Air Leakage

Both the 2015 and 2018 IRC/IECC require comprehensive air sealing to minimize heat loss and reduce the potential for moisture condensation issues.

Air Leakage Points Drawing

The 2018 IRC/IECC requires a documented visual field inspection of all necessary air sealing details AND a post-construction air leakage test using a blower door to verify that the house has an acceptable leakage rate, as measured in Air Changes per Hour (ACH) at the test pressure of 50 pascals.

The New Jersey DCA Bulletin 19-2, however, includes an amendment that allows builders to select only one of the verification methods. Most builders choose to complete the visual inspection and forgo the blower door test.

The 2018 IECC specifies a maximum air leakage rate of 3 ACH in the NJ Climate Zones.

Air Changes per Hour:

The number of times the full volume of air in the house flows out and is replaced with outdoor air flowing in during a one hour period.
Calculated by measuring the leakage rate (in cubic feet per minute - CFM) in the house with a blower door, converting it to cubic feet per hour, and dividing it by the house volume (in cubic feet).
ACH = (CFM x 60) / Volume

The list of required air sealing details is too extensive to cover on this website. However, this document, available from the US DOE Building Energy Codes Program, is a good starting point:

Third Party Evaluation

The 2018 IRC/IECC gives the local code official the option to require that air sealing inspections and blower door testing be completed by an "approved third party"

Approval of third parties is at the discretion of the local code official. In most cases, certification by one of the following organizations will be required:

BUILDERS:

Local Energy Services
can help you comply with the 2015 IRC/IECC Inspection and Testing Requirements

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