Air testing in homes and offices

Posted on October 14, 2010 by Air Testing Solutions

Most people tend to ignore the importance of testing air quality, but testing the air is just as important as testing the water you drink; it is still entering your body and being absorbed into your system. You could be breathing in chemical pollutants, which are invisible to the naked eye, and creating a build up of harmful chemicals in the body. If an office has polluted or unclean air, there can be a rise in staff absences and illness, and this could even lead to legal action against employers.

The quality of air is depreciating in a lot of office buildings and apartments because of their compact nature and small windows. Central heating and air conditioning units are actually likely to make the air quality worse, even though they control the temperature. This is because the same air is circulated more often, and windows are left closed to preserve gas and electricity, meaning the staff or occupants get far less fresh air than usual.

Medical experts have suggested a link between the increasing number of respiratory diseases and the quality of air that we breathe. Neurological and physical diseases are some of the adverse effects caused by breathing polluted air.

Carpet is a breeding ground for bacteria, especially if it is not properly cleaned every few days. Dust settles on surfaces, which will become airborne, and furniture will contain chemicals from your clothes, hairspray, or even fabric dyes. Cleaning chemicals, natural gas and propane are some of the other harmful fumes that individuals breathe on a day-to-day basis, just because the same air is recycled day in, day out.

To prevent poisoning from harmful chemicals in the air, there are various air purifying and filtering systems available, as well as things like carbon monoxide detectors to alert you to high levels of harmful substances.

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Live a healthy life by testing air permeability

Posted on Sept 28, 2010 by Air Testing Solutions

Have you noticed your home getting cooler or breezier? It is important to find out where the cooler air is coming from and conducting an air permeability test is one of the best solutions.

New homes are built every day. These houses are well insulated, but after a few years many will let in drafts and colder air because they aren’t properly airtight.

If all the construction joints of your home are sealed properly from the outside, then your house will be airtight. The only airflow in and out of your home should be through an open door or window or controlled ventilation.

If your home isn’t airtight, cold air from outside will enter your home, and warm air will easily leave your house. The vapour in the air will condense and lead to dampness in the air and on the walls. If this problem is not treated your house could become mouldy and could make you ill.

Air leaks were difficult to find in the past. With today’s Blower Door Fan technology, they are much easier to locate. Air permeability testing uses this technology to detect air leakage, so if you want to protect you and your family from a cold, damp house, hire professional air permeability testers to check your home.

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What is air leakage in buildings?

Posted on Sept 18, 2010 by Air Testing Solutions

Air leakage means an uncontrolled flow of air through cracks, gaps and holes invisible to the naked eye. This is different to a ventilation system, as it is uncontrolled, whereas ventilation is the controlled and planned movement of air.

The three main causes of air leakage:

• Wind – If the direction of the wind changes, the pressure exerted on the building also changes, and can move loose bricks or cracks.
• Stack effect – As warm air is thinner, it rises to the top of the building, and creeps out of windows, chimneys and cracks allowing cool air to enter.
• Mechanical systems –Heating and ventilation systems in buildings sometimes have negative effects on the air pressure, causing leakages.

This air leakage will affect the overall performance of your building in terms of power and fuel conservation.

An air test rating is now compulsory for all businesses in order to comply with government regulations, and there are companies which will test your air, and those to sell devices you can install to regulate the cleanliness of your air.

By having an air quality test, you can reduce heating bills, carbon dioxide emissions and chemical imbalance. It will also help preserve your furniture and decoration from condensation and discolouration.

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How to identify air leakages

Posted on Sept 12, 2010 by Air Testing Solutions

The easy way to identify air leakages is to first identify any dirty spots on your carpets, ceilings and walls. The air which enters your home will carry dust and dirt particles, so a leak is likely to cause a build up of dirt next to it. Check the seal of doors and windows by placing a piece of paper between the inner and outer frames. If the paper does not tear when you pull it out, it will be letting air into your home.

Larger leaks can also be identified at night by shining a torch on areas you think may be leaking. You should notice if air is moving quicker towards or away from a leak.

Use a smoke pen

The use of a smoke puffer or smoke pen is an effective and easy way of spotting air leaks. A cool, windy day is ideal for this method, if you have a leak you will be able to watch the way the smoke moves around to detect it. The smoke should react to even the smallest of leaks.

It is always best to consult a professional if you suspect your building has leaks, as they will be able to accurately find them and even help fix them.

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Air pressure inspections and tests

Posted on Sept 01, 2010 by Air Testing Solutions

Air pressure testing involves gauging air permeability by attaching a fan to an appropriate external door and taking a variety of flow and pressure readings. The flow speed is usually increased and decreased in different stages.

At the time of calculating the air leakage rate, alterations are made for temperature, barometric pressure and outside wind speed. Prior to carrying out the test, all ventilation, air conditioning and heating systems should be switched off. All openings and grilles to the external surface, including waste pipes, should be sealed.

When the test is carried out, all internal doors should be kept open and drains should be filled with water. After successful completion of the air pressure test, the technicians will let you know whether the air pressure of your property has failed or passed.

If, for any reason, your property fails, the engineer will try to inform you of where the leakage occurred with the help of a smoke pencil. Sometimes, repair work can be performed within an hour, subject to accessibility of the technician, and a retest can be done. Once the property passes the air test, suitable certification will be given by the air pressure testing company.

 

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Air testing is essential to prevent build up of harmful pollutants in your home

Posted on August 28, 2010 by Air Testing Solutions

Home decoration accessories such as curtains, ornaments and electronic equipment are a major breeding ground of micro organisms as they are difficult to clean. Such micro organisms can in fact contaminate the quality of the air. There are some serious diseases caused by polluted air, so it is in your own interests to make sure the air you breathe is clean and hence hygienic.

As mentioned, several pollutants are generally found in the home and regulatory bodies such as the EPA have in fact identified indoor air pollutants as one of the major risks to health.

Confined air can be harmful too

If air is confined or recycled, the effects of harmful pollutants actually intensify due to the lack of fresh air to filter the dust and dirt. This results in a poor quality of air. You can solve this problem by a certain extent by opening the windows of the home regularly, to let new air in and old air out. This will lead to smooth circulation of air.

Polluted air leads to illness

Several scientific reports have shown a link between certain respiratory diseases and polluted air. Reports have also suggested that exposure to polluted air can adversely affect people already suffering from lung disease, diabetes and heart disease. Some of these pollutants contain harmful gases such as carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide, which can only exacerbate the problem.

These are the reasons why home owners should arrange for air testing to be done in their homes.

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Domestic air testing can help homes become energy efficient

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Air Testing Solutions

In the attempt to minimise their carbon footprint, environmental agencies and governments all over the world have introduced different policies. The latest and perhaps one of the most important measures is to control domestic air pressure. In plainer terms, the more stable your home air pressure, the more energy efficient your house will be. This is done by reducing CO2 emissions and heat loss and by conserving power and fuel.

The need for domestic air pressure testing

To curb heat loss and preserve power, it has become necessary for homeowners to conduct air tests in their homes. This will help locate air leaks in the home and find suitable solutions for them. These are the most common places in the home for an air leak:

Intermediate floors - If these floors do not have flexible sealant, they tend to increase air pressure leakage in the home as the sealant may crack or loosen, allowing air to flow through.

Pipework and vents - These are two very common places where air leakages persist. This is because air can easily pass through the wall of the structure and vents are sometimes not sealed properly.

Doors and windows – Again, if doors or windows are not adequately sealed, there will be air leaks which will prevent a constant air pressure.

Domestic air testing will locate these air leaks and potentially fix them. Once they are located, the places in question are sealed and another test is run to ensure the home meets the desired level of energy efficiency.

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The process of air permeability testing

Posted on August 2, 2010 by Air Testing Solutions

The air tightness of a building is also known as air permeability or leakage rate. Generally, air leakage occurs through gaps and cracks in the building and is not usually noticeable with the naked eye. This leakage affects the overall performance of the building and it is also mentioned in Part L of the building regulations. Therefore, air testing or air permeability testing will help to locate and solve any leakages.

How is air testing done?

An air test is carried out by putting a fan in the doorway of a house and pressurising it over a different range of pressures. Until the required pressure is achieved, the speed of the fan is increased. More than hundred samples of air flow rate which are leaking through the building’s outer walls are taken at different pressures.

Before the testing is carried out in the house, you need to seal all the ventilation channels like vents, chimney openings and even mechanical ventilation outlets. This sealing can be achieved with the help of a timber or plastic along with strong adhesive tape. The idea behind this is that you are making the house as airtight as you can, so the only air that leaves the property will be through a leak, and not just a location that wasn’t sealed.

During the test, access to or from the building is not permitted, as this will make the test invalid. The test will usually take around half an hour.
 

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Air leakage testing – Saving the planet and your money

Posted on July 24, 2010 by Air Testing Solutions

The use and conservation of energy has been a topic of great concern over the last few years. In fact, a number of rules and regulations have been introduced regarding the consumption of energy in various places and situations. One of the latest rules implemented by the Government relates to building regulations. Homeowners are being convinced to perform air leakage tests on their homes to ensure they are conserving energy. Air leakage tests have not only become important for homeowners, but also for owners of other properties.

Air leakage tests are essential

Air leakage tests have been introduced so that the efficiency of buildings and homes can be measured, in terms of energy consumption (through energy wastage). This is especially necessary when these places are being climatically controlled, whether just heated or full-blown air conditioning. Air tight buildings and homes tend to warm up faster and stay warmer for a longer time. This reduces the amount of energy required to heat the place and sustain the heat levels. This in turn, reduces carbon footprints and carbon emissions.

The energy required to heat an average home can be quite significant. This is particularly true during the winter season. And with the aim of reducing personal and organisational carbon footprints becoming essential, conducting air leakage testing in houses and other properties has become extremely necessary. Conducting an air leakage test on an existing home or building is a fairly fast procedure.

Air leakage testing does more than allow people to reduce carbon footprints. This can also help property owners save a significant amount of money in the long term. This makes it important for every homeowner or business owner to carry out an air leakage test on their property.
 

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Ensure your property is eco-friendly with air pressure testing

Posted on July 13th, 2010 by Air Testing Solutions

Governments and environmental agencies all over the world are striving to reduce the impact of energy consumption, because of the ever-reducing number of available resources. One of the most important ways people can check their energy wastage is by conducting an air test on their properties. Air pressure testing came into full force in 2003 as part of building regulations. Today, it has become vital for all homeowners to conduct air tests on their homes to ensure they meet the required norms.

How is air pressure testing conducted? 

The air pressure inside a property is increased by 50 Pascals with the help of a fan that is placed in the entrance doorway. The rate by which the air pressure inside comes back to normal is measured. This indicates how airtight the building is. This level has a big influence on the property’s thermal performance. With the results, you can tell just how energy efficient (or inefficient) the property is.

Air pressure testing has become mandatory for all commercial and residential buildings in a number of places. The test can be easily carried out by a professional air pressure testing company.

Buildings are required to meet a specific air tightness figure as part of the building regulations mentioned previously. Properties that do not meet this criterion need to work towards improving their air leakages.

Generally, the air testing company will advise you what you can do to lower the air pressure. Once the minimal air pressure figure is attained, properties are provided with certificates stating their performance. This shows that the property wastes less energy and is therefore more eco-friendly.
 

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