Expect a blower door test to cost an average of $325, based primarily on the type of home.
A blower door test costs around $325 on average, but you might pay between $200 and $450, depending on a few different factors. This test is a great way to know whether your home is leaking precious heat or air conditioning, and the results can help you pinpoint those leaks and seal them. In this guide, we’ll discuss blower door test costs and some cost factors that can influence your total.
A blower door test is highly valuable because it will identify where your home's air is escaping from. Once you know the location of air leaks, you can fix the problem and save money in all that wasted energy.
The average cost for a blower door test is around $325, though it may range between $200 and $450. It might seem unnecessary to spend this much on a diagnostic rather than putting that money toward sealing the air leaks in ducts and around wall openings, but a blower door test can help you find where your money will go the furthest and can determine if you have an issue in the first place. Ultimately, paying for a blower door test can often end up saving you money on sealing costs and heating and cooling costs.
The cost of a blower door test covers the actual testing process that involves fitting a door with a powerful fan to suck air out of your house as a way to gauge differences in air pressure. In addition, local energy audit companies provide detailed reports of their findings. Lastly, your report may include some pricing options for sealing or caulking sources of air leaks in your home.
While certified blower door testers typically charge flat rates per home, the type of home can influence the cost. Not only will homes with multiple units require additional blowers, but the labor time to install them will increase as well.
| Home Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Apartment or Multi-family | $600+ |
| Duplex | $400 to $800 |
| Single-Family | $200 to $450 |
Expect to pay somewhere within the range of $200 to $450 if you have a standard one-story or two-story home.
This scenario requires the least amount of work for your professional. They’ll only have a single door to install a blower fan on, although they’ll also have to do the following to set up a “closed home” situation:
Close and lock all exterior doors
Close and lock all windows
Open all interior doors
Turn gas appliances to “pilot”
Close vents and HVAC dampers
If you have a duplex, your blower door test will typically range from $400 to $800.
Blower door tests cost more for duplexes because they require more work from your professional. Not only will they have to go through two units to shut exterior doors and windows and close exterior vents, but they’ll also need to install two separate blower fans and monitor both throughout the test. After the testing is completed, they’ll also spend more time writing up two reports.
If you have a multi-unit property, you’ll likely need to get a custom quote, but the cost will likely push over $800 and could reach into the thousands.
Basically, the more apartments or units you have in your building, the more time your professional will have to spend going through and preparing each space. Each unit will also likely require a separate blower fan installed, which adds to the labor time for installation and monitoring.
On average, expect to spend between $250 and $350 per unit for multi-family homes and apartment buildings.
There are a few other small projects you may want to consider adding on during or after your blower door test, including:
A home energy audit, which costs $200 to $700 on average, to understand your home’s energy-efficiency.
Door weather stripping, which costs $130 to $430 per door. Weather Stripping can help create a tight seal around your door, preventing air loss.
Window caulking costs $50 to $70 per window. Similar to weather stripping, caulking helps seal windows.
Checking air ducts for leaks or sealing your ducts, which costs an average of $350 and $2,250, respectively.
Rerouting your ducts, which costs $4,500 on average.
You might see DIY blower door test tips online, but this is a job best left to a professional. You’d very likely have a hard time recreating the high-powered diagnostic tools pros use, so your results won’t be accurate. Plus, investing in or renting the equipment will cost far more than it would to hire a professional air conditioning pro near you, so you’ll end up spending less in the long run if you just hire an expert.
Additionally, it’s challenging to read and understand the results of a DIY blower door test, so even if you did have access to the equipment, it’s best to hire a pro to ensure you get accurate answers regarding your home’s efficiency. This is especially true if leaks are occurring around hidden ductwork that you can’t visually inspect. A professional will be able to locate these leaks following a test and help you seal them, which can improve performance and reduce the risk of condensation forming on the ducts.
Blower door testing should also be performed by certified energy auditors with Building Performance Institutes (BPI) and Duct Leakage (IDL) certifications. Energy efficiency programs that provide rebates and incentives won't recognize results that don't come from BPI-certified contractors, so, again, it pays to hire a pro in this case.
Some contractors offer free blower door tests as part of a free home energy audit to help detect heat loss. However, this is not the standard, and it usually requires that you pay for insulation and sealing after the testing. Typically, a home energy audit costs around $400 and may rely on a blower door test to locate leaks and areas of minimal efficiency. Research your state's home energy audit program to see if any rebates are available that will cover all of or offset part of the cost.
Many states require all new construction to undergo blower door tests to confirm that the contractor has sealed the exterior, that the type of ductwork installed is functioning properly, and that your home is as efficient as possible. In most cases, the cost of a blower door test following construction will be included in your total home price. Homeowners living in older homes also use these tests to see how airtight their homes are in order to make updates that will reduce energy waste.
BPI-certified contractors will be able to provide quotes for caulking, sealing, door replacement, and other measures that help to reduce air leakage if the results of your blower door test show that your home is not energy efficient. Most professionals that conduct blower door tests will analyze the results to find areas of inefficiency and offer estimates to seal gaps and install weatherstripping and insulation where it would be most beneficial.
