Using the PFT Air Infiltration Measurement Technique in a Home Energy Audit

A home energy audit is designed to help you learn about the way that your home uses and loses energy. There are many different tests that can be done to assist you in obtaining this information. In fact, professional home energy auditors use up to ninety different tests to help you conserve energy in your home. However, there are only a few tests that are the ones that are most commonly used. The blower door test is one of the most popular tests. It’s a very valuable test that shows you where air leaks exist in your home. Unfortunately, it has its drawbacks so a professional home energy auditor will probably suggest that you also use the PFT Air Infiltration Measurement Technique as a supplement to the blower door test.

The blower door test is a terrific test. Alone, it can help you to save a lot of energy in your home by pointing out where the leaks are and where more insulation is needed in the home. Professional home energy auditors like Dr. Energy Saver rely on this test to assist their customers. However, there are limitations to this test. The blower door test only measures the leaks in the home at the time that the test is taken. Many things can affect the results of the test. The weather outside can have a big impact, for example. Changes in atmospheric pressure and wind velocity can affect the home differently. Likewise, changes in the activities occurring within the house can change the air infiltration results.

The solution to the limitations of the blower door test is to supplement the test with the PFT Air Infiltration Measurement Technique. This is a long-term test that is done over a period of time to help figure out how these different factors may affect energy use in the home. Your professional home energy auditor will install an emitter and a receiver in your home. These are each small devices that are approximately the size of a pencil. The emitter does what its name suggests; it emits a small amount of a harmless gas into the home. The receiver absorbs the gas to measure the tightness of the building, which helps determine its overall energy efficiency. It can also provide information about the pollutants in the home. By using this test to supplement the results of the blower door test, a home energy audit provides a comprehensive solution to home energy loss over time and can help save money on your electric bill.

For more information on home energy audits please read the other articles in this series.

Part One: Home Energy Audits Make Saving Energy Easy

Part Two: Using Thermography to Reduce Home Energy Waste

Part Three: Why Home Energy Auditors Use Blower Door Testing