ASTM_E_1186_-_03_2009.pdf

Designation:E118603(Reapproved 2009)Standard Practices forAir Leakage Site Detection in Building Envelopes and AirBarrier Systems1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1186;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 These practices cover standardized techniques for locat-ing air leakage sites in building envelopes and air barriersystems.1.2 These practices offer a choice of means for determiningthe location of air leakage sites with each offering certainadvantages for specific applications.1.3 Some of the practices require a knowledge of infraredscanning,building and test chamber pressurization anddepressurization,smoke generation techniques,sound genera-tion and detection,and tracer gas concentration measurementtechniques.1.4 The practices described are of a qualitative nature indetermining the air leakage sites rather than determiningquantitative leakage rates.1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.For specific hazardstatements,see Section 6.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2E631 Terminology of Building ConstructionsE741 Test Method for Determining Air Change in a SingleZone by Means of a Tracer Gas DilutionE779 Test Method for DeterminingAir Leakage Rate by FanPressurization2.2 Other Standards:3ANSI-ASHRAE Standard 101 Application of Infrared Sens-ing Devices to the Assessment of Building Heat LossCharacteristicsISO Standard 6781 Thermal InsulationQualitative Detec-tion of Thermal Irregularities in Building EnvelopesInfrared Method3.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 air barrier system,na system in building construc-tion that is designed and installed to reduce air leakage eitherinto or through the building envelope.3.1.2 air exfiltration,nair leakage out of the building.3.1.3 air infiltration,nair leakage into the building.3.1.4 air leakage rate,nthe volume of air movement perunit time across the building envelope or air barrier system,including flow through joints,cracks,and porous surfaces,orcombinations thereof,in which the driving force for such airleakage in buildings is either mechanical pressurization orevacuation,natural wind pressures,or air temperature differ-ences between the building interior and the outdoors,orcombinations thereof.3.1.5 air leakage site,na location on the building enve-lope or air barrier system where air can move between thebuilding interior and the outdoors.3.1.6 building system,nthe boundary or barrier separatingthe interior volume of a building from the outside environment.3.1.6.1 DiscussionFor the purpose of these practices,theinterior volume is the deliberately conditioned space within abuilding generally not including the attic space,basementspace,and attached structures,unless such spaces are con-nected to the heating and air conditioning system,such as acrawl space plenum.The actual building envelope may extendbeyond these boundaries because of ducting or other construc-tion features.3.1.7 test specimen,nthe part of the air barrier system onthe building to be tested that may consist of the selected areas1These practices are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E06 onPerformance of Buildings and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.41on Air Leakage and Ventilation Performance.Current edition approved April 15,2009.Published June 2009.Originallyapproved in 1987.Last previous edition approved in 2003 as E1186 03.DOI:10.1520/E1186-03R09.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3Available from American National Standards Institute(ANSI),25 W.43rd St.,4th Floor,New York,NY 10036,http:/www.ansi.org.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 of materials comprising the principle resistance to airflow,joints between such materials and joints between the materialsand structural,mechanical,or other penetrations through suchmaterials,and excludes any material which does not form anintegral part of the air barrier system.3.2 For other definitions,see Terminology E631.4.Summary of Practice4.1 This standard presents the following seven practices fordetecting air leakage sites in building envelopes:4.1.1 Combined building depressurization(or pressuriza-tion)and infrared sca