RESNET Certified Inspector | Builder Focused Service | Same Day Electronic Reports
Stellar Building Performance serves Stuart and the surrounding Martin County coast, from the downtown waterfront at the St. Lucie River out through Rocky Point and the 34997 corridor.
What Is a Duct Leakage Test?
A duct leakage test measures how much air escapes the duct system instead of reaching the rooms it was sized for. In Stuart it is required on new residential construction — and the wrinkle here is jurisdictional rather than technical. A Stuart address is not the same as the City of Stuart, because much of the 34997 ZIP is unincorporated Martin County and is permitted and inspected by the county instead.
We work across Camellia, The Cove at Park Trace, Salerno Reserve and Banyan Bay in the Martin County seat, with waterfront custom work downtown and production communities on the fringe, and we verify the reviewing authority before we book.
Registers are sealed and a calibrated duct blaster pressurizes the system to 25 Pascals, reporting the result as CFM25 per 100 square feet of conditioned floor area. Compliance is documented under the Florida Energy Conservation Code.
Request Stuart Duct Leakage Testing
we coordinate Stuart duct leakage testing around your stage of construction, with the report sent the same day.
Local Stuart Projects Our Team has Worked On
Florida Energy Code Duct Leakage Requirements
The Florida Energy Conservation Code governs every residential permit in Stuart, and it applies to any conditioned structure built as living space.
Stuart is the Martin County seat and runs its own City of Stuart Building Division, which reviews permits and performs its own field inspections.
The thing that trips builders up here is the mailing address. A “Stuart” address is not the same as the City of Stuart. Much of the 34997 ZIP is unincorporated Martin County and is permitted and inspected by the Martin County Building Department instead. We confirm which department holds the permit before we schedule, so the report goes to the right desk the first time.
We test across the active Stuart-addressed communities, including Camellia, The Cove at Park Trace, Salerno Reserve and Banyan Bay, along with custom and infill work downtown.
A duct test is required here whenever any part of the duct system or the air handler sits outside the conditioned space. Total leakage must be no more than 4 CFM25 per 100 square feet of conditioned floor area, or 3 CFM25 per 100 square feet at rough-in where the air handler is not yet installed. Where every duct run and the air handler are inside the thermal envelope, the code does not require a test at all.
Why is Duct Leakage Testing Beneficial?
Whichever department reviews your Stuart permit, the number they want is the same one — and what it tells you about the house matters beyond the inspection.
Ducts losing air outside the conditioned space can cause:
For Stuart projects the test does two jobs at once: it satisfies the City of Stuart Building Division and it tells the builder whether the assembly actually performed the way it was drawn.
How We Keep Our Services Simple and Easy
We want completing your Duct Leakage Testing in Stuart to be as easy as possible.
1.
Schedule your test
You tell us the Stuart address and when the home will be ready. We confirm which department holds the permit before scheduling, so the report goes to the right desk the first time.
2.
onsite testing
We show up at the Stuart address with everything needed. Registers are sealed and the duct blaster is connected to the system, which is then brought up to test pressure.
3.
Diagnostics and Measurements
We measure total duct leakage in CFM25 per 100 square feet and compare it against the limit for the test stage. If it is over, we identify where it is going rather than just handing you a fail.
4.
Report delivered same day via email
Everyone on the Stuart project team gets the signed report the same day, not on the next visit.
5.
Ready for Final Inspection approval
With the report on file, the City of Stuart Building Division can close out the permit and issue the certificate of occupancy.
Contact Us for Convenient Duct Leakage Testing in Stuart
Why Builders Choose Stellar Building Performance
Stellar Building Performance
No missed appointments or reschedules.
Confirmed scheduling for Stuart projects.
We’re on the same team
Other Inspectors
You’re just another sale
Recent Duct Leakage Tests
Checking in from the field! See some highlights of our recent Duct Leakage Test site visits!
Frequently asked questions about Duct Leakage Testing
Typically 30 to 60 minutes for a Stuart home. The setup takes longer than the measurement itself, and nothing about it is destructive.
In Stuart, duct leakage testing is required for new residential buildings where any part of the duct system or the air handler sits outside the conditioned space. That covers most homes with ducts in an attic, a garage, a crawlspace, or a soffit chase. If every duct run and the air handler are inside the thermal envelope, the code exempts the system from testing.
Common Structures Like:
Additional Structures Like:
Either one is allowed. A rough-in test is run before the drywall closes the system up, which is the better moment to catch a problem because the ducts are still reachable. A postconstruction test is run near the end, once the air handler is in and the home is approaching final inspection. The limit is 4 CFM25 per 100 square feet in both cases, except at rough-in without the air handler installed, where it tightens to 3.
Yes. If duct leakage testing is on the permit and the result is not documented, the City of Stuart Building Division can hold final approval until it is. That is the whole reason to use a provider who is local to Stuart and shows up when they said they would.
It is recommended to test as close to completion as possible. Our best suggestion is to be one of the last vendors in the project before the cleaners do their final clean. We provide a pre-inspection, get ready checklist in all of our proposals that is designed to make being prepared for your duct leakage test as simple and easy as possible.
In most cases, no. Other trades can keep working in Stuart while we test — we only need the openings closed and the house in its final configuration.
Want the longer version? Read our complete duct leakage testing FAQ.
Duct Leakage Testing Code Reference
Duct Leakage Test Florida Requirements Explained
Duct leakage testing is required in Stuart under R403.3.3 of the 2023 Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, Eighth Edition, which calls for ducts to be pressure tested at 25 Pascals either at rough-in or after construction.
The limits live in R403.3.4. Total leakage must be no more than 4 CFM25 per 100 square feet of conditioned floor area on a postconstruction test, and the same 4 CFM25 on a rough-in test where the air handler is installed. If the air handler is not in place at rough-in, the limit tightens to 3 CFM25 per 100 square feet.
There is a real exception: no duct test is required where the ducts and air handlers are located entirely within the building thermal envelope. Homes on the performance path under R405 are handled differently again, and are tested against the duct leakage rate assumed in the energy calculation.
We keep the full code language, including the complete text of R403.3.3, R403.3.4 and the R405 provisions, on our main duct leakage page: read the full Florida duct leakage code references.
questions? give us a call, this is our specialty!
Need Duct Leakage Testing in Stuart to Pass Final Inspection?
Helping Stuart Builders Stay on Schedule
Coordinated Scheduling
Testing in Stuart gets scheduled to land before the inspection, not chase it.
accurate results
Calibrated equipment and a RESNET certified inspector, so the number holds up when the City of Stuart Building Division reviews it.
same day reports
Same-day digital reporting to the whole Stuart project team, with deficiencies named if there are any.
Other Areas We Serve
Local duct leakage testing in Stuart, with additional service throughout Brevard County, Indian River County, St. Lucie County, Martin County, and Okeechobee County.