Leak testing kit

[markocosic]

Hello,

 

 

I'd like to do some leak testing on an existing apartment (WHERE is that smell of the neighbour's pickled cabbage coming through the floor/wall...) and a new build (WHERE are the inevitable leaks that need attention)

 

 

In the apartment I can generate pickled cabbage smell by waiting until dinnertime and dialling the cooker hood up to 11. I can smell the leak. The leak isn't big enough to feel or move a sheet of paper etc. I suspect it's the edge of the floor screed and diffused through the foam and coming form behind the skirting etc. They're renovating the heating system in the (stalin era) block this year (= smashing out all the old heating pipes) so it'll be a good time to hunt leaks/seal leaks.

 

 

What are the options?

 

Incense stick?

 

Professional incense stick:

 

https://www.bes.co.uk/the-smoke-stick-kit-3-sticks-17313/?ref=gs&gclid=CjwKCAjwvMqDBhB8EiwA2iSmPOE9X198w7xCDireUtOaJM8700fw19jUSediisUz0gPGrV2rw1giiRoCFQ0QAvD_BwE

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arctic-Hayes-ARC333113-333113-Smoke-Sticks/dp/B009BUDDHM/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=smoke+pencil&qid=1618131002&sr=8-3

 

Vape pen?

 

Professional vape pen:

 

https://cleverlysolved.com/products/smoke-pencil/?v=c65242dc6c2c&doing_wp_cron=1618186380.1039199829101562500000

 

 

Anybody played with these? I'm hesitant to buy fancy incense sticks if the vape widget works and hesitant to buy the vape widget unless somebody has tried similar.

 

 

We're also building a cabin. Same again but this time I'll need to pressurise / depressurise.

 

Car radiator fan + PWM control in a doorway is the current plan. (the £1200 BTS kit is nice but a little spendy for one off use)

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/4000226020635.html

 

Anybody done this? Or found an inexpensive calibrated fan where if you know the pressure difference and the speed you can work out the airflow?

[ProDave]

I did I diy air test using an old broken 240V desk fan, some cardboard and a roll of duct tape.

 

 

I estimated the leakage by measuring the velocity of air passing the extract fan with an anemometer and knowing the diameter of the hole.

 

I found extract (depressurising) easier to go looking for air leaks as you can feel air coming in easier than you can feel it going out.

 

Re the apartment cabbage issue.  Apart from the leaks, it shows there is not enough fresh air entering the apartment as when you turn the cooker fan to full it depressurises the apartment and it finds it easier to draw air in through the holes from the neighbour than from outside.

[markocosic]

Thanks - any recommendations for anemometers?

 

Apartment cabbage - agree but am surprised it doesn't draw through the MVHR unit in preference to the neighbours. (either the leak is decent or they've got a window open and the wind comes from that direction etc)