Duct Leakage Testing
According to IECC (International Energy Conservation Code) when a new HVAC system has been installed in a home or business you will need a duct leakage test done. Keep in mind this is obligatory to pass inspection on any home or commercial building. Only after a duck leakage test is performed and passed will the owner receive a Certificate of Occupancy.
- You have high summer and winter utility bills
- You have rooms that are difficult to heat and cool
- You have stuffy rooms that never seem to feel comfortable
- Your ducts are located in an attic, crawlspace, or the garage
- You find tangled or kinked flexible ducts in your system
“Marc set us up with a duct leakage test to get our facility code compliant. We will be definitely be using NJ Air Quality again!”
Robert Berger Facility Manager, Sheraton Eatontown
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Duct Leakage Testing Procedure
One might need duct leakage testing done in NJ to receive a certificate of occupancy according to new standards for 2025. If you don’t know about this requirement when purchasing a home, try and buy a home with a functioning central air system.
In houses with forced-air heating and cooling systems, ducts are used to distribute conditioned air throughout the house. In a typical house, however, about 20 percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts. The result is higher utility bills and difficulty keeping the house comfortable, no matter how the thermostat is set.
What Is a Duct Leakage Test?
Our homes in New Jersey are equipped with HVAC systems that make the living spaces comfortable for us. Unfortunately, one can have an expensive HVAC but with poor conditioning performance. There is a good chance that the problem is that duct work is leaking air. The air leakage can be a result of a puncture in the metal or flex ducts. When the air escapes the duct work it will reduce the air flow into the structure’s living spaces. Besides the HVAC systems’ poor performance, faulty or puncture ductwork can draw in dust, pollutants, mold, and allergens.
Once those unwanted elements enter the homes venting, they can be dispersed all throughout the living space negatively impacting the indoor air quality. A duct leakage test will depressurize the ductwork and determine how much air is leaking from the vents and the ducts. The certified duct leakage professional will seal all vents to conduct the test. The score for new construction should be less than four CFM (cubic feet per minute) while an older home can be within ten CFM.