Glossary · Testing & air leaks

Manometer

Also called: digital manometer · pressure gauge

A precise pressure gauge auditors use to read small pressure differences, in pascals, during blower door, duct leakage and combustion safety tests.

What it means

During a blower door test one channel of the manometer reads the pressure difference between inside and outside, and another reads the fan's pressure, which converts to airflow in cubic feet per minute. Testing guidance calls for gauges accurate to about half a pascal. The same tool measures depressurization in the furnace room during a combustion safety check.

Why it matters in an audit

Accurate pressure readings are what make blower door and duct test results trustworthy and repeatable.

Typical numbers

Reference values with their sources. Your auditor’s report gives the figure for your own house.

What Value Source
Accuracy (DOE Building America) Accurate to 0.5 Pa with 0.1 Pa resolution for airtightness testing basc.pnnl.gov ↗

Sources