Stellar Building Performance recently completed blower door testing in Rockledge for C&D Construction at a new single-family residence in the established Ashton community. This project was a little different from many of our routine scheduled tests because the blower door requirement came up unexpectedly as the project approached final inspection. C&D contacted us around 9 a.m., and we were able to coordinate with their team and be onsite that same afternoon at approximately 3:30 p.m.
For a contractor working to keep a project on schedule, an unexpected testing requirement near the finish line can quickly become a headache. Our goal was to make the process as straightforward as possible, explain what was needed, get the testing completed, and help their team continue moving toward closeout.
Have an upcoming inspection or an unexpected energy-code testing requirement? Contact Stellar Building Performance for blower door testing throughout Rockledge and Brevard County.
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An Unexpected Energy-Code Requirement Near Final Inspection
C&D Construction has decades of experience across commercial, government, marine, industrial, and residential construction. The company was incorporated in 1992 and reports completing more than 530 projects across Florida.
As their team continues pursuing residential work, this Rockledge project brought up a requirement that wasn’t necessarily part of the residential closeout process on projects built under older editions of Florida’s building codes: blower door testing.
That’s where having a building-performance testing partner can be valuable. Having someone in your corner who can expedite to keep things on track is essential when on a construction schedule.
If your project team has questions about blower door testing or energy-code closeout requirements, reach out before final inspection and we’ll help determine what testing your project needs.
A 3.73 ACH50 Result in Rockledge
Once onsite, we set up our calibrated Retrotec blower door equipment and completed the envelope leakage test at the required 50-Pascal pressure difference.
The home measured 1,226 CFM50. With a conditioned building volume of 19,730 cubic feet, the final result was 3.73 ACH50.
ACH50 normalizes the measured airflow against the volume of the building, giving us a standardized measurement of the home’s envelope leakage under controlled test conditions. That allows results to be evaluated appropriately even when we’re testing homes of very different sizes.
The important part for C&D was that we were able to get the test completed without turning an unexpected requirement into a significant schedule delay.
Same-Day Blower Door Testing When the Schedule Matters
This is probably my favorite part of this particular Project Update. C&D reached out to Stellar at approximately 9:00 that morning. By roughly 3:30 that afternoon, I was onsite in Rockledge getting their testing taken care of.
We don’t advertise or guarantee same-day availability because every day’s schedule is different. But when we have the ability to accommodate an urgent project, we’re going to do what we reasonably can to help a contractor keep moving.
Construction schedules have enough moving pieces already. If testing becomes one of those last-minute pieces, good communication and responsiveness can make a big difference.
That’s particularly important as Stellar continues developing relationships with builders and contractors who need more than a one-time test. We want project teams to know that when something comes up, they have someone they can call who understands both the testing and the construction process around it.
Builders and contractors with recurring projects can request a proposal for ongoing energy-code testing and building-performance support throughout Brevard County.
New Construction in an Established Rockledge Community
This project also caught my attention because of where it was located.
The home sits within Ashton in the Viera North area of Rockledge, where many of the surrounding residences were constructed in the early 2000s. Public property information for neighboring homes show construction dates concentrated around 2000 through 2003, making this new residence something of an infill project within a well-established residential community.
It’s another good example of the variety we see in the field. Energy-code testing isn’t limited to large new subdivisions. We work on everything from individual infill homes and custom residences to production housing, multifamily developments, and larger recurring builder projects.
Explore our other Project Updates to see more of the building-performance and energy-code testing Stellar is completing throughout Brevard County and the Treasure Coast.
The Start of a New Relationship With C&D Construction
This was our first opportunity to support C&D Construction, and we’re looking forward to what could become an ongoing relationship as their residential work continues.
C&D has been operating since 1992 and works across government, commercial, marine, industrial, and residential construction. Their own portfolio ranges from major multimillion-dollar design-build infrastructure projects to residential homes, so it’s exciting for Stellar to become a resource as their team continues its residential work.
This project is also a good example of how I want Stellar to work with contractors. The value isn’t just showing up with a blower door and producing a number. It’s understanding the requirement, communicating what it means, coordinating around the project’s needs, and helping make an unfamiliar part of the closeout process easier to manage.
Stellar Building Performance provides blower door testing, duct leakage testing, HERS ratings, energy-code services, and third-party quality assurance throughout Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties. Contact us to request testing or discuss recurring project support.
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