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.
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!
The Risks of Skipping the Experts
At The Green Cocoon, we’ve seen everything from improperly sealed areas that lead to high energy bills, frozen pipes, and even mold problems to uneven attic insulation. For this reason, hiring certified insulation specialists is important for the long-term safety and efficiency of your home.
Every house has different insulation needs. The type of insulation you choose and where it is installed makes a big difference, whether you are renovating an older property or insulating a new structure. Our staff is skilled in carefully and precisely installing blown-in, cellulose, and spray foam insulation. Whether installing walls, basements and an attic, we make sure that every area of your house is well sealed and safeguarded.
Smart, Sustainable Insulation Solutions
Hiring The Green Cocoon ensures that the work is done correctly, not just completed. We are dedicated to offering energy-efficient eco-friendly insulation solutions. Our sustainable materials can help you lower your carbon footprint and enhance the air quality in your home.
Our team can provide optimal energy savings and year-round comfort because we understand how insulation interacts with ventilation systems and building design. Avoid taking short cuts and avoid future repairs, chilly drafts, and uneven temperatures.
Whether you are a builder, property manager, or homeowner, trust professionals to do it correctly the first time. For expert insulation services that safeguard your house, your health, and your finances, Get in touch with The Green Cocoon.
“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!
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.
The Green Cocoon has many tools in its arsenal to help you stay warm and save you money. One of those tools is a thermal imaging camera. Where and why do we use it? We use it when we come to your home to evaluate your space. We use the camera to show you where cold air is coming in. Also, the camera comes in handy when we need to discover if there is insulation inside a wall or ceiling. We don’t have to guess. The camera tells us!
What is a thermal imaging camera?
Thermal imaging cameras are devices that translate thermal energy (heat) into visible light. This is done in order to analyze a particular object or scene. Furthermore, the image it produces is known as a thermogram. The analysis of a thermogram is done through a process called thermography. Thermal imaging cameras are sophisticated devices that process the captured image and display it on a screen. The image can be used for immediate diagnosis. Or, they can be processed through specialized software for further evaluation, accuracy, and report output. Consequently, thermal imaging cameras take measuring temperature to the next level. Instead of getting a number for the temperature, you get a picture showing differences in temperature.[i]
Here you can see thermal bridging through ceiling joists and how a lack of air sealing can really spread the cold air
Here we see a completely uninsulated wall bay
This photo illustrates how much cold comes through an outlet switch cover that isn’t properly air sealed and insulated
Thermal imaging camera applications and uses
The first commercial thermal imaging camera sold in 1965 for high voltage power line inspections.[ii] Since then, thermal imaging cameras have been used in many fields. Firefighters use them to see through smoke, find people, and localize hotspots of fires. Additionally, physiological activities can also be monitored with thermographic imaging. Fever in human beings and other warm-blooded animals is just one of many.Building construction technicians can see heat leaks to improve the efficiencies of cooling or heating. Additionally, thermal imaging cameras are a common tool used by home inspectors.
Camera used in our evaluation
When our salesperson comes to evaluate the space you would like to insulate, they will be using a Thermal Imaging Camera. Having a tool that instantly shows a client where and how much insulation is needed, is invaluable.Contact us to schedule an appointment.[i] Grainger. Thermal Imaging Cameras Explained. Retrieved from grainger.com.[ii] Wikipedia. Thermographic Camera. Retrieved from Wikipedia.org.
The PRISM Awards recognize the finest projects and outstanding achievements of builders, remodelers, architects, designers, developers, project owners, land planners, marketing/advertising firms, and other professionals in the home building industry. The event was hosted by the Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston (BRAGB).
We work with winners!
Two builders that The Green Cocoon frequently works with won awards—Howell Custom Builders and Kevin Cradock Builders. It is thrilling to know that we are able to work with builders of such high caliper! Winning a coveted PRISM Award is a sign of excellence in your field and recognition of superior achievement. Winners receive significant regional, state-wide, and national recognition in newspapers, magazines, and on websites and social media.
More women needed in construction industry
Women are a rarity in the construction industry and the women at The Green Cocoon are laying the ground work for other women and young girls to follow in their footsteps.
Meaghan is new to our team and is eager to learn all about building science. Candace has been in the industry for over 10 years. She is a well-respected and highly knowledgeable insulation expert that people call upon regularly for technical questions and problem solving.
About The Green Cocoon
The Green Cocoon, LLC (TGC) delivers energy-efficient, eco-friendly insulation solutions to residences and businesses throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Southern 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.
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.
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.
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.
More women needed in construction industry
