The role of ventilation in the housing envelope is to provide fresh air and to dilute internally generated pollutants in order to assure adequate indoor air quality. Retrotec blower doors are used to measure the air tightness and air leakage of building envelopes. As existing dwellings in the United States are ventilated primarily through leaks in the building shell (i.e., infiltration) rather than by whole house mechanical ventilation systems, accurate understanding of the uses of blowerdoor data is critical.

Just some of the reasons for establishing the proper building tightness are:

• Reducing energy consumption & usage due to air leakage
• Avoiding & correcting moisture condensation issues
• Detection & correction of uncomfortable drafts caused by cold air leakage
• Testing of a home's indoor air quality for contamination caused by indoor air pollution.

The Retrotec blower door system is a powerful fan that mounts into the frame of an exterior door. The fan draws air out of the structure, creating a negative air pressure inside the building. Higher outside air pressure is then pulled in through all unsealed cracks & openings. The energy auditor may use a smoke pencil or an infrared camera to detect these air infiltrations.

All Retrotec blower door systems come complete with the variable speed fan, frame, panel, hoses, and all pressure gauges including a detachable manometer.  The frame, panel, hoses and all gauges come in a hard case.  The blower fan has its own separate case that is included on select units.

Retrotec calibrated air blower doors and duct blower systems can be used in a variety of types of testing. Some of which include:

NFPA Clean Agent Retention testing

Testing residential houses for air tightness

Conducting building envelope compliance testing for energy efficiency standards, such as those by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), HERS, BPI & Resnet as well as Passive House / Passivhaus.

Testing building envelopes including, door & window frames for water tightness & rain infiltration.

Professional energy auditors & weatherization contractors use Retrotec blower doors to answer just some of the following questions:

• What is the Construction Quality of the Building Envelope?
• Where are the Air Leakage Pathways?
• How Tight is the Building?
• How Much Ventilation Does the Air Leakage Supply?
• How Much Energy Does the Air Leakage Lose?
• Is this Building Too Tight?
• Is this Building Too Loose?
• When Should Mechanical Ventilation be Considered?