ASTM E1186-03

Standard Practices for Air Leakage Site Detection in Building Envelopes and Air Barrier Systems

SCOPE
1.1 These practices cover standardized techniques for locating air leakage sites in building envelopes and air barrier systems.
1.2 These practices offer a choice of means for determining the location of air leakage sites with each offering certain advantages for specific applications.
1.3 Some of the practices require a knowledge of infrared scanning, building and test chamber pressurization and depressurization, smoke generation techniques, sound generation and detection, and tracer gas concentration measurement techniques.
1.4 The practices described are of a qualitative nature in determining the air leakage sites rather than determining quantitative leakage rates.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific hazard statements, see Section 6.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Apr-2003
• ICS: 91.120.99 - Other standards related to protection of and in buildings
• Technical Committee: E06 - Performance of Buildings
• Drafting Committee: E06.41 - Air Leakage and Ventilation Performance

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM E1186-98 - Standard Practices for Air Leakage Site Detection in Building Envelopes and Air Retarder Systems
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2003
• Replaced By: ASTM E1186-03(2009) - Standard Practices for Air Leakage Site Detection in Building Envelopes and Air Barrier Systems
• Effective Date: 15-Apr-2009
• Referred By: ASTM E741-23 - Standard Test Method for Determining Air Change in a Single Zone by Means of a Tracer Gas Dilution
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2003
• Referred By: ASTM D7297-21 - Standard Practice for Evaluating Residential Indoor Air Quality Concerns
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2003
• Referred By: ASTM E3223/E3223M-20 - Standard Guide for Specifying and Testing Field-Constructed Exterior Building Wall System Mockups in New Construction
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2003
• Referred By: ASTM E631-15 - Standard Terminology of Building Constructions
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2003
• Referred By: ASTM E2813-18 - Standard Practice for Building Enclosure Commissioning
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2003
• Referred By: ASTM D7338-14(2023) - Standard Guide for Assessment Of Fungal Growth in Buildings
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2003
• Referred By: ASTM E3158-18 - Standard Test Method for Measuring the Air Leakage Rate of a Large or Multizone Building
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2003
• Referred By: ASTM E1827-22 - Standard Test Methods for Determining Airtightness of Buildings Using an Orifice Blower Door
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2003

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:E1186–03
Standard Practices for
Air Leakage Site Detection in Building Envelopes and Air
1
Barrier Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1186; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope ISO Standard 6781 Thermal Insulation—Qualitative Detec-
tion of Thermal Irregularities in Building Envelopes—
1.1 These practices cover standardized techniques for locat-
3
Infrared Method
ing air leakage sites in building envelopes and air barrier
systems.
3. Terminology
1.2 These practices offer a choice of means for determining
3.1 Definitions:
the location of air leakage sites with each offering certain
3.1.1 air leakage rate, n—the volume of air movement per
advantages for specific applications.
unit time across the building envelope or air barrier system,
1.3 Some of the practices require a knowledge of infrared
including flow through joints, cracks, and porous surfaces, or
scanning, building and test chamber pressurization and depres-
combinations thereof, in which the driving force for such air
surization, smoke generation techniques, sound generation and
leakage in buildings is either mechanical pressurization or
detection, and tracer gas concentration measurement tech-
evacuation, natural wind pressures, or air temperature differ-
niques.
ences between the building interior and the outdoors, or
1.4 The practices described are of a qualitative nature in
combinations thereof.
determining the air leakage sites rather than determining
3.1.2 air leakage site, n—a location on the building enve-
quantitative leakage rates.
lope or air barrier system where air can move between the
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
building interior and the outdoors.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.1.3 air infiltration, n—air leakage into the building.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.1.4 air exfiltration, n—air leakage out of the building.
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
3.1.5 building envelope, n—the boundary or barrier sepa-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific hazard
rating the interior volume of a building from the outside
statements, see Section 6.
environment.
2. Referenced Documents 3.1.5.1 Discussion—For the purpose of these practices, the
interior volume is the deliberately conditioned space within a
2.1 ASTM Standards:
2
building generally not including the attic space, basement
E 631 Terminology of Building Constructions
space, and attached structures, unless such spaces are con-
E 741 Test Method for Measuring Air Leakage Rate by
2
nected to the heating and air conditioning system, such as a
Tracer Dilution
crawl space plenum. The actual building envelope may extend
E 779 Test Method for Determining Air Leakage Rate by
2
beyond these boundaries because of ducting or other construc-
Fan Pressurization
tion features.
2.2 Other Standards:
3.1.6 air barrier system, n—a system in building construc-
ANSI-ASHRAE Standard 101 Application of Infrared
tion that is designed and installed to reduce air leakage either
Sensing Devices to theAssessment of Building Heat Loss
3
into or through the building envelope.
Characteristics
3.1.7 test specimen, n—the part of the air barrier system on
the building to be tested that may consist of the selected areas
1
These practices are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E06 on
of materials comprising the principle resistance to airflow,
Performance of Buildings and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.41
joints between such materials and joints between the materials
on Air Leakage and Ventilation.
and structural, mechanical or other penetrations through such
Current edition approved April 10, 2003. Published May 2003. Originally
approved in 1987. Last previous edition approved in 1998 as E 1186 – 98.
materials, and excludes any material which does not form an
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.11.
integral part of the air barrier system.
3
Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 West 42nd Street,
3.2 For other definitions, see Terminology E 631.
New York, NY 10036.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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E1186–03
4. Summary of Practice willflowtowardeachairleakagesite.Inthiscase,theresulting
measured air velocity peak will be less distinct.
4.1 This standard presents the following seven practices for
4.2.4 Generated Sound in Conjunction With S
...