Air Leakage/Barrier Review - ABAA Auditing

An air barrier is critical to limiting air transport pathways (infiltration) into the building walls, resulting in high infiltration loads on HVAC equipment. Moisture laden air infiltrating into the building through walls, roofs and floors will result in additional cooling and heating loads, which result in increased cost of energy to maintain acceptable indoor air conditions. In addition, air movement in walls and roofs can result in envelope degradation and increased risk of mold growth. Minimizing the air movement through the building envelope components reduces the cost of HVAC equipment and operation. Some building sheathing materials are air barriers; many commonly used materials are not. Most wall and roof components require an additional membrane to become an air barrier. Many commonly used materials including uncoated concrete block (CMU), plain and asphalt impregnated fiberboard, expanded polystyrene, batt and semi-rigid fibrous insulation, perforated house-wraps, asphalt impregnated felt, 15 or 30 lb., tongue-and-groove planks, vermiculite insulation, cellulose spray-on insulation, untreated gypsum exterior sheathing, and rigid fibrous boards are not air barriers.

During construction of a building where the ABAA has a participatory role, an auditor from ABAA observes and tests the air barrier membrane (prior to completion of the wall) to help the contractor maintain a high quality membrane and to allow for corrections to the application while the air barrier is still visible and able to be repaired easily. A well-insulated air barrier system is crucial to meeting the requirements of an energy efficient building.

Similar testing and observations are recommended for all buildings, even if ABAA is not a participant in the assembly of the air barrier.

Adhesion testing of self-adhered transition strip on CMU wall

CMU wall with liquid applied air barrier membrane applied to exterior side of CMU block

Energy Analysis

TBS provides full energy audit services that can predict energy consumption for future buildings, evaluate current energy consumption efficiency, and identify likely savings potential.

Blower Door Testing
Infrared Thermal Imaging
Data Logging, Temperature, RH, CO2, CO
Infiltration Smoke Testing

Our audits can identify the energy a building should be using compared to the energy you are using to identify unnecessary or unexpected energy losses or consumption.

Water Intrusion / Leakage

TBS provides water intrusion testing on building wall, foundation, floor, and roof assemblies and components including window and door openings, skylights, louvers, and utility penetration through the walls utilizing ASTM test methods, adapted for field conditions where necessary.

Figure 1: Water leakage through window opening in wall.

Figure 2: Water leaking into a cavity from failed flashing at door opening.

Figure 3: Water leaking into a cavity from failed door opening flashing.

Soil Vapor/Brownfield

Many modern day renovations occur in facilities that were once industrial manufacturing structures. These renovations include rehabbing existing manufacturing facilities for use as offices, retail stores and living areas, as well as other non-manufacturing uses. Many of these facilities are sitting above potentially toxic and carcinogenetic plumes of contaminated groundwater or VOC-laced soil vapors trapped in the vadose zone under buildings. We are experts at performing diagnostics evaluations to aid in the design of active mitigation systems. Our design sevices also include airflow modeling around buildings to locate ideal discharge points to limit the potential for entrainment of mitigation system discharges into the building air inlet openings.

Figure 1: Sub slab diagnostics measuring vadose zone communication.

Air Flow Modeling

Our in-house airflow modeling services may be required for a diverse number of applications such as:

Determining Pressure Differentials

Verifying Air Leakage

Diagnosing Unbalanced Ventilation

Aiding in the Design of Containment Pathways