Duct Leakage Testing in Phoenix: Blower Door & IECC Testing

Arizona Energy and Air Auditing (AEAA) provides third-party duct leakage testing and blower door testing for new construction and HVAC change-outs throughout Phoenix and the greater Maricopa and Pinal County area. You get a calibrated test, a clear pass or fail on site, and documentation your building inspector can sign off on. If a test does not pass, we help you find the leaks so the retest goes smoothly.

Serving Phoenix and the Valley from our Tucson office.

Call or text Karin Saliji: 520-270-1196

Email: arizonaenergyandair@gmail.com

Quotes by job and volume. Tell us the address, permit number, and test type.

• Home builders and production builders who need rough-in and final duct tests and envelope (blower door) tests on every permit

• General contractors and custom builders who must close out an energy-code inspection on a single home or addition

• HVAC contractors who need a duct leakage test after a new system or duct replacement, or a third-party verification for a utility or builder program

AEAA is run by Karin Saliji, a RESNET-certified HERS Rater (RESNET HERS ID 6006075) and BPI-certified professional (BPI ID 5070227). Testing follows ANSI/RESNET/ICC 380 procedures using calibrated blower door and duct-testing equipment.

Energy code limits depend on which edition of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) your city has adopted and on the permit application date. The Valley is not uniform. As of October 2026:

• City of Phoenix: 2024 IECC with Phoenix amendments, effective Aug 1, 2025

• Mesa: 2024 IECC, for permit applications on or after Jan 8, 2026

• Tempe: 2024 IECC, effective July 1, 2026

• Scottsdale: 2021 IECC with Scottsdale amendments, effective Jan 7, 2023

• Other Valley cities and county areas: Varies (2018, 2021, or 2024 editions). Check with your building department.

Always confirm the adopted edition and any local amendments with the jurisdiction that issued your permit. Projects permitted before a city’s adoption date usually stay under the earlier code. We are glad to look at your permit and tell you which numbers apply before we test.

Under the 2018 and 2021 IECC (Section R403.3.4 in 2018, R403.3.6 in 2021), total duct leakage is measured in CFM per 100 sq ft of conditioned floor area:

• Rough-in test, air handler installed: at most 4.0 CFM25 per 100 sq ft

• Rough-in test, air handler not yet installed: at most 3.0 CFM25 per 100 sq ft

• Postconstruction (final) test: at most 4.0 CFM25 per 100 sq ft

• Ducts and air handler fully inside the thermal envelope: the 2018 IECC exempts these systems from the duct test. The 2021 IECC removed that blanket exemption and set a looser limit of 8.0 CFM25 per 100 sq ft.

Example: a 2,000 sq ft home tested at final may leak no more than 80 CFM25 total (2,000 ÷ 100 × 4.0).

The 2024 IECC (now used by Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe) moves duct leakage to Section R403.3.8 and a table based on floor area, number of ducted returns, and duct location. It keeps the 3.0 CFM25/100 sq ft rough-in limit when equipment is not installed and exempts very short duct systems located entirely in conditioned space. Because the 2024 numbers depend on your specific system, we confirm the target for each job before we test.

Phoenix-area homes are in IECC climate zone 2B. For zones 1–2, the 2018 and 2021 IECC require a tested envelope leakage of no more than 5.0 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals (5.0 ACH50). The 2024 IECC keeps 5.0 ACH50 for these zones and adds an alternative based on CFM50 per square foot of enclosure area. Some builder programs, performance-path (ERI/HERS) designs, and specific projects set tighter targets such as 4.0 or 3.0 ACH50. Check your plans and energy report as well as the code.

Rough-in duct test. This test happens after the duct system is installed and before drywall, with registers and boots sealed off. The air handler may or may not be set yet, and the limit changes depending on whether it is. Testing at rough-in lets you fix problems while every joint is still easy to reach. Many builders choose rough-in testing so final inspection is not held up.

Final (postconstruction) duct test. This test happens once the system is complete, including the air handler, registers, and grilles. It is the most common test for HVAC change-outs and for builders who didn’t test at rough-in. The total leakage limit is 4.0 CFM25 per 100 sq ft under the 2018 and 2021 IECC.

Blower door test. This test is done once the air barrier is complete, typically at or near final, with all penetrations, windows, and doors installed. We depressurize the house to 50 Pascals, measure airflow, and calculate ACH50 from the home’s volume.

Many Valley builders schedule the final duct test and the blower door test on the same trip, which saves a visit and keeps the CO timeline on track.

A failed number is information, not a dead end. Here is how we handle it:

1. Diagnose on site. With the house or duct system under pressure, we track down the leaks using smoke, pressure-pan readings, and a walkthrough of common trouble spots: plenum and boot connections, panned returns, air-handler cabinets, attic hatches, top plates, and plumbing and electrical penetrations.

2. Show you where to seal. You get a specific list of leak locations so your crew or HVAC sub can fix them with mastic, tape, foam, or gaskets.

3. Retest. Once sealing is done, we retest and document the passing result. If the fix is minor and the crew is on site, we may be able to retest the same visit.

• Results on site, same day. You will know whether the home passed before we leave.

• Written report shortly after the visit, ready for your inspector, builder file, or HVAC closeout.

• Scheduling depends on our Valley route. Call or text early, especially for multi-home or same-trip bookings.

What the report includes:

• Job address, permit number (if provided), builder/contractor, and test date

• Test type (rough-in duct, final duct, blower door) and test standard followed

• Conditioned floor area and house volume used in calculations

• Measured CFM25 (duct) and/or CFM50 with calculated ACH50 (envelope)

• Code limit applied and a clear pass/fail result

• Equipment used and calibration information

• Tester name and certifications (RESNET HERS Rater, BPI)

• Notes on leak locations and recommendations when a test does not pass

• Arcadia area, Phoenix (85018): Miranda Development. A two-story spray-foam home of about 3,650 sq ft. The blower door test passed at 3.42 ACH50 against a 4.0 ACH50 limit.

• San Tan Valley: new construction. Blower door test completed October 12, 2026.

Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Queen Creek, Glendale, Peoria, Goodyear, Buckeye, Surprise, San Tan Valley, and Apache Junction, plus Tucson and Southern Arizona from our home office at 6880 N Calvin Rd, Tucson, AZ 85743.

1. Is duct leakage testing required for new homes in Phoenix?

Yes. Jurisdictions on the 2018, 2021, or 2024 IECC require duct systems to be tested for leakage unless an exemption applies, such as certain systems located entirely inside the thermal envelope. Phoenix currently enforces the 2024 IECC with local amendments. Confirm the requirements with your building department.

2. What is the duct leakage limit?

Under the 2018 and 2021 IECC, total leakage is limited to 4.0 CFM25 per 100 sq ft of conditioned floor area at final, and at rough-in when the air handler is installed. The limit is 3.0 at rough-in without the air handler. The 2024 IECC uses a table based on the system. We confirm the exact target for your permit.

3. What blower door result do I need to pass?

Phoenix-area homes are in climate zone 2, where the 2018, 2021, and 2024 IECC set a maximum of 5.0 ACH50. Some projects and programs require tighter targets, so check your plans and energy report.

4. Should we test at rough-in or at final?

Rough-in testing catches leaks while ducts are still exposed and easy to seal. Final testing is required for some paths and is the standard for HVAC replacements. We can do either or both.

5. What happens if the home fails?

We diagnose the leaks on site, give you a list of locations to seal, and retest once the work is done. Minor fixes can sometimes be retested on the same visit.

6. How fast do we get results?

You get pass/fail results on site the same day. The written report follows shortly after the visit.

7. Can you do the blower door and duct test on the same trip?

Yes. Most builders combine the final duct test and the blower door test into one visit.

8. Do you work with HVAC companies on change-outs?

Yes. We provide third-party duct leakage testing and paperwork for HVAC contractors on new systems and duct replacements across the Valley.

9. You’re based in Tucson. Do you really cover Phoenix?

Yes. We serve Phoenix and the Valley from our Tucson office and schedule Valley jobs on regular routes, including Phoenix, the East Valley, the West Valley, and San Tan Valley.

10. How much does testing cost?

Every job is quoted individually, based on the test types, number of homes, and location. Call or text 520-270-1196 or email us for a quote. Volume and multi-home quotes are available.

Send the job address, permit number, test type (rough-in duct, final duct, blower door), conditioned square footage, and your preferred date, and we’ll get back to you with a quote and available times.

Call or text Karin Saliji: 520-270-1196

Email: arizonaenergyandair@gmail.com

Arizona Energy and Air Auditing, 6880 N Calvin Rd, Tucson, AZ 85743. Serving Phoenix and the Valley from our Tucson office.