Top Tips for Passing an Air Tightness Test
Passing an air tightness test is something all developers and property owners want to
achieve. It’s a legal requirement for many homes, commercial premises and public buildings,and failing it can be costly and time-consuming to rectify.
As specialists in air leakage testing who operate in Kent, Essex, London and East Anglia, CPS Leakage is well placed to advise on the steps that can be carried out to give yourself the best possible chance of passing. Here are a few simple areas to look out for.
Seal the Skirting Boards
If the plasterboard is not sealed to the floor and skirting is fitted with an expansion gap at its base, then air can pass under the skirting and up the back of the plasterboard. It can then permeate porous blockwork or leak into the cavity around window and door reveals. Extra care should be taken with kitchen units as these may not have skirting fitted and so where the plasterboard doesn’t meet the floor is exposed and is a larger leakage path.
Watch the Walls…
Any penetration of the property’s external walls can cause a problem on an air leakage test. Toilet pipework and boiler flues which have not been properly sealed up are both common problems on an air tightness test.…and the Windows and Doors
Make sure that all windows and doors, particularly external ones, are properly fitted. All sealings need to be high-quality and secure, particularly in the case of sliding sash windows, which can cause more problems than the conventional alternatives. Another type of door which can cause a problem is a trapdoor into the loft. Air leakage can occur between the ceiling and a cold roof loft, so make sure the trapdoor is airtight. The roof is another potential source of problems if any boxing round the soil stack pipe – where it runs into the roof void – is not properly sealed.
Check Plasterboards
Many properties have plasterboard attached to walls by the so-called ‘dot and dab’ method of applying adhesive. However, the adhesive does not always provide a good enough air seal. A solid line of adhesive, or using a parge coat on the block wall helps. All penetrations made to the plasterboard, for services, need to be sealed once made and the service fitting complete.
Ensure Fittings are Ready to Use
All the plumbing and electrical fittings in properties which are about to be air tested need to be ‘at final fit’. This means that all plug sockets and light fittings are complete, screwed into place and sealed where necessary.
With the plumbing, all the fittings need to be fully operational, and any traps – whether for toilets or swimming pools – are filled with water.
Air Leakage Testing by CPS Leakage
CPS Leakage carry out air leakage testing on domestic and commercial properties in Kent, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and London. We offer an air leakage consultancy service which will help identify any issues ahead of the final air test, and we can also visit the site two to three weeks before testing takes place to check for any potential problems. This will allow you plenty of time to carry out any remedial work.
We also offer thermal imaging and acoustic testing. If you would like to know more about our services, follow this link and fill in the online form, or call us on 01473 890135.