Reiman, M., Seuri, M. and Kokotti, H., 2000

fan pressurization, uncertainties

Uncertainties in fan pressurization measurements, by Sherman, M. and Palmiter, L., 1995

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Ventilation strategies for small buildings, the trend to airtightness, by Reardon, J. T., Shaw, C. Y. and Chown, G. A., 1990

general discussion

Vents, ventilation drying, and pressure moderation, by Straube, J. F. and Burnett, E. F. P., 1995

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Verification of HRAI Depressurization Calculation - Final Report, by Bowser Technical Inc, 1995

air leakage at window

Window systems: repair versus replacement, by Kelley, S. J., Chiropolos, J. N. and Gustitus, D. A., 1993