Duct Testing

TECH
BRIEF

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? from an attic, a crawl space, or combustion

air from a gas furnace, clothes dryer, stove,
Studies indicate that 10%-30% of the heated
or water heater. If the supply duct system
or cooled air is lost—along with the money
is leaking, the building can become
spent to heat or cool that air—through leaky
depressurized, and air from outside may be
ducts. Properly sized, installed, and sealed
drawn in to the ducting and distributed into
ductwork will make your heating and cooling
The ducts that are part of central the building. Either situation may decrease
systems significantly more efficient. Energy
the quality of the indoor air. Research
heating and cooling systems offer loss is not the only concern. Duct systems
performed in the last 10 to 15 years has
can also involve the comfort of your family,
one of the best opportunities to established these facts, and steadily
employees, tenants, or customers, as well as
increase your energy efficiency, increasing numbers of qualified HVAC
your indoor air quality. Testing the ducts will
contractors are learning how to eliminate
increase your comfort, and manage locate leaks or damage and focus repair work
duct leakage.
in the right areas.
your energy bills. How do you know if your duct system is in
A properly operating heating, ventilation, and
good condition? The most reliable and
air conditioning (HVAC) system will help
cost-effective way to find out is to have a
reduce overall energy use—especially during
duct test performed by a qualified contractor
hot summer days when air conditioners are
or technician using the proper test equipment.
working harder and putting a strain on the
Duct testing is the process of using calibrated
electric system—and will deliver greater
mechanical equipment to measure the
comfort and cleaner air to every room.
amount of airflow that is lost through the
duct system when it is at normal operating
YOUR DUCT SYSTEM
pressure. While some joints or seams may
In most residential and small commercial have only small leaks, other sections may
central heating and cooling systems, the be completely disconnected. Duct testing
conditioned (heated or cooled) air is delivered can indicate the relative leakiness of the ducts
to each room through supply ducts and and help determine whether the duct system
returned through the return duct to the furnace should be sealed, repaired, or renovated.
or air conditioner. The condition of both
sections of this ductwork is vital to the overall
efficiency of your heating and cooling system.
What can go wrong? In some buildings,
air escapes through poorly connected,
disconnected, or deteriorated ducts, which
can result in little conditioned air actually
reaching your living or work space, leaving
the area too warm or too cold. If the return
duct system is leaky, it could be drawing in
outside, stale, or polluted air and distributing
it throughout the building; this air could come
 WHEN TO TEST TESTING METHODS
AND EQUIPMENT
Duct testing is strongly recommended when a
new heating and/or air conditioning unit is There are two main methods of testing.
being installed. If the existing duct system is The pressurization subtraction method utilizes
Duct testing can be performed at leaky and inefficient before the new unit is a pressurization unit (i.e. a high-powered fan
installed, it will still be leaky and inefficient set up in a doorway and connected to
any time, however, whether or not
after the new unit is installed—unless the pressure gauges) to pressurize first the
new energy efficiency equipment ducts are tested and sealed by a qualified entire space that is heated and/or cooled
contractor. It does not make sense to install and then the same space with the duct
is being installed.
a new, energy-efficient heating and/or air system blocked off. This method is less
conditioning unit unless the duct system is accurate than the duct testing method.
also energy efficient.
The duct testing method uses a calibrated
Duct testing is also recommended when a fan that gently pressurizes the ducts and
diagnostic tune-up is performed on a heating measures the airflow through the ducts to
and air conditioning unit. A diagnostic tune-up indicate total leakage. The duct tester
can improve the operating efficiency of the consists of a portable fan with calibrated
heating or air conditioning unit itself, but digital pressure gauges that is connected at
the overall efficiency will still be less than the blower compartment of the air handler,
adequate if the duct system is not in good or attached to the main return grill. All of
condition. A duct test is necessary to the duct registers and grills are temporarily
determine leaks, needed repairs, and/or sealed, and the duct tester fan is turned on
renovations. to pressurize the system. The fan pressure
is read from the gauges and converted to an
Duct testing can be performed at any time,
equivalent duct leakage rate in cubic feet per
however, whether or not new energy
minute (cfm). If the amount of air loss falls
efficiency equipment is being installed.
outside acceptable limits, sealing will be
It is not unusual to find that sealing,
required to correct the condition. This
repair, or renovation must be
method of testing is preferred, because
performed to complement a
it measures low airflow accurately, and
comprehensive HVAC installation.
simulates what takes place under normal
operating conditions.
TESTING PROCEDURE WHAT TO DO WITH THE RESULTS
DUCT PROBLEMS
What should you expect when a contractor If the test indicates the leakage is greater
performs a duct test at your home or than acceptable, the ducts should be
business? The test should take about an sealed, repaired, or renovated (replaced).
hour from initial setup to completion. The threshold is set by the October 2005
You may be present while the test is being Title 24 Building Code, which requires
conducted, although the heating and air duct leakage to be reduced by 15% of the
conditioning system must be shut off during pre-work leakage found. In every case the
testing. A properly conducted test will not closer to zero leakage attained, the better
damage your heating or air conditioning your duct system will perform.
system or your building. Ripped
Sealing
The contractor will have to attach the duct Duct sealing involves following established
Outer Cover
tester to the blower compartment of the air procedures and applying approved materials
handler or the main return grill using to seal air leaks. Locations where sealing is
Peeling
masking tape. Next the supply registers typically performed include the supply and
and any remaining return grills must be return plenums (which are connected to the
Duct
taped closed. After the duct system is furnace cabinet), starting collars (where ducts Tape
temporarily sealed, the duct tester fan will are connected to the plenums), fittings in the
be turned on to pressurize the duct system duct runs (Ys, where ducts branch off, and
to a predetermined level (usually 25 Pascals, elbows), splices within the duct run, and
which is 0.1 inches of water column), and the terminations where the ducts connect to the No Drawband
contractor will adjust the gauges until the supply registers. The most important leakage
pressure level is stabilized. The contractor areas are in the supply and return plenums,
then records the fan pressure and converts because these areas are closest to the air
this to a fan flow in cubic feet per minute. handler and under the highest pressures
The results will show how leaky your duct when the system is operating.
system is and help you and your contractor
All sealing must be performed according Uncertain
decide whether sealing or repair work
to Title 24 building codes and any related R-Value
is necessary.
energy efficiency program standards. These
codes and standards address the type of
mastic sealant, pressure sensitive tape, and
drawbands used to correctly seal duct
systems. Your contractor should be familiar
Exposed Metal
with and follow the standards and codes for
duct sealing. The proper materials are
becoming more available, and “good
Unlabeled
old- fashioned cloth duct tape” should Duct Tape
never be substituted. The proper tape used
for duct sealing will have a “UL 181” marking
or label on the outside surface of the tape,
and the proper duct mastic sealant will have
a UL 181 label on the product container.
 Repair For more information about energy efficiency
Duct system repair involves reconnecting and other PG&E energy management
parts that have become separated, and solutions visit our Web site at pge.com
replacing or repairing any damaged or
Related Fact Sheets:
missing component parts, which could
include flexible metallic and non-metallic • A Whole-System Approach to
“plastic flex” ducts, rigid metal ducts, sheet Heating and Cooling
metal duct components, duct supports, • Heating
register boots, and registers.
• Cooling
Renovation • Heat Pump
Duct renovation should be performed if the
• What Is HVAC System Sizing?
duct system is in poor condition or improperly
sized. Renovation involves replacing a • Air Conditioner Refrigerant
significant portion of the ductwork, either to Charge and Airflow
restore it to proper operation or to increase • Buying a Central Air Conditioner?
the capacity of the return air ducting. Some Ask for a TXV!
systems have return ducts that are too small,
• Buying an Air Conditioner?
causing whistling filters, noisy ducts, and
Remember the EER!
reduced energy efficiency. If size is not the
problem, often only a portion of the ductwork Residential customers call our
needs replacement. But if the entire duct Smarter Energy Line at 800-933-9555.
system needs to be replaced, your contractor Business customers call our Business
must correctly size the ducts and registers to Customer Service Center at 800-468-4743.
ensure that the new ductwork will provide the
OPTIMIZING THE ENERGY most comfort and greatest energy efficiency.

EFFICIENCY OF YOUR

VENTILATION SYSTEM

REDUCES YOUR ENERGY

COSTS AND BENEFITS THE

ENVIRONMENT BY CONSERVING

OUR NATURAL RESOURCES

AND REDUCING AIR EMISSIONS.

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These offerings are funded By California utility customers and administered by PG&E under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission.

© 2006 Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Rev. October 2007 C-1304