Air Tightness Testing

AND VENTILATION TESTING

In order to offer our clients Air Tightness Testing and Ventilation Testing; Dragonfly Consulting have formed a partnership with Northern Air Tightness Testing Services.

Since 2006 all new domestic and commercial buildings are required to be tested for Air Permeability; in order to comply with Part L1 and Part L2 of Building Regulations.

This means that for a dwelling to be deemed as habitable and meet Part L1A of the Building Regulations it needs to achieve the standard of air tightness set at the SAP Design Stage; and be energy efficient. In subsequent amendments to Building Regulations the levels of air tightness have become more stringent as dwelling emission rates have been lowered. This has put a greater emphasis on building more air tight buildings.

Air Tightness Testing is a method of calculating this by quantifying how much air leaks in or out of the building. For this we use the term ‘Air Leakage’ which is defined as ‘the uncontrolled flow of air through gaps and cracks in the building fabric’.

Areas for potential leakage which should be given particular attention during the build process are:

  • Behind Kitchen/Utility units or fitted bedroom or bathroom furniture.
  • Where all walls meet a floor.
  • Around windows and external doors.
  • Around any pipework leading into or out of the building.
  • Around sockets and other electrical points.

In addition to Air Tightness Testing; the 2010 Part F Building Regulations require developers to verify the performance of ventilation in new dwellings. This requires the validation of the measurement of air flow through mechanical extraction systems for every dwelling constructed as well as ensuring that the system has been commissioned correctly.

All site visits and testing will be carried out by a qualified Northern Air Tightness Testing engineer, all of whom are members of the Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association (ATTMA) in addition to having completed the BPEC Domestic Ventilation course. This ensures the consistent quality and accuracy of measurements undertaken to indicate compliance with the Building Regulations.

If you would like more information about our Air Tightness Testing services please contact us to discuss your requirements

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