A Detailed Investigation of the Air Infiltration Characteristics of Two Houses
SourceThe relationships among energy use, air infiltration, and indoor air quality are being investigated in two detached houses identical in design and wind exposure. One of the two houses was retrofitted to reduce its infiltration rate. Fan pressurization/depressurization measurements taken over twelve months indicated that the air leakage rates for the unretrofitted control house remained unchanged. In the case of the experimental house, a 35% reduction as measured by fan pressurization/depressurization measurements was achieved by retrofitting; this reduction remained constant. The difference in air infiltration rates between the experimental and the control house was 22 to 24% as measured by tracer gas dilution. Infiltration rates were strongly affected by the seasons; infiltration rates obtained in the fall were 50% higher than rates obtained in the summer.