Here at New Build Air Testing we have many years of experience of testing domestic and small commercial buildings. We can guide you through the process and help you pass the test, first time, with minimum fuss and expense. Part L of the UK Building Regulations (Conservation of Fuel & Power) mandates that air pressure testing be carried out on most new buildings.
Please see our FAQ section below where explain more about why testing is required and what is involved. You are very welcome to call us or email us if you need any other advice. We have also produced a pre-test checklist for your reference. Making sure the items on this checklist are in place will give you the best chance of passing the test.
Download
An air tightness test, or air leakage test as it is also known, is a test carried out to establish the air tightness of a building. Air tightness affects energy efficiency and therefore affects energy costs and carbon emissions. We hope you find the following information useful but please feel free to call us if you have any other questions.
All new build homes need to reach a certain level of energy efficiency in compliance with Building Regulations. One of the ways that the energy efficiency is determined is air tightness. Your building inspector will require an air test certificate before they can sign off the building as complete. A heating system will have to work harder to heat a building if the warm air can escape too quickly, resulting in higher bills and unhappy occupants.
A qualified and registered tester will attend the home with UKAS calibrated testing equipment. Firstly, they will make sure that all the windows are properly shut, and vents sealed with removable tape. An expandable metal frame is fitted into the front door aperture and in turn an electric fan is fitted into the frame. The fan blows air out of the house to depressurise it to a set level. Using a manometer, the tester can determine the air tightness by calculating the fan speed, air pressure and dimensions of the building. The process usually takes less than 1 hour, makes no mess and causes minimum disruption.
You should not attempt to have the building tested until it’s ready to move into. Unfinished plastering, decorating, plumbing and electrics can all cause air leakage. Please see our pre-test check list for more information.
We’ll need to see your architect’s drawings so that we can accurately calculate the dimensions of the building. It’s easier for us to do these calculations at the office before we attend so we ask that you send the drawings by email in advance. We’ll also need to know the air tightness target or ‘design air permeability’ which can be found in your SAP calculations (energy assessment). This figure is usually 5.00m³ (h.m²) @ 50pa but can vary depending on type of construction and specification.
With masonry construction, the quality of the dot and dab dry lining is key to getting good air tightness. As the blockwork is porous, air will get behind the plasterboard and come out between the floor and skirting unless a continuous ribbon of adhesive is applied to the perimeter of the boards. If this has not been done it will be necessary to seal the skirting to the floor with mastic. Timber frame buildings don’t have this problem and therefore tend to perform a bit better in terms of air tightness. The other main area to consider is where service pipes, ducts or cables pass through the walls, floors or ceiling. Any gaps around the outside of these services must be sealed with foam or mastic before being boxed in or covered by the bath panel for example. Please see our pre-test checklist for more info.
Please contact us for a quote but typically a single dwelling costs under £200+VAT. Substantial discounts are available for larger developments. Send us your drawings via email and we’ll come back to you with our proposal.
Typically, we can attend within one week, often we can attend quicker if your test is urgent. Please call us for the latest availability.
Speak to the professionals at New Build Air Testing
