A: According to the Florida Building Code Energy Conservation, Section R402.4.1.2 Testing, "Testing shall be conducted by either individuals as defined in Section 553.993(5) or (7), Florida Statutes, or individuals licensed as set forth in Section 489.105(3)(f), (g) or (i) or an approved third party."

Authorized professionals noted above include:

• Energy Auditor
• RESNET RTIN (Energy Rater)
• RESNET RFIIN (Rating Field Inspector)
• Class A Air-Conditioning Contractor
• Class B Air-Conditioning Contractor
• Mechanical Contractor
• Approved Third Party*

*Note: An Approved Third Party would be at the discretion of the local Building Official. An entity separate from the builder who is "acceptable to the building official" for the purpose given. [2017 Florida Building Code - Residential, Sixth Edition, Chapter 2]

A: FSEC offers a one-day Residential Building Air Leakage [Blower Door] Testing course, however, this does not guarantee that a local building official will consider you qualified. Blower door testing is only one step towards understanding building science, and testers should consider further education, such as becoming an Energy Rater. FSEC also offers Energy Rater Training.

A: According to the 2017 Florida Building Code Energy Conservation, Sixth Edition Section R403.3.2 Sealing (Mandatory).
"All ducts, air handlers, filter boxes and building cavities that form the primary air containment passageways for air distribution systems shall be considered ducts or plenum chambers, shall be constructed and sealed in accordance with Section C403.2.9.2 of the Commercial Provisions of this code and shall be shown to meet duct tightness criteria below.

Duct tightness shall be verified by testing in accordance with ANSI/RESNET/ICC 380 by either individuals as defined in Section 553.993(5) or (7), Florida Statutes, or individuals licensed as set forth in Section 489.105(3)(f), (g) or (i), Florida Statutes, to be “substantially leak free” in accordance with Section R403.3.3.
R403.3.2.1Sealed air handler.
Air handlers shall have a manufacturer’s designation for an air leakage of no more than 2 percent of the design airflow rate when tested in accordance with ASHRAE 193.

R403.3.3 Duct testing (Mandatory).
Ducts shall be pressure tested to determine air leakage by one of the following methods:
1.Rough-in test: Total leakage shall be measured with a pressure differential of 0.1 inch w.g. (25 Pa) across the system, including the manufacturer’s air handler enclosure if installed at the time of the test. All registers shall be taped or otherwise sealed during the test.
2.Postconstruction test: Total leakage shall be measured with a pressure differential of 0.1 inch w.g. (25 Pa) across the entire system, including the manufacturer’s air handler enclosure. Registers shall be taped or otherwise sealed during the test.

Exceptions:
1.A duct air leakage test shall not be required where the ducts and air handlers are located entirely within the building thermal envelope.
2.Duct testing is not mandatory for buildings complying by Section 405 of this code.

A written report of the results of the test shall be signed by the party conducting the test and provided to the code official.

R403.3.4 Duct leakage (Prescriptive).
The total leakage of the ducts, where measured in accordance with Section R403.3.3, shall be as follows:
1.Rough-in test: The total leakage shall be less than or equal to 4 cubic feet per minute (113.3 L/min) per 100 square feet (9.29 m2) of conditioned floor area where the air handler is installed at the time of the test. Where the air handler is not installed at the time of the test, the total leakage shall be less than or equal to 3 cubic feet per minute (85 L/min) per 100 square feet (9.29 m2) of conditioned floor area.
2.Postconstruction test: Total leakage shall be less than or equal to 4 cubic feet per minute (113.3 L/min) per 100 square feet (9.29 m2) of conditioned floor area."

Authorized professionals noted above include:

• RESNET RTIN (Energy Rater)
• RESNET RFIIN (Rating Field Inspector)
• Class A Air-Conditioning Contractor
• Class B Air-Conditioning Contractor
• Mechanical Contractor

A: Energy Raters are expected to understand a reasonable amount of building science, including:

• Building pressures.
• How to test for leaks in ductwork
• How to ensure the house is safe for testing from any combustion sources
• How to inspect houses for thermal and air infiltration barriers, and
• How to conduct blower door testing.

FSEC is one organization that provides this training. Check out the Energy Rater Training Track.

A: You will need to Create a Provider
Note:

• If you are already logged in as a provider type of user account, the account you're logged in with will be able to select the newly created Provider once it has been approved by an EnspectorPro Administrator.

Additional Important Notes:

• You will need a policies URL which is a webpage containing information about your provider's policies regarding QA.
• You will also need to be manually approved by an EnspectorPro Administrator.
• Your user account associated with the provider cannot already be a Tester type of account. (We apologize for any inconvenience in this matter)

A: "Testing shall be performed at any time after creation of all penetrations of the building thermal envelope."

Exception: Testing is not required for additions, alterations, renovations, or repairs, of the building thermal envelope of existing buildings in which the new construction is less than 85 percent of the building thermal envelope.

A: Definitions are provided by 553.993(5) or (7), Florida Statutes or individuals licensed as set forth in Section 489.105 (1) (2) (3) (f) (g) (i)

(1) "Energy auditor" means a trained and certified professional who conducts energy evaluations of an existing building and uses tools to identify the building’s current energy usage and the condition of the building and equipment.

(2) "Energy rater" means an individual certified by a building energy-efficiency rating system to perform building energy-efficiency ratings for the building type and in the rating class for which the rater is certified.

(3) "Contractor" means the person who is qualified for, and is only responsible for, the project contracted for and means, except as exempted in this part, the person who, for compensation, undertakes to, submits a bid to, or does himself or herself or by others construct, repair, alter, remodel, add to, demolish, subtract from, or improve any building or structure, including related improvements to real estate, for others or for resale to others; and whose job scope is substantially similar to the job scope described in one of the paragraphs of this subsection. For the purposes of regulation under this part, the term "demolish" applies only to demolition of steel tanks more than 50 feet in height; towers more than 50 feet in height; other structures more than 50 feet in height; and all buildings or residences. Contractors are subdivided into two divisions, Division I, consisting of those contractors defined in paragraphs (a)-(c), and Division II, consisting of those contractors defined in paragraphs (d)-(q):

(f) "Class A air-conditioning contractor" means a contractor whose services are unlimited in the execution of contracts requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, central air-conditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work in connection with a complete system if such duct work is performed by the contractor as necessary to complete an air-distribution system, boiler and unfired pressure vessel systems, and all appurtenances, apparatus, or equipment used in connection therewith, and any duct cleaning and equipment sanitizing that requires at least a partial disassembling of the system; to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, piping, insulation of pipes, vessels and ducts, pressure and process piping, and pneumatic control piping; to replace, disconnect, or reconnect power wiring on the load side of the dedicated existing electrical disconnect switch; to install, disconnect, and reconnect low voltage heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning control wiring; and to install a condensate drain from an air-conditioning unit to an existing safe waste or other approved disposal other than a direct connection to a sanitary system. The scope of work for such contractor also includes any excavation work incidental thereto, but does not include any work such as liquefied petroleum or natural gas fuel lines within buildings, except for disconnecting or reconnecting changeouts of liquefied petroleum or natural gas appliances within buildings; potable water lines or connections thereto; sanitary sewer lines; swimming pool piping and filters; or electrical power wiring. A Class A air-conditioning contractor may test and evaluate central air-conditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work; however, a mandatory licensing requirement is not established for the performance of these specific services.

(g) "Class B air-conditioning contractor" means a contractor whose services are limited to 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 Btu of heating in any one system in the execution of contracts requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, central air-conditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work in connection with a complete system only to the extent such duct work is performed by the contractor as necessary to complete an air-distribution system being installed under this classification, and any duct cleaning and equipment sanitizing that requires at least a partial disassembling of the system; to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, piping and insulation of pipes, vessels, and ducts; to replace, disconnect, or reconnect power wiring on the load side of the dedicated existing electrical disconnect switch; to install, disconnect, and reconnect low voltage heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning control wiring; and to install a condensate drain from an air-conditioning unit to an existing safe waste or other approved disposal other than a direct connection to a sanitary system. The scope of work for such contractor also includes any excavation work incidental thereto, but does not include any work such as liquefied petroleum or natural gas fuel lines within buildings, except for disconnecting or reconnecting changeouts of liquefied petroleum or natural gas appliances within buildings; potable water lines or connections thereto; sanitary sewer lines; swimming pool piping and filters; or electrical power wiring. A Class B air-conditioning contractor may test and evaluate central air-conditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work; however, a mandatory licensing requirement is not established for the performance of these specific services.

(i) "Mechanical contractor" means a contractor whose services are unlimited in the execution of contracts requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, central air-conditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work in connection with a complete system if such duct work is performed by the contractor as necessary to complete an air-distribution system, boiler and unfired pressure vessel systems, lift station equipment and piping, and all appurtenances, apparatus, or equipment used in connection therewith, and any duct cleaning and equipment sanitizing that requires at least a partial disassembling of the system; to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, piping, insulation of pipes, vessels and ducts, pressure and process piping, pneumatic control piping, gasoline tanks and pump installations and piping for same, standpipes, air piping, vacuum line piping, oxygen lines, nitrous oxide piping, ink and chemical lines, fuel transmission lines, liquefied petroleum gas lines within buildings, and natural gas fuel lines within buildings; to replace, disconnect, or reconnect power wiring on the load side of the dedicated existing electrical disconnect switch; to install, disconnect, and reconnect low voltage heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning control wiring; and to install a condensate drain from an air-conditioning unit to an existing safe waste or other approved disposal other than a direct connection to a sanitary system. The scope of work for such contractor also includes any excavation work incidental thereto, but does not include any work such as potable water lines or connections thereto, sanitary sewer lines, swimming pool piping and filters, or electrical power wiring. A mechanical contractor may test and evaluate central air-conditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work; however, a mandatory licensing requirement is not established for the performance of these specific services.

A: For best results when printing any PDF file, we recommend using Adobe's PDF Reader software.

A: We store all the building pressure numbers as positive numbers to properly reflect the way the numbers are used in calculations.