Preparing properly for a blower door test ensures accurate results and helps avoid delays—especially when testing is required for HERS Ratings, Stretch Code compliance, or energy-efficiency incentives.
This guide walks you through how to prepare your home and what will happen during the test.
Before the Test: How to Prepare
Homeowners and builders should:
- Ensure exterior doors and windows are closed
- Make interior doors accessible
- Shut off wood stoves and fireplaces
- Seal intentional openings (bath fans, range hoods, dryer vents)
- Provide access to mechanical spaces
- Turn off combustion appliances if required
Learn more about blower door testing basics:
What Is a Blower Door Test?
What Happens During the Test
Energy Geeks will:
- Install a blower door frame and fan
- Depressurize the home to –50 Pascals
- Measure leakage rates (ACH50 and CFM50)
- Identify major leakage points
- Record and verify test results
- Integrate findings into the HERS model if applicable
See how this testing fits into certification:
The HERS Rating Process
After the Test: What You Receive
You will receive:
- A certified blower door report
- ACH50 and CFM50 results
- Recommendations for improvement opportunities
- Guidance for meeting MA & RI code requirements
Learn more about compliance thresholds:
Blower Door Testing for Code Compliance
