Blower door testing helps us understand where structures leak and is the first step toward building tighter, more energy-efficient homes.
What is a blower door test?
The purpose of Blower Door Testing is to measure the air tightness of a home and check for air leakage. A blower door is a powerful fan that mounts into the frame of an exterior door. The fan pulls air out of the house, lowering the air pressure inside. The higher outside air pressure then flows in through all unsealed cracks and openings.
Image courtesy of energy.gov/.
These are some reasons for establishing the proper building tightness:
Reducing energy consumption from excess air leakage
Avoiding moisture condensation problems
Avoiding uncomfortable drafts caused by cold or warm air leaking in from outside
Controlling outdoor contaminants, pests, and odors from entering your home.
Determining proper sizing and airflow requirements of heating and cooling equipment.
Determining whether mechanical ventilation is needed to provide acceptable fresh air and maintain indoor air quality in your home.
Determine the air infiltration rate
While the blower test is being conducted, our insulation specialist may use an infrared camera to look at the walls, ceilings, and floors. Moreover, this test finds specific locations where insulation is missing and air is leaking.
Preparing for a blower door test
Our experienced insulation specialist performs the blower door test. This includes a walk-through of your home, setting up the blower door, and conducting the test. The following steps will help prepare your home for a blower door test:
Plan to do a walk-through of your home with the specialist. Be prepared to point out areas that you know are drafty or difficult to condition comfortably.
Expect the specialist to request access to all areas of your home including closets, built-in cabinets, attics, crawl spaces, and any unused rooms.
The specialist will need to close all exterior doors and windows, open all interior doors, and close any fireplace dampers, doors, and woodstove air inlets.
If you heat with wood, be sure all fires are completely out – not even coals – before the specialist arrives. Remove any ashes from open fireplaces.
Expect the specialist to set controls on all atmospheric fossil fuel appliances (e.g., furnace, water heater, fireplaces, and stoves) to ensure that they do not fire during the test. The specialist should return them to the original position after the test.
Expect the test to take up to an hour or more, depending on the complexity of your home.
The Green Cocoon offers custom, cost-effective solutions to make your home or office building more comfortable. Additionally, this saves you money on your energy bills. Our troubleshooting and diagnostic skills separate us from the pack! For more information, contact us
Earth Day 2022 was April 22nd and The Green Cocoon team celebrated in style! Our VP Candace Lord joined Insulation Specialist Meaghan Stewart to clean up their local community. Joined by Jeff Dick and Ben Vestal of Nexamp, a solar energy company, they brought their dogs, trash pickers, and trash bags and started picking! Watch our video on YouTube!
About Earth Day
Earth Day started in 1970 to raise awareness of and institute policy change for pollution. Of course, EARTHDAY.ORG growing out of the first Earth Day, was a natural progression. EARTHDAY.ORG is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in over 192 countries to drive positive action for our planet. The mission of EARTHDAY.ORG is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide.
“We are thrilled to be involved with Earth Day,” said Lord. “We are just trying to do our part to keep the community clean.”
Keeping the “Green” in Green Cocoon
Helping to celebrate Earth Day goes hand-in-hand with The Green Cocoon’s efforts to make little to no negative impact on the environment. Furthermore, we do this with our work and the products we offer and use. Our business is hinged on honesty, transparency, and trust. Moreover, we want you to feel comfortable throughout the entire process, from initial conversations through implementation and beyond.
Visitors to The Green Cocoon’s website may have noticed a new bright green bubble on the left-hand side of their screens. Announcing our “Live Chat,” which is a new way to reach us. And, when you see that statement, we are online and happy to help!
Say Hi to Kate
If you missed the green bubble, just look in the lower, right-hand corner of the page. You will see a smiling face. That is Kate, our Chat Representative. We are thrilled to be able to connect with our customers in a new way, in real time, to answer some of their questions immediately.
Live Chat a Natural Progression
Adding Live Chat was a natural progression in our customer care, and we are part of a larger trend. In an informal survey of a variety of business web sites, the option to chat live is prevalent. Statistics show that consumers across the Internet find chat a valuable resource when they are choosing a company.
According to Forrester’s Consumer Technographics®, 42% of U.S. online adults said that it was important for companies to offer live online chat on their websites. That is up significantly from 27% in 2019. And, research has shown that live chat can improve conversion rates, meaning more sales.
“I believe that businesses need to be aware of the ways their customers prefer to engage,” said Jim Materkowski, President of The Green Cocoon. “And then they need to be willing to offer those various avenues of communication. For us, we started to noticed an increase of phone calls from website visitors who had simple questions or inquiries. As I put myself in those customers’ shoes, I knew my preference would be to click to chat for a quick answer. If that option was available to me, I’d rather chat than have to call in.”
The 2022 Best of BBB Awards look to recognize businesses that operate with integrity and excellence. The Better Business Bureau® created this award to celebrate local businesses. And, they wanted to recognize the positive impact they have on our community.
TGC Has a Chance to Win the Award!
The Green Cocoon, LLC has the chance to win this award with our customers’ help to further stand out with media exposure, social media promotion and more.
Please vote for us to help us win this prestigious award! We thank you for your vote for the Best of BBB award!
About The Green Cocoon
The Green Cocoon delivers energy-efficient, eco-friendly insulation solutions to residences and businesses throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. Our first priority is to provide you with the safest, most effective insulation. This helps keep the heat in your house during the winter, and keeps the cool air in during the summer. After all, that’s why you’re considering an insulation solution in the first place. Great insulation means you’ll use less fossil fuel and electricity, thus leaving a smaller carbon footprint.
Why use an insulation expert? Because when insulation isn’t installed correctly things happen!
The Green Cocoon received a call from the manager of an apartment complex because they had frozen pipes in the attic. What we discovered was that the insulation was placed incorrectly, and they didn’t add enough of it over the pipes. Consequently, the pipes were freezing.
Difficult location
The pipes were in the far back corner of the very large attic. So our VP Candace was the lucky one who got to walk on a small 2 x 4 catwalk to find the problem. And she did! Just take a look at how dirty she got after crawling around in the cellulose!
Cover your tracks
It is very important to cover your tracks after walking in cellulose insulation. Candace made sure she did just that! If not covered, all of the holes created by her footprints would leave cold spots.
Use an expert
Whether you are building an apartment complex or updating the insulation in your attic, make sure to use an insulation expert. Your wallet will thank you!
“We are thrilled that we have excellent employees who do their job very well,” said James Materkowski, President. “Our customers have faith in us and we strive for excellence in every job. This certificate confirms our success.”
About BBB Accreditation
The BBB Accreditation Seal shows commitment to integrity, ethical business practices, and customer service. The Green Cocoon has been accredited with the BBB since February 2019.
Recently, our vice president Candace was asked to take a look at a property and give a quote for insulation. Our sales staff usually videotapes their meetings with clients to help them decide on the best insulation for the job. We wanted to share this video to show you the importance of vapor barriers and ventilation.
Thermal Bridging and Condensation
In the first part of this video, you will see water droplets dripping off the nails that are poking through. Because the nails were put in from the outside on the north facing part of the house where there is not a lot of sunlight, there is thermal bridging. Consequently, any moisture that comes in is hitting the wood and making it wet. But the nails are where the water is condensing. As the water runs down the wall and gets closer to the floor, you can see that there is frost in the soffit. Because heat rises, the soffit is much colder.
Add a Vapor Barrier
Adding ventilation can temporarily solve this problem, but then heat and moisture would be pulled from the house even faster. And, losing heat is not energy-efficient. What should happen is a vapor barrier should be created at the thermal envelope to prevent the moisture from ever getting into the space. The other alternative is to spray foam the roof so the surface of the roof is protected by the foam. And because of its R-value, the surface of the foam will never be cold enough for the moisture to reach a dew point and condense.
At 38 seconds, you will see that on the other side of the house, there is an identical eve space that is significantly warmer. In fact, it is 20 to 30 degrees warmer, and there is no moisture. Consequently, the nail heads don’t show any rust. This is a good example of why vapor barriers and ventilation are important.
Insulation Is Key
Our recent blog about Rockwool insulation being designed for use as exterior continuous insulation is a great read. It will help you understand the importance of vapor barriers and ventilation.
If you have questions about our products, check out the FAQ section of our website. You may find your answers there. If not, contact us!
Your attic does much more for your home than store your stuff. It is designed to provide a protective barrier for your home from cold, heat, and humidity. But in order for your attic to do its job, it must be properly insulated.
Traditional Insulation Not Effective
The Green Cocoon has almost two decades installing insulation and has discovered that traditional insulation isn’t effective in most cases! The most common types of insulation used in one’s attic are fiberglass and blown cellulose. The problem with those types of insulation is that many inexperienced contractors install them without sealing to prevent airflow. With fiberglass or cellulose, air can move quickly through the insulation and with that air comes moisture.
Improper attic venting causes mold and moisture issues. Baffle vents were present but soffits were blocked.
Escaping Heat Causes Problems
If heat is escaping into the attic from below, and the attic is not properly vented, the warm air will heat the roof causing ice dams to form. Some contractors try to fix ice dams by increasing the ventilation in the attic. But what they should be doing is putting in proper insulation! It’s all about the R-value.
In New England, the R-value requirements for an existing attic is R-38, but for new construction it requires a value of R-49! That’s because newer construction techniques are becoming more efficient.
Did you know that R-value is measured in an air-tight vacuum chamber and allows researchers to conduct physical experiments without any interference from the environment? Your wall is not a vacuum chamber and the materials do not perform the same in the real world, unless completely air-sealed like the chamber. R-value is not constant, so it’s important to use the right type and amount of insulation.
Closed Cell Spray Foam Recommended
Closed cell spray foam is the only insulation material approved for spraying directly against the roof deck because moisture can’t pass through it. This, along with the fact that the foam fills the holes and crevices, makes it the best insulation choice to prevent condensation in the attic.
Nails are rusty and sheathing is rotted. Closed cell spray foam to the rescue!
Proper Ventilation
If you have properly insulated and air-sealed your attic, you won’t have heat loss or moisture build-up. We suggest installing a soffit and ridge vent, or two gable vents to help with air circulation, if you have an uninsulated roof.
If your attic is insulated with fiberglass or cellulose, and you have insulation covering the roof slopes, you need to have a vent behind it. As mentioned above, moisture can potentially pass through the insulation and condense on the roof causing a host of issues.
Reasons Not to Ventilate
If you have HVAC and/or ductwork in the attic, you don’t want to vent the attic because you will lose a lot of efficiency. The heating system will try to warm the house from a 10-degree attic and cool it from 130! A conditioned attic will prolong the life of your equipment as well as save you money with your heating and cooling bills.
Notice water marks on the floor from the water that has built up and dripped off the cold nails from condensation.
Start Right and Properly Ventilate
If you have fiberglass or cellulose insulation already installed, then it is crucial that you have adequate and proper ventilation. But, upgrading your insulation saves money and efficiency in the long run. Don’t use ventilation as a way to solve inefficiencies with subpar insulation. That’s like putting a band aid on a bullet wound!
If you want more information on how we can help you, contact us.
The Green Cocoon is thrilled to be a part of this energy-efficient project in Arlington, Massachusetts. The insulation of choice is ROCKWOOL Comfortboard® 80 (mineral wool/rock board). Comfortboard® thermal insulated sheathing is a rigid stone wool insulation board designed for use as an exterior continuous insulation. And, this home is completely wrapped in it!
Keeps Moisture Out
Comfortboard® does not produce smoke or propagate flames, keeping occupants safe and reducing property damage in the event of a fire. Moreover, this solution allows fast outward drying, keeping moisture out of your wall assembly. That is because it is vapor permeable.
Attention to Detail Is Impressive
Additionally, Rockwool placed over Blueskin is a fantastic air barrier! Blueskin® SA is a self-adhering membrane consisting of an SBS rubberized asphalt compound laminated on a blue polyethylene film.
Also, it is impermeable to air, moisture vapor, and water. Blueskin® SA is designed to install easily on a variety of prepared substrates. These innovative factors ensure the comfort of those living in the home. Moreover, there is an added bonus of reduced energy costs stemming from the improvement of thermal performance.
Recommended by Home Builders
As shown above, this building is going to be air and water tight. Build tight, ventilate right! No wonder home builders love these two products. They make a great team!
In summary, The Green Cocoon specializes in many different types of insulation. Just contact us and we’ll let you know the one that is best for your situation.
Candace and Meaghan, from The Green Cocoon sales team, attended the Southern NH Home Builders & Remodelers Association toy drive and holiday social.
Toys for Tots a highlight
At this event, SNHBRA members network with their peers and bid on fabulous silent auction items. Also, attendees are also encouraged to bring a toy or a monetary donation for Toys for Tots. Toys for Tots mission is to collect new, unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to less fortunate children at Christmas.
The Green Cocoon donated games such as Connect 4, and Chutes and Ladders. Additionally, we added a few boxes of Legos to the mix.
Plenty of activities
Attendees enjoyed a delicious Italian buffet as well as raffles and other fun games throughout the night. Moreover, our own Candace Lord played a game called “Heads or Tails,” whoever earned the most beads won. As you can see from the photo above, she won! The prize—a $100 gift card to the Copper Door Restaurant.
Giving back is important
At The Green Cocoon, our team is honored to give back. We love working in our community, but more importantly, we love working with our community. Thus, we not only give back financially, but also physically, by attending many fundraisers. The Green Cocoon helps support women with breast cancer and sponsors events that help children with cancer and their families. Learn more about our efforts.
About SNHBRA
Southern NH Home Builders & Remodelers Association, a local affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the state New Hampshire Home Builders Association (NHHBA), is an association of industry professionals dedicated to providing quality housing opportunities through education, vision, and advocacy for the betterment of our communities.
While the blower test is being conducted, our insulation specialist may use an infrared camera to look at the walls, ceilings, and floors. Moreover, this test finds specific locations where insulation is missing and air is leaking.
If you missed the green bubble, just look in the lower, right-hand corner of the page. You will see a smiling face. That is Kate, our Chat Representative. We are thrilled to be able to connect with our customers in a new way, in real time, to answer some of their questions immediately.
The 
The Green Cocoon received a call from the manager of an apartment complex because they had frozen pipes in the attic. What we discovered was that the insulation was placed incorrectly, and they didn’t add enough of it over the pipes. Consequently, the pipes were freezing.
Also, it is impermeable to air, moisture vapor, and water. Blueskin® SA is designed to install easily on a variety of prepared substrates. These innovative factors ensure the comfort of those living in the home. Moreover, there is an added bonus of reduced energy costs stemming from the improvement of thermal performance.
