Ventilation and Infiltration 26.

15

Table 1 Effective Air Leakage Areas (Low-Rise Residential Applications Only)

Units Best Mini- Maxi- Units Best Mini- Maxi-
(see note) Estimate mum mum (see note) Estimate mum mum
Ceiling Piping/Plumbing/Wiring penetrations
General cm2/m2 1.8 0.79 2.8 Uncaulked cm2 ea 6 2 24
Drop cm2/m2 0.19 0.046 0.19 Caulked cm2 ea 2 1 2
Ceiling penetrations Vents
Whole-house fans cm2 ea 20 1.6 21 Bathroom with damper closed cm2 ea 10 2.5 20
Recessed lights cm2 ea 10 1.5 21 Bathroom with damper open cm2 ea 20 6.1 22
Ceiling/Flue vent cm2 ea 31 28 31 Dryer with damper cm2 ea 3 2.9 7
Surface-mounted lights cm2 ea 0.82 Dryer without damper cm2 ea 15 12 34
Chimney cm2 ea 29 21 36 Kitchen with damper open cm2 ea 40 14 72
Crawl space Kitchen with damper closed cm2 ea 5 1 7
General (area for exposed wall) cm2/m2 10 8 17 Kitchen with tight gasket cm2 ea 1
200 mm by 400 mm vents cm2 ea 129 Walls (exterior)
Door frame Cast-in-place concrete cm2/m2 0.5 0.049 1.8
General cm2 ea 12 2.4 25 Clay brick cavity wall, finished cm2/m2 0.68 0.05 2.3
Masonry, not caulked cm2/m2 5 1.7 5 Precast concrete panel cm2/m2 1.2 0.28 1.65
Masonry, caulked cm2/m2 1 0.3 1 Low-density concrete block, cm2/m2 3.5 1.3 4
Wood, not caulked cm2/m2 1.7 0.6 1.7 unfinished
Wood, caulked cm2/m2 0.3 0.1 0.3 Low-density concrete block, cm2/m2 1.1 0.52 1.1
Trim cm2/lmc 1 painted or stucco
Jamb cm2/lmc 8 7 10 High-density concrete block, cm2/m2 0.25
Threshold cm2/lmc 2 1.2 24 unfinished
Doors Continuous air infiltration barrier cm2/m2 0.15 0.055 0.21
Attic/crawl space, not cm2 ea 30 10 37 Rigid sheathing cm2/m2 0.35 0.29 0.41
weatherstripped Window framing
Attic/crawl space, weatherstripped cm2 ea 18 8 18.5 Masonry, uncaulked cm2/m2 6.5 5.7 10.3
Attic fold down, not cm2 ea 44 23 86 Masonry, caulked cm2/m2 1.3 1.1 2.1
weatherstripped Wood, uncaulked cm2/m2 1.7 1.5 2.7
Attic fold down, weatherstripped cm2 ea 22 14 43 Wood, caulked cm2/m2 0.3 0.3 0.5
Attic fold down, with insulated box cm2 ea 4 Windows
Attic from unconditioned garage cm2 ea 0 0 0 Awning, not weatherstripped cm2/m2 1.6 0.8 2.4
Double, not weatherstripped cm2/m2 11 7 22 Awning, weatherstripped cm2/m2 0.8 0.4 1.2
Double, weatherstripped cm2/m2 8 3 23 Casement, weatherstripped cm2/lmc 0.24 0.1 3
Elevator (passenger) cm2 ea 0.26 0.14 0.35 Casement, not weatherstripped cm2/lmc 0.28
General, average cm2/lmc 0.31 0.23 0.45 Double horizontal slider, not cm2/lmc 1.1 0.019 3.4
Interior (pocket, on top floor) cm2 ea 14 weatherstripped
Interior (stairs) cm2/lmc 0.9 0.25 1.5 Double horizontal slider, wood, cm2/lmc 0.55 0.15 1.72
Mail slot cm2/lmc 4 weatherstripped
Sliding exterior glass patio cm2 ea 22 3 60 Double horizontal slider, cm2/lmc 0.72 0.58 0.8
Sliding exterior glass patio cm2/m2 5.5 0.6 15 aluminum, weatherstripped
Storm (difference between with cm2 ea 6 3 6.2 Double-hung, not weatherstripped cm2/lmc 2.5 0.86 6.1
and without) Double-hung, weatherstripped cm2/lmc 0.65 0.2 1.9
Single, not weatherstripped cm2 ea 21 12 53 Double-hung with storm, not cm2/lmc 0.97 0.48 1.7
Single, weatherstripped cm2 ea 12 4 27 weatherstripped
Vestibule (subtract per each cm2 ea 10 Double-hung with storm, cm2/lmc 0.79 0.44 1
location) weatherstripped
Electrical outlets/Switches Double-hung with pressurized cm2/lmc 0.48 0.39 0.56
No gaskets cm2 ea 2.5 0.5 6.2 track, weatherstripped
With gaskets cm2 ea 0.15 0.08 3.5 Jalousie cm2/louver 3.38
Furnace Lumped cm2/lms 0.471 0.009 2.06
Sealed (or no) combustion cm2 ea 0 0 0 Single horizontal slider, cm2/lms 0.67 0.2 2.06
Retention head or stack damper cm2 ea 30 20 30 weatherstripped
Retention head and stack damper cm2 ea 24 18 30 Single horizontal slider, cm2/lms 0.8 0.27 2.06
Floors over crawl spaces aluminum
General cm2/m2 2.2 0.4 4.9 Single horizontal slider, wood cm2/lms 0.44 0.27 0.99
Without ductwork in crawl space cm2/m2 1.98 Single horizontal slider, wood cm2/lms 0.64 0.54 0.81
With ductwork in crawl space cm2/m2 2.25 clad
Fireplace Single-hung, weatherstripped cm2/lms 0.87 0.62 1.24
With damper closed cm2/m2 43 10 92 Sill cm2/lmc 0.21 0.139 0.212
With damper open cm2/m2 350 145 380 Storm inside, heat shrink cm2/lms 0.018 0.009 0.018
With glass doors cm2/m2 40 4 40 Storm inside, rigid sheet cm2/lms 0.12 0.018 0.24
With insert and damper closed cm2/m2 36 26 46 with magnetic seal
With insert and damper open cm2/m2 65 40 90 Storm inside, flexible sheet cm2/lms 0.154 0.018 0.833
Gas water heater cm2 ea 20 15 25 with mechanical seal
Joints Storm inside, rigid sheet with cm2/lms 0.4 0.045 0.833
Ceiling-wall cm2/lmc 1.5 0.16 2.5 mechanical seal
Sole plate, floor/wall, uncaulked cm2/lmc 4 0.38 5.6 Storm outside, pressurized track cm2/lmc 0.528
Sole plate, floor/wall, caulked cm2/lmc 0.8 0.075 1.2 Storm outside, 2-track cm2/lmc 1.23
Top plate, band joist cm2/lmc 0.1 0.075 0.38 Storm outside, 3-track cm2/lmc 2.46
Note: Air leakage areas are based on values found in the literature. The effective air leak- Abbreviations: m2 = gross area in square metres lmc = linear metre of crack
age area (in square centimetres) is based on a pressure difference of 4 Pa and CD = 1. ea = each lms = linear metre of sash