Leak Detection

Looking for air leaks

When the measurements indicate that excess air escapes (or the pressure measurement: is sucked) it is important to find the places where leaks are.

There are a few methods for:

1. by thermography or infrared measurement (when the difference between the temperature outdoors and indoors at least about 10 degrees C, otherwise there is little measurable difference), with the camera or measuring all possible places of leakage included, at a greater temperature difference there is probably a leak.
2. by means of a air pressure gauge (often used in the same air pressure measurement itself is used), at a leak location, there is a different pressure than in the space.
3. by means of a smoke marker when the smoke to excess pressure in a particular place leaves the room, you know that there is a leak.

Possible places of leakage include the connections of frames of windows and doors, floor cracks, roof connections and cable conduits.

The detected leaks must be sealed

In the design, in the context of airtightness to mind are: “maximum allowable deformation of air-sealing materials, making cuffs with feedthroughs, masking the overlap of vapor barrier films, no breakthroughs in vapor films, check on delivery details aimed are on the air-tightness”

The time of the measurement

The timing of the measurement can best be done is not established. Resembled the moments just before the completion or just before the completion of a new building the best because then all kinds of (repair) work can be done by the contractor, especially if prior arrangements have been made on the airtightness of the building.

Considerations

Possible leak locations are the connections of frames of windows and doors, floor cracks, roof connections and cable entries.