Standard Test Method for Measuring the Air Leakage Rate of a Large or Multizone Building

Importancia y uso:

5.1 This test method does not establish requirements for airtightness but provides means of assessing compliance with specified air-leakage rates established elsewhere.

5.2 This test method is used to determine the airtightness of building envelopes or portions thereof by measuring the air leakage rate at specified reference pressure differentials.

5.3 This test method provides:

5.3.1 Specific directions for determining acceptable weather conditions for conducting the test.

5.3.2 Two different test boundary preparation conditions; building envelope (9.1.1.1), and operational envelope (9.1.1.2).

5.3.3 Testing conducted in a range of pressures from 10 Pa (0.04 in. WC) to 100 Pa (0.40 in. WC).

5.4 A measurement of the air-leakage rate of the constructed building envelope. Test methods that measure the air permeance of materials (Test Method E2178) and air leakage of assemblies (Test Method E2357) alone do not address the various complexities of the constructed building envelope, including but not limited to design, sequence, constructability, workmanship, and the transitions between assemblies.

5.5 This test method applies to all multizone and large building types and portions or subsections of buildings. It can be used to test envelopes that consist of a single zone or subsections of a zone that can be tested as a single zone. Test envelopes that are entirely composed of subsections separated by interior partitions or floors, or both, may be tested as a single zone by maintaining baseline relationships between these subsections throughout testing. (See Appendix X1. See also Test Methods E779 and E1827.) Isolated subsections, each with its own specified air-leakage rate, shall be treated as separate test envelopes and tested separately. While testing isolated subsections, monitoring must be conducted for any extraneous/flanking air movement between the different zones.

5.6 The building preparations prior to testing (fenestration positions and preparation of intentional openings such as HVAC penetrations and equipment) are critically important and can have a strong influence on the final test results. This test method includes guidance for testing of the building envelope both including and excluding HVAC-related openings.

5.7 Compliance with a specified air leakage rate does not imply that all potentially problematic leaks have been sealed.

5.8 While this test determines the air leakage rate of an envelope, it does not identify the location of leakage sites.

Note 1: See, for example, Practices E1186 for locating leaks. The location of leaks, in addition to their cumulative leakage area, is also an important determinant of leakage under normal operating conditions.

Subcomité:

E06.41

Referida por:

E1258-23, E1827-22

Volúmen:

04.12

Número ICS:

91.120.10 (Thermal insulation of buildings)

Palabras clave:

air leakage; airtightness; envelope; fan pressure test; whole building pressure test;