Services > Air Testing & Balancing

Air testing and balancing ensures that building systems operate at design conditions. Design engineers design specific airflows for each air device that ensures that the room pressurization and load conditions are achieved. Our clients hire us to perform air test and balance on their systems.

Fans are the basic mechanical device to provide airflow to the building. We measure total airflow and adjust fan speed and airflow to meet design requirements. We adjust sheaves to provide fan speed or use equipment fan speed settings or coordinate with controls contractors to reach the desired fan conditions. We measure and record fan final conditions.

Variable air volume boxes and constant air volume boxes are used in systems to regulate airflow based on room conditions. There is a damper normally controlled by a thermostat that adjusts based on conditions. For example, the room temperature rises above the setpoint, then the damper opens up to allow more cold airflow to reach the room and cool the space. These boxes are calibrated at the factory, however based on installation we often adjust the calibration ensure that the actual and measured airflow match.

Grilles and diffusers are balanced by adjusting mechanical dampers to direct airflow to the spaces. Systems that are not balanced will typically have more airflow at diffusers closest to the airflow source and lower airflows farther from the source. By adjusting the damper or adding resistance to the airflow paths nearest the source, we are able to direct the airflow to meet design airflows at each device within a reasonable tolerance (usually +/-10%).

We measure supply, exhaust, return and outside airflows in building systems. Due to code requirements, outside air is often the most important element of the building system that we set. We ensure that the ventilation requirements are met, so that building occupants receive the fresh air that they need. As part of our scope of work, we also ensure critical room pressurization. These rooms are usually in laboratories or hospitals. Rooms may be positive, negative or neutral.