AT-2473 -- Testing of Houses for Air Leakage Using a Pressure Method PDF

During the last few years in Sweden there has been a great desire to find methods for air leakage testing of houses. Investigations from the early sixties (1) showed rather high air change rates in Swedish houses. These results and the general conversion of energy policy in Sweden since the oil crises of 1974 indicated that there exists a great energy-saving potential in reducing the air leakage of buildings.

The actuality of this matter stimulated us to begin work on a research program in 1975. Until now the work has resulted in an examination paper (2) and a literature list (3). The latter consists of some hundred titles on air leakage of buildings. They are sorted both after the name of the author and the content of the reference.

Testing of air tightness of buildings using a pressure method has been done only to a very small extent. This paper describes a method of testing whole houses for air leakage by use of a pressure method.