Make your building more energy-efficient and meet strict compliance standards. We help homeowners and property developers identify drafts, improve insulation, and definitively reduce heat loss after a retrofit project.
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Retrofit Air Leakage Testing (often called a blower door test) scientifically measures how much air escapes from your building after major upgrades—such as new windows, heavy insulation, or modern ventilation systems—have been installed.
When you invest heavily in retrofitting an older property, you expect lower energy bills. However, if the building envelope isn't sealed correctly, expensive heat will continue to leak through invisible gaps. This test explicitly proves that your improvements are working properly, ensuring the property holds heat efficiently and meets rigorous new Building Regulations under Part L.
Upgrading your boiler or adding loft insulation is only half the battle. If your house leaks air, you are literally throwing money out the window.
By identifying and permanently stopping uncontrolled heat loss, your heating system works far less, yielding massive reductions in your monthly energy bills.
Eliminating drafts removes those cold patches in your living room, keeping your building consistently warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
If you are undertaking a major renovation or extension, testing is often mandatory to prove compliance with strict UK Building Regulations (Part L).
Many government funding schemes (like ECO4) and updated EPC ratings demand quantitative proof that your retrofit upgrades actually improved the building's envelope.
Older UK properties are notoriously leaky. Historic brickwork, suspended timber floors, and aging window frames mean that, on average, a retrofitted home can still lose 30% to 40% of its heat simply through invisible air drafts. This is known as "thermal bypass."
Our methodology is precise, entirely non-destructive, and takes only a few hours to complete. We utilize specialized UKAS-calibrated equipment to measure exactly how much air escapes the property.
Our engineers temporarily seal all intentional ventilation points (like extractor fans and trickle vents) to ensure we are only measuring the unintentional, hidden leaks.
A high-powered fan is sealed into an external doorway. We alter the air pressure inside the building, forcing air to pull through the hidden gaps in your walls, floors, and roof.
If your building is failing its target, we don't just hand you a bad score. While the fan is running, our technicians use smoke pencils and thermal imaging cameras to physically trace the drafts. We'll show your builders exactly where the skirting boards, loft hatches, or pipe penetrations need to be caulked to guarantee a pass.
If you are undertaking a retrofit in London or Manchester, pay close attention to these common failure points before booking your test:
Older homes often have massive drafts pulling up from the sub-floor void between the floorboards and the skirting.
Even brand-new, expensive double-glazing will leak heavily if the plasterboard reveal and silicon sealing around the frame is poorly executed.
A classic failure point. Loft hatches without heavy rubber compression seals allow the heat of the house to funnel straight into the cold roof space.
Holes drilled for plumbing, waste pipes, electrical cables, and boiler flues that were never properly filled with expanding foam or mastic.
We provide accurate, actionable air testing for retrofit projects across the UK.
Our engineers are fully certified to carry out tests to the highest industry standards. The reports we generate are universally accepted by Building Control bodies nationwide.
We don't just give you a fail certificate and walk away. If there is a problem, our engineers use smoke tools to physically show you where to caulk to secure a pass on the retest.
Whether your property is in London, Manchester, or Liverpool, our Manchester-based team works rapidly and efficiently, treating your home with respect and causing minimal disruption.
Everything you need to know about preparing for your blower door test.
Ensure your retrofit project delivers the energy savings you paid for. Get in touch with Armeec today for expert, accurate air leakage testing across the UK.