Leeds &
Yorkshire
Air Pressure Testing for Dwellings
From £195 +VAT
Book Your Test From
EPS Group Today
- From a single dwelling to large scale residential developments.
- Our highly experienced team of Air Tightness Technicians are able to advise on the initial design strategy of the building.
- Preparing for and undertaking the final air leakage test(s) on-site.
- 92.5% pass rate for Air Tightness Testing.
Air Pressure Testing Leeds for New Build Houses
EPS Group have been Air Pressure Testing new build houses and commercial buildings since 2007. Our in house team will be able to assist you through the entire air testing process, from preliminary design to the final completion test.
We provide instant results on site and a certificate within 24 hours.
Our Yorkshire Coverage includes Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Halifax and Dewsbury.
Proudly Working With
Members of the Elmhurst Airtightness Scheme (EAS)
Why Choose Us
Competitive Pricing
Low rates and substantial discounts when testing multiple dwellings. If you do find a cheaper quotation, we’ll do our best to match it.
Fully Accredited
With EPS Group you can be confident that you are working with a fully accredited consultancy for Air Tightness Testing.
Flexible Appointments
Evening and weekend appointments for air tightness tests fit your schedule. We’ll give an exact test time, not just a morning or afternoon slot.
UK Coverage
Air Tightness Testing throughout the UK with competitive rates no matter where you are based.
92.5% Pass Rate
By working with our clients to achieve their required Air Permeability Targets we take great pride in our 92.5% pass rate.
Discuss your air pressure
testing requirements
Contact our Leeds team
What is Air Pressure Testing?
Air Pressure Testing in Leeds, also known as Air Tightness Testing, is the process of measuring the amount of air leakage from a building through uncontrolled ventilation. A fan is used to either pressurise or depressurise the building to around 50 pascals and the result is described as the air permeability of the building.
Air pressure testing of new build dwellings is a requirement of Air pressure testing of new build dwellings is a requirement of Approved Document L: Volume 1 of the current Building Regulations to limit air leakage. This includes houses, maisonettes, bungalows and blocks of flats.
Air leakage is the uncontrolled flow of air through gaps and cracks in a building fabric, also known as infiltration or draughts.
In the UK the approved procedure for air pressure testing dwellings is CIBSE TM23 which is based on BS EN 13829:2001 and ISO 9972:2015.
It is a requirement of Approved Document L that any dwelling tested must achieve an air pressure test result (or air permeability) of less than or equal to 8m3/h/m2 at a pressure differential of 50 pascals.
There are many benefits to an airtight property, such as:
- Lower heating costs
- Lower carbon emissions
- Smaller requirement for Heating and Ventilation systems
- Better comfort for occupants
Research has shown that poor air tightness in buildings can be responsible for up to 40% of heat loss.
Organisations that provide air pressure testing services in Leeds should be registered as part of an approved scheme such as, the Air Tightness Testing & Measurement Association (ATTMA), or the Elmhurst Airtightness Scheme (EAS).
EPS Group are members of the Elmhurst Airtightness Scheme and are therefore able to guarantee that our air pressure test certificates will be accepted by all Building Control Bodies. We cover Leeds, Yorkshire and all surrounding areas.
Air Pressure Test Process
Air pressure testing in houses is undertaken by means of a fan pressurisation or depressurisation technique. In the UK the Air Permeability of a dwelling is recorded at a pressure differential of 50 pascals between the internal and external environment.
In order to achieve this pressure, a UKAS calibrated fan is temporarily placed within the the ‘building envelope’ to provide the required flow for the test. Generally the main door to the property is selected as the most suitable place to install the fan.
Our technician will prepare the house prior to running the air pressure test. This involves temporary sealing any intended ventilation points such as cooker hoods, extract fans, trickle vents to name a few. A detailed list is provided along with our quotations to make clients aware of the process prior to the air pressure test.
Measurements of the property will be taken to ensure that the building envelope calculation is correct. All heating and ventilation systems should be switched off for the test and all internal doors should be open.
Several environmental readings such as temperature, barometric pressure and wind speed are also recorded before and after the test to ensure that conditions are suitable for the air pressure test to take place.
During the test the technician will take 7-10 readings at various pressure differentials, which must include 50 pascals. The process of running an air pressure test generally takes around 20 minutes and results are available instantly.
EPS Group generally allow 2 hours to complete each air pressure test, meaning you should have plenty of time to address any unexpected problems that may arise.
Our Technicians frequently work in the Leeds area so contact us for a competitive quotation.
How it Works
Request a quotation
Arrange a suitable time & date for the test
One of our friendly in house Technicians will carry out the test
We’ll send the certificate of compliance within 24 hours
How it Works
Request a quotation
Arrange a suitable time & date for the test
One of our friendly in house Technicians will carry out the test
We’ll send the certificate of compliance within 24 hours
Air Pressure Testing Regime
It is now a requirement under Approved Document L: Volume 1 of the Building Regulations that all new dwellings are subject to an air pressure test.
Previously, Part L1A of the Building Regulations stipulated that air pressure testing should be carried out on three units of each dwelling type, or 50% of all instances of that dwelling type, whichever was less.
For a dwelling to class as a the same’ type’ as another it needed to have:
- The same generic form, i.e detached house, end-terraced, mid-terraced, semi-detached, ground floor flat, top floor flat, bungalow etc.
- Include the same number of storeys
Have the same Design Air Permeability (Air Pressure Test Target) - Have a similar adjacency to unheated spaces such as garages, unheated stairwells etc.
- Have the same principle construction details
- Have a similar number of penetrations, for example windows & doors
- Have an envelope area that does not differ by more than 10%
- Any dwellings that were not tested were subject to an increased result of +2 m3/h/m2 based on the average result for those that have been tested.
This system became complex and furthermore it was felt that testing every dwelling would help close the performance gap.
In Approved Document L 2021 it therefore became a necessity to complete an air pressure test for every new dwelling.
Common Areas of Leakage in New Build Dwellings
The image shows a sample of the common problems we find when air pressure testing houses, flats, and bungalows, however this is not exhaustive.
There are several key principles for constructing an air tight building:
- Identify the air barrier at an early stage of design
- Refer to airtightness in all contracts which may impact the air barrier
- Highlight the importance of the air tightness barrier to project teams
- Select Airtight components
- Check interfaces between components
- Ensure all site workers are aware of the importance of the air barrier
- Complete regular checks on the air barrier throughout construction
- Ensure that all works are complete prior to the final test
EPS Group will be happy to discuss any concerns that you may have prior to a test and advise on cost effective solutions.
We are also able to offer a mid-construction air pressure testing service, which can eliminate problems and an early stage through the use of smoke tests or thermal imaging.
Discuss your air pressure
testing requirements
Contact our Leeds team
EPS Group: The Full Package
In addition to air pressure testing, EPS Group can also provide SAP Calculations and On Construction Energy Performance Certificates, meaning your Approved Document L compliance can all be dealt with under one roof.
Using EPS Group for all Approved Document L services can be particularly helpful if you are having difficulty achieving the required air pressure test result. It may be that our SAP Assessors can suggest a more cost effective solution within the SAP Calculation than spending time rectifying air leakage at completion stage.
EPS Group are able to provide the following services:
- SAP Calculations
- SBEM Calculations
- Water Efficiency Calculations
- Energy Planning Statements
- New Build Energy Performance Certificates
- Energy Performance Certificates for Existing Buildings
- Commercial Air Pressure Testing
- Overheating Risk Assessments
- Domestic/Residential Air Pressure Testing
- Air Pressure Testing for Existing Buildings
- Room Integrity Testing
- Part F Intermittent Extract Fan Testing
- Thermal Image Diagnostics
- Smoke Diagnostic Tests
- Display Energy Certificates (DECs)
- PSI Value Calculations (Thermal Bridging)
Watch an Air Pressure Test
Watch an air pressure test on a house taking place. The footage shows the technician preparing the building ready for test, placing the fan system in the doorway and then running a test.
The footage is designed to give clients that have not previously experienced an air pressure test an idea of the process.