1 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Zone Pressure Diagnostics WEATHERIZATION ENERGY AUDITOR SINGLE FAMILY WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012

2 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov By attending this session, participants will be able to: Demonstrate the strengths and limitations of zone pressure diagnostics (ZPD). Assess when to use zone pressure diagnostics. Demonstrate the use of ZPD charts. Learning Objectives ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

3 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Zone Pressure Diagnostics #1 Conduct zone pressure diagnostics and interpret results to determine: Location and effectiveness of the air barrier. Alignment of air barrier and thermal boundary. Leakage between zones. Photo courtesy of PA Weatherization Training Center Photos courtesy of PA WTC ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

4 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Necessary Equipment Photos courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

5 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Practical Applications Determine relative leakiness. Prioritize air sealing activities. Evaluate completed air sealing measures. ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

6 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Pressure house to attic = 37Pa Pressure attic to exterior must be 13Pa (50Pa – 37Pa = 13Pa) Q: What does this tell us? 1850 CFM50 50Pa 37Pa ? Pa ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Relative Leakiness Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

7 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Ratio of Pressure to Leakage Zone Pressures Relative Size of Leaks Zone-HouseZone-Out Zone-HouseZone-Out /21 1/31 1/41 1/81 1/131 TO ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

8 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Probing Cavities What if we stick a probe into the first floor ceiling cavity and read 41Pa? Let’s put a probe into the cellar. What does 25Pa mean? 50Pa37Pa 25Pa 41Pa ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

9 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Changing Pressures If we open the cellar door to the house and put a probe into the attic we might find the attic 37Pa has dropped to 25Pa. 50Pa25Pa 0Pa The pressure between the house and basement will now be zero. Why? ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

10 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Simple Zone Pressure Diagnostics #1 Pressure difference of attic with reference to the house should be close to -50 Pa. Blower Door ΔP = -50 Pa ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

11 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Simple Zone Pressure Diagnostics #2 ΔP = 0 Pa Pressure difference of interior wall with reference to the house should be close to 0 Pa. Blower Door ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

12 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Where Is the Air Barrier? #1 Cape Cod 1½ Story House ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

13 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Where Is the Air Barrier? #2 Pressure difference of the floor cavity with reference to the house should be 0 Pa. But, is it? 48 ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

14 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Two-story balloon-framed house with one-story addition and unheated porch over unconditioned basement Where Is the Air Barrier? #3 Unsealed/Uninsulated ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

15 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Where Is the Air Barrier? #4 Air-sealed/Insulated with air barrier and insulation in alignment Sealed/Insulated ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

16 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Can We Size The Holes? 50Pa25Pa 0Pa Pressure is gradually reduced by each layer of wall or ceiling between inside and outside. Collecting CFM 50 and pressure across each configuration lets us calculate hole size in each surface. ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

17 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov 1850 CFM50 50Pa 2200 CFM50 25Pa 50Pa 0Pa 50Pa Basement door closed Basement door open ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Here is what we know Graphics developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

18 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Open A Door – Zone To Main Body 25Pa sq” sq” CFM50 ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

19 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov What Do The Results Mean? H/Z 350 x 2.76 = 966 CFM 50 = 96.6 sq” of hole in the floor Z/O 350 x 2.76 = 966 CFM 50 = 96.6 sq” hole in basement walls T/P 350 x 1.76 = 616 CFM 50 is attributable to the path 50Pa ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

20 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Open A Door – Zone To Outside ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

21 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov At 1850 CFM 50, house to attic pressure = 37Pa. Open attic hatch enough to create at least 6Pa change. Bring the blower door back to 50Pa. CFM 50 is now 2500 House to attic press ure is now 20Pa. 50Pa 20Pa ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS No Door on the Zone? Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

22 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Flow Method: Hole – Zone To House #1 ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

23 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Flow Method: Hole – Zone To House # Pa Pa ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

24 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Flow Method: Hole – Zone To Outside ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

25 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Of 1850 CFM 50 : Through attic ≈ 900 Through basement ≈ 600 Walls (remainder) ≈ Pa ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS What Did We Learn Overall? Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

26 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov How about a garage? Any space that will accept a probe can be checked for pressure. ZPD requires being able to change the pressure over the surface to determine hole size. 48Pa50Pa 2Pa ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS Checking Air Sealing Graphic developed for the U.S. DOE WAP Standardized Curricula

27 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Not great for excessively leaky buildings Requires being able to change the pressure over the tested surface to determine hole size Not great in windy conditions Time consuming Limitations ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

28 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Practice!

29 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Open A Door – Zone To Main Body 40Pa ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

30 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Open A Door – Zone To Main Body 40Pa sq” sq” CFM50 ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

31 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Flow Method: Hole – Zone To House Pa Pa 650 ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

32 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Flow Method: Hole – Zone To House Pa Pa ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS

33 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov ZPD can help you determine the relative leakiness of a home, prioritize air sealing activities, and evaluate completed air sealing measures. ZPD requires a computer or charts to do the calculations. The calculations can be time consuming, so use ZPD only when needed to prioritize or verify critical air sealing activities. ZPD does not work well in extremely leaky homes or when it’s very windy. ZPD requires being able to change the pressure over the tested surface to determine hole size. Summary ZONE PRESSURE DIAGNOSTICS