Thermal imaging is a revolutionary technique that allows home and business owners to assess the location and severity of any HVAC energy leaks, and thus to improve the efficiency of their heating and cooling systems. A blower door is a key component in the thermal imaging process. If you would like to learn more about the specific methods by which thermal imaging is achieved, read on. This article will provide a useful introduction to the role of the blower door.
Thermal Imaging In A Nutshell
Thermal imaging involves the use of an infrared camera to detect areas where energy leaks are occurring between the interior and exterior of a home. This works by assigning colors to different temperatures. Incongruous color patterns are correlated with places where heat is escaping either into or out of the house. Yet it can still be difficult to detect such leaks, as the pressure generated by the HVAC system often acts to conceal places where air is coming in from outside.
The Blower Door
The purpose of the blower door is to help depressurize the inside of the house. This allows air from outside to more easily penetrate places where the insulation is insufficient, damaged, or altogether absent. Increasing the air flow in such areas allows them to be identified and addressed much more effectively by means of thermal imaging. Blower doors, therefore, are an important tool in ensuring an air tight home.
What A Blower Door Consists Of
A blower door consists of two principle components. First, there is a flexible panel of airtight material. This panel, often housed in a rigid frame, is used to temporarily block off an exterior doorway. Attached to the blower door's panel is a high-power fan, used to blow air out of the home, thus reducing the pressure inside. A blower door set-up will also include multiple pressure gauges, which are used to help determine when the pressure differential between inside and outside has reached the ideal level.
Tips For The Use Of A Blower Door
In order for a blower door to effectively depressurize your home and make thermal imaging more effective, there are a few things you will need to do to ready your home. First of all, you must make sure that all of your windows and exterior doors are tightly closed. Interior doors should be left open, so that all rooms can be equally depressurized.
Likewise, you will need to turn off any heating equipment, including your central HVAC system. Any fires in woodstoves or fireplaces should be put out, and any heat-generating appliances such as dryers and dishwashers should be shut down. Only then is the blower fan turned on. Once the pressure differential has reached 50 Pascals, a thorough evaluation is made using thermal imaging equipment. For more information, contact companies like Universal Enterprises Inc.
