ScopeReferenced DocumentsTerminologySummary of Test MethodsSignificance and UseApparatusHazardsProcedureFIG. 1 Data Analysis and CalculationsTABLE 1ReportPrecision and BiasKeywordsA1. CALIBRATION OF FLOW MEASUREMENT DEVICEA1.1 A1.2 A1.3 A2. CALIBRATION OF PRESSURE MEASUREMENT DEVICEA2.1 A2.2 A3. ANALYSIS OF PRECISION AND BIAS ERRORSA3.1 A3.2 TABLE A3.1A3.3 A4. EQUATIONS IN INCH-POUND UNITSA4.1 A4.2 A4.3 A4.4 A4.5 A4.6 A4.7 A5. CALCULATION OF DYNAMIC VISCOSITYA5.1 X1. RECOMMENDED PRECISION AND BIASX1.1 X1.2 X2. SAMPLE CALCULATIONSX2.1 X2.2 X2.3 X2.4 TABLE X1.1TABLE X1.2TABLE X2.1Designation: E 1827 – 96 (Reapproved 2007)Standard Test Methods forDetermining Airtightness of Buildings Using an OrificeBlower Door1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1827; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. Asuperscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1. Scope1.1 These test methods describe two techniques for measur-ing air leakage rates through a building envelope in buildingsthat may be configured to a single zone. Both techniques use anorifice blower door to induce pressure differences across thebuilding envelope and to measure those pressure differencesand the resulting airflows. The measurements of pressuredifferences and airflows are used to determine airtightness andother leakage characteristics of the envelope.1.2 These test methods allow testing under depressurizationand pressurization.1.3 These test methods are applicable to small indoor-outdoor temperature differentials and low wind pressure con-ditions; the uncertainty in the measured results increases withincreasing wind speeds and temperature differentials.1.4 These test methods do not measure air change rate undernormal conditions of weather and building operation. Tomeasure air change rate directly, use Test MethodsE 741.1.5 The text of these test methods reference notes andfootnotes that provide explanatory material. These notes andfootnotes, excluding those in tables and figures, shall not beconsidered as requirements of the standard.1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific hazardstatements see Section7.2. Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2E 456 Terminology Relating to Quality and StatisticsE 631 Terminology of Building ConstructionsE 741 Test Method for Determining Air Change in a SingleZone by Means of a Tracer Gas DilutionE 779 Test Method for Determining Air Leakage Rate byFan PressurizationE 1186 Practices for Air Leakage Site Detection in BuildingEnvelopes and Air Barrier SystemsE 1258 Test Method for Airflow Calibration of Fan Pressur-ization Devices2.2 ISO International Standard:3ISO 9972 Thermal Insulation—Determination of BuildingAirtightness—Fan Pressurization Method2.3 Other Standard:3ANSI/ASME PTC 19.1—Part 1, Measurement Uncertainty,Instruments, and Apparatus3. Terminology3.1 Definitions—Refer to TerminologyE 456 for definitionsof accuracy, bias, precision, and uncertainty.3.1.1 ACH50, n—the ratio of the air leakage rate at 50 Pa(0.2 in. H2O), corrected for a standard air density, to thevolume of the test zone (1/h).3.1.2 air leakage rate, Qenv, n—the total volume of airpassing through the test zone envelope per unit of time (m3/s,ft3/min).3.1.3 airtightness, n—the degree to which a test zoneenvelope resists the flow of air.NOTE 1—ACH50, air leakage rate, and effective leakage area areexamples of measures of building airtightness.3.1.4 blower door, n—a fan pressurization device incorpo-rating a controllable fan and instruments for airflow measure-ment and building pressure difference measurement thatmounts securely in a door or other opening.3.1.5 building pressure difference, P, n—the pressure differ-ence across the test zone envelope (Pa, in. H2O).3.1.6 fan airflow rate, Qfan, n—the volume of airflowthrough the blower door per unit of time (m3/s, ft3/min).1These test methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E06 onPerformance of Buildings and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.41on Air Leakage and Ventilation Performance.Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2007. Published August 2007. Originallyapproved in 1996. Last previous edition approved in 2002 as E 1827 – 96 (2002).2For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, orcontact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.1Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.Copyright ASTM International Provided by IHS under license with ASTM Licensee=University of Texas Revised Sub Account/5620001114 Not for Resale, 10/25/2009 11:11:19 MDTNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS--``,,``,`,`,``,```,,`,``,,,```-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---3.1.7 nominal airflow rate, Qnom, n—the flow rate indicatedby the blower door using the manufacturer’s calibrationcoefficients (m3/s, ft3/min).3.1.8 orifice blower door, n—a blower door in whichairflow rate is determined by means of the pressure drop acrossan orifice or nozzle.3.1.9 precision index of the average, n—the sample stan-dard deviation divided by the square root of the number ofsamples.33.1.10 pressure station, n—a specified induced change inthe building pressure difference from the initial zero-flowbuilding pressure difference (Pa, in. H2O).3.1.11 single zone, n—a space in which the pressure differ-ences between any two places, as indicated on a manometer,differ by no more than 2.5 Pa (0.01 in. H2O) during fanpressurization at a building pressure difference of 50 Pa (0.2 in.H2O) and by no more than 5 % of the highest building pressuredifference achieved.NOTE 2—A multiroom space that is interconnected within itself withdoor-sized openings through any partitions or floors is likely to satisfy thiscriterion if the fan airflow rate