Leak test For this purpose, the building’s airtight exterior envelope (floor, walls, roof) must be complete, doors and windows must be installed, and all penetrations must be in place and sealed (ventilation ducts, range hood, fireplace and sauna stove flues, water and sewer lines, central vacuum system exhaust pipe, floor penetration pipes such as protective sleeves for electrical supply or geothermal heating pipes, etc.).
The measurement can be taken even if one door has not yet been installed or if a temporary door is in place. In this case, the door opening must be less than 1 meter wide and must have door frames or a frame to which the measurement door frame can be attached.
If the garage is attached to the house, its exterior door must be installed.
It is a good idea to leave the air/vapor barrier exposed so that any leaks that may be found can still be easily repaired. However, this is not essential.
The ventilation unit does not need to be installed. It is easier to perform the measurement before the ventilation unit is installed.
The following installations must be completed before the measurement:
Exterior doors and windows
- The joints between window and door frames and the exterior wall are sealed with urethane, tape, weatherstripping, or a suitable sealant.
- The door thresholds have been sealed.
Base
- Pipe penetrations sealed to the floor with urethane or a suitable sealant.
- The joint between the floor slab and the wall has been sealed. (A recommended but not mandatory practice is to cut a groove into the surface of the concrete and then apply a suitable sealant to the joint between the wall and the floor slab.)
Roof
- The roof air barrier (air barrier paper, vapor barrier film, or urethane panels) is sealed along all seams to ensure a tight seal and is connected airtight to the exterior wall air barrier.
- The roof joists have been installed. The measurement is performed under high vacuum, which may damage the air barrier of an unfinished roof.
- Pipe penetrations are sealed with collars and vapor barrier tape to the roof's air barrier.
- The fireplace flue is sealed to the roof's air barrier.
Walls
- The air barrier in the walls has been sealed throughout.
- Penetrations through the exterior wall (fresh air duct for the HVAC unit, exhaust pipe for the central vacuum cleaner, electrical conduits, etc.) are sealed with urethane or a suitable sealant.
Other
- Block walls and chimneys have been smoothed out completely on the inside (including the walls of the basement and utility room). Air leaks through uncoated block walls and chimneys, which can affect the accuracy of the measurement.
- Ensure that the air barrier of the exterior envelope is continuous at the washrooms, sauna, and utility room. The waterproofing must be installed and tightly integrated with the air barrier of the exterior envelope.
- Temporary construction-related penetrations and any other holes in the exterior envelope have been sealed.
- Standard AC power is available in the building.
- In the case of semi-detached houses, the penetrations between the units must also be sealed.
- For buildings with two or more floors: There must be a ladder between the floors, as the inspector must be able to access all floors from inside the building.
- Roof safety equipment must be in place, as the inspector may need to seal the chimney or ventilation ducts on the roof.
Before the measurement:
- Close the windows and doors carefully
- Do not heat the fireplace for about 24 hours before the measurement, as the inspector will seal the flue using either tape or a rubber sealing ball.
- Turn on the heater about 24 hours before the measurement if the house is cold. The goal is to create a temperature difference between the indoor and outdoor air so that leaks can be located using a thermal camera.
- To locate leaks, move construction materials, furniture, or other loose items about one meter away from exterior walls
- Make sure there is sufficient general lighting in the building so that measurements can be taken properly on site
During the measurement:
- Please allow 3–4 hours for the measurement. You can spend most of that time doing other work.
- It’s a good idea to have a carpenter on site who can make the necessary repairs.
Did you remember to make sure the concrete is dry enough before you start paving?