How to Detect Air Leaks in Your Building, and Why It Matters

The "blower door"...some call it the "Red Door of Truth" because it doesn't lie and it's such a powerful tool in high-performance building design and construction. In this video, learn why airtightness is so essential and join airtightness expert Kevin Brennan and architect Michael Ingui onsite at NYC's Engine 16 Passive House retrofit as that project undergoes its first blower door test. Kevin walks us through the testing procedures, the importance of pressurizing and depressurizing the building during testing, and how to use a smoke stick to detect leaks during the test.
What are the results of this project's first moment of truth? Will the building reach the stringent airtightness target of Passive House certification? Watch to find out.
To learn more about Passive House, visit: passivehouseaccelerator.com/p...
Thank you to Lindsey Elton and Emily Rhea of Eco Achievers for first sharing the "Red Door of Truth" nickname for the blower door with us.

[@ThomasMuscat]

Great video!

[@homeairleakagetest]

Good information about the blower door test. Thanks!

[@ReimagineBuildings]

Glad it was helpful!

[@buttabing9936]

Hi 👋 . My name is Shaneka. I am reaching out for help with headaches, fatigue, excessive sleeping, clay/dirt/dust “soot” widespread throughout the home and in my nose, bad smells in the attic and throughout the house. I need help. We heat and cool with mini splits but get the natural gas smells. The fire department read hydrogen sulfide. There used to be a furnace in the crawl space one technician told me and another told me it was no longer there… There is an oil smell in the basement. I need some serious help. What do you think the problem could be in this house? There are water marks on the upstairs ceiling around flue pipe. There are also water marks on ceiling in the kitchen as well on the first floor that has no second level.