Safety Instructions
8
January 2022
BlowerDoor Standard
•
Before connecting the speed controller to the fan, be sure that the toggle switch of the controller
is at zero and that the control knob is turned completely to the left (counterclockwise).
•
The operator should wear hearing protection when in close proximity to the fan operating at high
speed.
•
In order to prevent the generation of excess building pressure, start each BlowerDoor
measurement with a small ring, typically a C-ring.
•
During an airtightness test, the building envelope and the BlowerDoor mounting frame experience
a force of up to 5 kg/m
2
. In order to withstand this force, the mounting frame must be installed
properly; otherwise it may pop out of the door opening. The mounting frame must be reinstalled if
the pressure loosens it. Once properly installed, the mounting frame can easily withstand
pressures of up to 100 Pa.
•
Keep the area around the fan clear of obstacles. Maintain a clearance of 1 to 2 meters around the
fan so that nothing obstructs the air flow into and out of the fan. Also keep at least 30 cm free to
the sides of the fan air intake. The operator should stand to the side of the fan rather than directly
in front of it in order to prevent obstructions to air flow.
•
Open flames in boilers, fireplaces, and furnaces must be extinguished before starting the test. Any
open flame during the test is a potential fire hazard. Additionally, the fan could suck smoke or
other by-products of the flame into the building, creating a safety hazard. Fireplaces that share a
chimney with the area being tested may not be in operation during the test.
•
Equipment safety measures may be compromised if the BlowerDoor system is used in a manner
other than recommended in this document, and the BlowerDoor system operation manual.
