Thinking About Air Tightness

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd
Tel: 01922 235 365 Email: [email protected] Web: www.rjenergy.co.uk

Air tightness: Why it matters
Air tightness is important for the energy efficiency of a new building and the comfort of its occupants.
Heating bills are reduced if warm air is kept inside the home, eliminating heat loss and cold drafts. The
performance level of the insulation you install is also greatly reduced if cold air can leak in around it and even more
reduced if warm moist air enters the construction. It then condenses on the cooler insulation and timbers causing
damp issues and, over time, possible structural problems.
Testing for air tightness is a mandatory requirement for all new build dwellings in the UK.
Heat Loss
Thermal Comfort
Structural Integrity
Compliance

How is air tightness measured?
It is measured with a blower door fan set up by either pushing air into, or pulling air out of, the building. The fan
creates a pressure difference which then shows us how ‘leaky’ the building is.
Air tightness is measured in m3/h/m2. Otherwise the volume of air that leaks out of the building per hour (m 3/h)
divided by the heat loss envelope (m2). This figure is taken at 50Pa pressure difference (between the inside and
outside of the building). Every building in the UK is measured in the same way for Building Regulations compliance.
How airtight does the building need to be?
The short answer is: ‘the more airtight the better’. This is because the more airtight your house is; the less heat it
will lose in the winter. There are, however, other things to consider. Ventilation is extremely important in a new
build dwelling:
Where natural ventilation is being used (this is where there is an extractor fan in each ‘wet’ room and trickle vents
throughout) then the lowest you can go with your air tightness is 3.00 m3/h/m2. Anything below this figure and
there will not be enough air movement in the dwelling; increasing the risk of condensation, damp and potentially
causing poor air quality.
If you are installing a mechanical ventilation system, then you can go as low as possible; ideally the lower the
better. Your ventilation system (if set up & commissioned correctly) will ensure the dwelling is ventilated properly
and will work even more efficiently at low air tightness figures (ideally below 3.00 m 3/h/m2).
Your SAP assessor will have set your air tightness target in your SAP calculation. 10 m3/h/m2 is the worst allowable
leakage rate in the UK. Your SAP calculation will most likely aim for a minimum of 5.00 m 3/h/m2.
How do I achieve my target?

Air tightness is achieved throughout the build… not at the end. It is important to ensure all of your
trades understand you are aiming for an airtight build and understand what is required of them.
There are many products on the market which are great at helping achieve airtightness and we advise
you use them where you can. For further advise on this please contact us.
The following sections show common leakage paths as well as a stage by stage guide to achieving air
tightness.

Suspended beam & block floors.
• At the edge of the concrete blocks around the perimeter of the dwelling at the junction between
the floor and wall.
• Around services that penetrate the floor construction (i.e. waste pipes)
• Gaps below the sole plate (timber frame construction)
Timber floors
• Between the floorboards
• Around services that penetrate the floor construction (i.e. waste pipes)
Gaps in mortar joints on the inner leaf of blockwork
Tip: Point your internal blockwork skin as well as you point your external brickwork
Joist penetrations
• Gaps left around the joists that penetrate the inner leaf of blockwork (masonry wall) or the air
barrier (timber frame wall). Air then travels into the intermediate floor void and into the
dwelling through gaps in floorboards and light fittings. Joists can be sealed with a suitable mastic
product or Passive Purple air tightness paint (both pictured)
Plasterboard Ceilings
• Gaps between the plasterboard ceiling and the blockwork walls allow air to escape the loft and
travel down behind plasterboard and out of service points.
Tip: Once the plasterboard ceiling has been fitted use a silicone sealant to seal the perimeter of each room
before fitting the plasterboard walls.

Internal partition walls
• Gaps in the external wall, floor and ceiling behind the partition allow air into the partition which
then leaks into the dwelling through service points.
Poorly fitted plasterboard
• Dot and dabbed plasterboard should have a solid bead of adhesive along the top and bottom of
each board as well as at the edge of each wall and around service points. This stops the flow of
air behind the boards. See the British Gypsum website for full guidance and a correct fitting guide
Skirting board to floor joins

• There should be no air leakage here if the plasterboard is fitted correctly (with the solid line of
adhesive) however it’s rare that we come across this. In your SAP calculation you will have been
told of thermal bridging details which you need to follow. In these details it will be required to
seal the floor/skirt join with sealant.

Under kitchens units
Tip: Skirt all around your kitchen before the units are fitted (remember to seal top and bottom of the skirting
boards). It might take a little longer to fit the units around the skirting board but you’ll have solved all of your air
tightness problems at the base of the plasterboard.

Under baths
Tip: Skirt all around your bath before the bath if fitted and you’ll have solved all of your air tightness problems at
the base of the plasterboard. Remember to seal around all the pipework too.
Gaps around pipework and cables entering the dwelling

• Waste pipes
• Water and gas pipes
• Electrical cabling
Tip: These often become hidden from view towards the end of the build therefore checking (and double
checking!) these before fitting kitchens and bathrooms is essential

Boiler pipes
Gaps around the soil stack
Tip: Manthorpe do a great product called GPS4 Soil Pipe Seal (pictured above) that seals the pipe where it enters
floors and ceilings. Otherwise expanding foam or packed mineral wool is commonly used.

Gaps around extractor fans and cooker hood ductwork
The right-hand image above might be foamed around, but the ventilation won’t be able to do its job as the duct has been
reduced in size. We advise solid/semi-solid ducting throughout for ventilation systems

Gaps around the boiler flue
Windows & Doors
• Gaps around the window/door allow cold air in from outside.

• Unsealed cavity closers allow air into the cavity which causes condensation in the cavity leading
to structural problems as well as allowing cold air to enter the dwelling behind plasterboard.
• Windows and doors which are poorly fitted.
• Missing door seals/threshold strips

Stairs
• Gaps along the edges of the staircase

• Gaps along the top and bottom step along the edge to the adjoining floor
Loft hatches
• Poorly fitted loft hatches (such as becoming twisted during installation)
• Gaps between the frame and plasterboard ceiling
• Inadequate seals between the frame and hatch
Poorly fitted loft hatches also cause condensation in your loft as the warm moist air from the dwelling
rises and leaks into the loft space where it condenses on cold surfaces such as roof timbers.

General patching/repairs

Ceiling roses and recessed light fittings
• Any penetration into the loft will create a path for air to travel
Tip: Spotlights are a nightmare for airtightness but common place now in new housing. Fit loft lids over them in
the loft space and seal the perimeter with silicone. These allow the insulation to be installed continuously above
the spotlight and ensure an airtight build
Traditional Oak Frame Dwellings
Gaining a low air tightness score in traditional oak framed dwellings is very hard to due to the exposed frame and
the shrinkage in the following months/years post build. It is essential that air tightness is considered from the very
start as the air barrier will need to be kept in place, taped at any seams and any penetrations made through it will
need to be sealed. Fixing air tightness problems being caused by the frame at completion is not always possible as
the last things anyone wants to do is seal all the edges in silicone and ruin the beautiful natural look of the
dwelling.

When do I have my air test carried out?
The air tightness test takes place at practical competition. The following must apply:
• There should be a source of live power in or near the plot. If this is not possible please contact us
to arrange a power source.
• All external doors and windows should be fitted and closed.
• Door seals and threshold strips must be fitted.
• All gaps or holes in the building fabric must be filled/repaired.
• Plumbing should be complete, and all drainage traps should be filled with water.
• Loft hatches must be fitted
• Ventilation extract grills must be fitted (mechanical ventilation should be turned off).
• All incoming sockets should be fitted and service points (such as cable/telephone) should either
be fully fitted or fitted with a blank socket.
• Trickle vents should be closed. These can also be taped over in advance for during the test if
preferred.
• Any open fireplaces should be suitably sealed (tightly packed insulation is generally the best
method of this if a chimney balloon is not available)
Tip: Many builders will carry out an air test mid-way through the build in order to catch any problem areas early.
This can be done at whatever point you feel it would benefit you. Generally, this is requested prior to the fitting
of kitchens and bathrooms. During tests which are not for the final certification it is allowed to tape over missing
fittings or damaged plasterboard etc.
Here’s what we don’t want to see when we arrive:
Missing fittings taped over

Missing loft hatches
We can’t test in this situation
Traps without water in them
This creates an open pathway for air flow

Sockets not fitted to the wall
Any air leakage behind plasterboard will have an open pathway into the dwelling
Sockets taped over
We see people do this when they know the plasterboard hasn’t got the solid line of adhesive on it. We can’t test
with this on and have to remove it before continuing

Taping over known problems
This will need to be removed prior to testing as it does not reflect the true air tightness of the dwelling

Temporary seals are only to be used on ventilation systems and trickle vents.
Please do not place temporary seals on:
✘ bath or shower panels
✘ penetrations to plasterboard
✘ Missing sockets / over sockets
✘ Windows or doors
✘ Loft hatches
✘ Missing door seals
These should all be repaired and/or fitted prior to testing.
Many clients like to ‘tape up’ their ventilation fans prior to out arrival. If you would like to do this then the images
below show how to do that. The tape must cover the ventilation fan opening however not the join between the
fan and the plasterboard.

Stage by Stage Checklist
Pre-Plaster
• Seal the perimeter of the floor
• Seal any joins in the floor such as beam/block joins or floorboards
• Seal joist penetrations (or use joist hangers where possible)
• Seal any pipework or cables which penetrate walls or floors
• Seal cavity closers and window and door frames against the wall construction
• Masonry construction: Point the internal blockwork skin
• Timber frame construction: the vapour control layer should form a continuous airtight barrier – ensure all
laps and joins are fully taped.
First Fix
• Seal perimeter of plasterboard ceilings prior to fitting plasterboard walls
• Dot & Dab Drylining: Ensure plasterboard is installed with solid lines of adhesive along top, bottom and
sides of each room and around service penetrations
• Seal any pipework or cables which penetrate walls or floors
• Ensure the soil stack is sealed around the perimeter where it enters floors and ceilings
Tip: Many builders seal the bottom of plasterboard (before skirt is fitted) with expanding foam as an extra air
barrier
Second Fix
• Seal any joins in intermediate floor construction and around staircases
• Fit skirting board behind your kitchen units and baths – seal the top and bottom prior to units being fitted
• Seal pipework where it penetrates plasterboard prior to installing sanitary ware and kitchen/bathroom
units and then double check seals (that you can still get to) are still in place once everything is fitted
• Seal around windows and doors (including door thresholds)
• Seal top and bottom of skirting boards with suitable caulk/sealant
• Ensure the loft hatch is fitted well with all seals in place and seal around the perimeter
• Seal around the cooker hood ductwork and boiler flue where it penetrates the wall/ceiling
• Ensure door seals and threshold strips are fitted
• Patch any damage to plasterwork
• Fit loft lids to spotlights where possible

What happens if I fail my air tightness test?
We have a few tools t our disposal to find problem areas if you aren’t achieving what you are aiming for.
The first thing we do is take a walk around and see if we can see any problems or even feel them as with the fan
running we can feel air coming in through areas that are a problem. We can also use:
Smoke testing: This is where we run small streams of smoke near common problem areas to check if there is
airflow.
Thermal Imaging: We have a thermal imaging camera that can literally ‘see’ air flow. The images below show air
leaking around joins in construction and around a loft hatch.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions throughout your build or to arrange either an
intermediate test or your final test for certification. Call Carol on 07533 310 217 or 01922 235 365.


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RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

Tel: 01922 235 365 Email: [email protected] Web: www.rjenergy.co.uk

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

How airtight does the building need to be?

How do I achieve my target?

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

Gaps in mortar joints on the inner leaf of blockwork

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

Poorly fitted plasterboard

Skirting board to floor joins

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

Gaps around pipework and cables entering the dwelling

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

Gaps around the soil stack

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

Windows & Doors

• Gaps around the window/door allow cold air in from outside.

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

• Gaps along the edges of the staircase

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

Traditional Oak Frame Dwellings

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

Here’s what we don’t want to see when we arrive:

Missing fittings taped over

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

Traps without water in them

This creates an open pathway for air flow

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

Sockets taped over

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

Please do not place temporary seals on:

✘ bath or shower panels

✘ Missing sockets / over sockets

✘ Missing door seals

These should all be repaired and/or fitted prior to testing.

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

RJ Energy Consultants Ltd

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