Saskatchewan

Blower Door Testing: What It Is and Why It Matters

Blower door testing is a method used to measure how airtight a building is. A temporary fan is installed in an exterior door to pressurize or depressurize the home. Sensors then measure how much air is moving through leaks in the building envelope — providing a clear indication of energy performance, comfort, and building durability.

This test is crucial for meeting energy code requirements, improving indoor air quality, and verifying compliance with energy efficiency programs.

Who Does It?

We do!

Our certified team offers professional blower door testing as part of our energy consulting services. We’ll guide you through the process and help interpret results — including any code or performance implications.

📄 Download the Blower Door Checklist

Choosing Between 3.2 ACH and 2.5 ACH – What’s the Difference?

Under the National Building Code of Canada, buildings can be designed for either:

  • 3.2 ACH @ 50 Pa (air changes per hour) – no test required

  • 2.5 ACH @ 50 Pa – requires a blower door test before occupancy

What Do These Numbers Mean?

  • ACH (Air Changes per Hour) indicates how many times the air in your home is replaced through leaks every hour.

  • At 3.2 ACH, your home is leakier — losing more heat and requiring more energy.

  • At 2.5 ACH, your home is tighter and more efficient — but achieving this requires attention to detail during construction.

Why It Matters:

  • A home modeled at 2.5 ACH but built leakier may fail to meet performance targets or code compliance, triggering costly upgrades.

  • Homes at 3.2 ACH may incur an energy penalty in performance modelling. To compensate, your design may need:

    • Higher insulation levels

    • Better-quality windows

    • More efficient mechanical systems

Our Recommendation (Especially for Saskatchewan Projects):

If you’re not familiar with the air-sealing practices needed to reliably reach 2.5 ACH, we recommend targeting 3.2 ACHand avoiding the risk of failed testing.

However, if you do choose to model at less than 3.2 ACH, be prepared to:

  • Provide detailed vapour barrier and air-sealing details to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)

  • Complete a blower door test to confirm your air-tightness level