Homeowners often complain that the perimeter floor is very cold during the winter, that there is condensation or frost on the windows, or that their energy bill is too high. All of these symptoms indicate the presence of an air infiltration problem.
Inside the building, this problem disrupts the comfort of the occupants by causing condensation , frost formation and mold growth in the building envelope.
Building envelope
The building envelope consists of a membrane that prevents air from entering the interior; this is the air barrier . However, the air barrier is not the only element that prevents air infiltration. In fact, airtightness requires a cumulative process: the proper execution of all construction work on the building envelope is essential to ensure satisfactory performance of the entire system . Achieving an optimal degree of airtightness in the building envelope protects it from condensation and structural deterioration, thus contributing to energy efficiency and occupant comfort.
Infiltrometry test
In order to detect points of air infiltration through the building envelope, an airtightness test must be carried out using a device called an "infiltrometer".
The principle of an airtightness test is to create negative pressure inside the building using a large fan. By creating this negative pressure, outside air must enter to equalize the pressure inside and outside. Air will enter through cracks and poorly sealed joints in the building envelope. An engineer, equipped with a smoke generator and a thermal imaging camera, can then detect these air leaks in the building envelope.
Infiltrometry test