AIR TIGHTNESS

Air Tightness Testing Europlan Personnel Services Limited offers air tightness testing for buildings. The revised building regulations (24th January 2008) introduced mandatory air pressure testing for new dwellings. All new single dwellings require an air pressure test from 1st July 2008. Guidelines have been set out in relation to developments (These guidelines are outlined below). The aim of air tightness testing is to measure the flow of air within a building and identify areas that are experiencing heat loss. Contact Us: Tel: 052 6125646 Email: energy@europlanservices.com FAQ’s What is Air Tightness? Air tightness measures the flow of air in and out of a building. Air leakage is the uncontrolled flow of air through gaps and cracks in the fabric of a building. Improving air tightness in a dwelling can reduce air leakage. To accomplish this you must prevent breaks or gaps in the envelope of the building fabric and therefore having control over the ventilation in the building. Having an airtight property does not mean there is insufficient air flow, it means there is controlled air flow. The only satisfactory way to measure air tightness is by using blower door test equipment. Air tightness testing highlights areas of heat loss. These areas are increasing your energy consumption and, with it, the amount of money your property is wasting. Air tightness and thermal imaging can locate these areas and therefore allow you to make the necessary changes to increase the energy efficiency of your home.

Air Tightness for Existing Dwellings - Draught Detection Air tightness testing is a legal requirement on new dwellings only. However, if you find your home is draughty, you could be losing up to 30% of your main heating bill through these draughts. The draughts are caused by gaps and cracks in the building fabric and are most likely out of sight. Europlan Personnel Services Limited offers draught detection to the existing house market. The aim of the service is to improve the comfort of the home in which you live. The service includes a report, which, if followed, will reduce the heating cost and will improve the comfort of your home. What are the guidelines in relation to developments? Number of Units Number of Tests Required 1-4 One Test ** 5-40 Two Tests 41-100 5% of Dwelling Type 101+ (if target is reached) 2% 101+ (if target is not reached) 5% * The regulations apply to new dwellings where planning permission has been applied for on or after the 1st July 2008 and where substantial works are not completed before the 30th June 2009. ** For small developments, no more than three dwelling units, a specific pressure test may not be necessary. If it can be demonstrated by way of a report that during the preceding 12 months a dwelling of the same type constructed by the same builder achieved an acceptable standard. How do I find out more? Simply call Europlan Personnel Services Limited on 052-6125646 and one of our team of highly qualified, SEI registered assessors will be more then happy to deal with any query you may have.