The short answer is yes. A Blower Door Test is technically required on certain renovations and additions for residential construction. The determining factor is the scope of the project and whether or not the building inspector is enforcing it. Unfortunately, the code does not give any clear alternatives for the test, other than what is […]
Archive | Building Science
Tax Credit extended for Builders
In classic Federal Government fashion, the Tax Credit for new homes did get extended and made retroactive for homes built in 2017. Most of the industry experts were predicting a bleak future of the Tax Credit under the current administration. It is not currently extended for 2018 and there is no word on whether or […]
Future of the Energy Efficient Home Tax Credit is bleak
The Energy Efficient Home Tax Credit, also know as the 2005 EPAct or 45L Tax Credit, expired on December 31, 2016. Expiration of this credit has been a common occurrence since its inception back in 2005. Typically the credit expires and then it gets renewed and made retroactive in the following year. Unfortunately this is not […]
Passing the Blower Door Test for the Michigan Energy Code
To pass the blower door test in the Prescriptive Path in the new Michigan Energy Code requires a home to be equal to or less than 4 ACH50 (air changes per hour with the blower door depressurizing the home to -50 Pa). How do you get your home to pass? If you are building a […]
Failing a Blower Door Test: What happens?
A Blower Door Test is now required in Michigan on every new home. It is also required on additions and major renovations. What happens if the house fails the Blower Door Test? I get this question all the time. A Blower Door Test is a test to see how air tight a home is. The […]