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Air Leakage - Residential - General

This document discusses air leakage in buildings and the requirements for controlling it in the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). It defines air leakage as the movement of unconditioned air into and out of conditioned spaces through holes, cracks, or gaps in the building envelope. The 2009 IECC requires either a visual inspection or testing to check for air leakage and ensure areas like windows, doors, attic hatches, and bath enclosures are properly sealed. Contractors must be aware of requirements to install correct insulation and seal all potential air leakage points to reduce energy losses from uncontrolled air movement by up to 30% of a home's usage.

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34 views1 page

Air Leakage - Residential - General

This document discusses air leakage in buildings and the requirements for controlling it in the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). It defines air leakage as the movement of unconditioned air into and out of conditioned spaces through holes, cracks, or gaps in the building envelope. The 2009 IECC requires either a visual inspection or testing to check for air leakage and ensure areas like windows, doors, attic hatches, and bath enclosures are properly sealed. Contractors must be aware of requirements to install correct insulation and seal all potential air leakage points to reduce energy losses from uncontrolled air movement by up to 30% of a home's usage.

Uploaded by

bcap-ocean
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Online Code Environment and Advocacy Network

Navigating the World of Energy Codes | www.bcap-ocean.org

Air Leakage | Residential | General


Summary
Air leakage is the movement of unconditioned air into and out of
QUICK FACTS
conditioned spaces. It applies to any holes, cracks or gaps in the
building envelope. It is important to control air movement in build- Air Leakage – CH 4. Section 402.4 2009 IECC
ings because research indicates that air leakage can cause huge en-
Detailed leakage points can be found in the
ergy losses, accounting for upwards of 30% of a home’s energy use.
EPA’s “Thermal Bypass Checklist”
Current Code
Mandatory for all climate zones
The 2009 IECC covers air leakage in Section 402.4.
Detailed information can be found at:
Previous Code
Critical areas for air leakage control
The 2009 IECC code improved requirements for air leakage control by
mandating compliance with either a “visual inspection option” or a Air Sealing Checklist
“testing option.” The 2006 IECC made some minor improvements
Common Household Air Leaks
over the 2003 version, such as clarifying the rather ambiguous lan-
guage regarding which areas required sealing and adding provisions Primary building design mechanism for reduc-
for recessed lighting and sealed dampers for ventilation equipment ing air leakage; establishing air barriers
(bath and kitchen fans, primarily).
Air leakage paths
Exemptions
Requirements covered in the 2009 IECC Section 402.4 are mandatory
for all climate zones.
Requirements
All parties must be aware of the requirements covered in the 2009
IECC and ensure that:
Correct insulation is used to prevent air leakage around the build-
ing envelope
They are aware of the “Thermal Bypass Checklist”
There is caulking around all windows, skylights and doors
They check all bypasses into unconditioned spaces, such as attic
hatches, stairwells, recessed lighting fixtures, and around bath-
tub enclosures, all of which are notorious for air leakage
Typical Problems
Figure 1: Common Leak Points
Standard issues/concerns that arise include:
Contractor/sub-contractor closing off an area yet to be checked
Not sealing where different building features meet

OCEAN is an online resource of the Building Codes Assistance Project


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