What is a Thermographic Survey Inspection?
Thermographic survey inspections – which are also known as thermography surveys, can help to determine the thermal performance of a building. It creates a detailed photographic report for the customer (taken on a thermal imaging camera) which shows the temperature of commercial buildings.

APT Sound Testing undertakes detailed Thermographic Surveys to identify heat loss in order to improve energy efficiency and increase thermal comfort within our client’s buildings.

Using thermal imaging cameras, our highly skilled Level 2 engineers can detect infrared radiation and therefore identify increases or decreases in temperature. APT have been working with contractors and consultants to ensure their buildings do not suffer from excessive cold bridging, air leakage or thermal breaks in insulation.

What is a Thermal inspection Surveys?
BREEAM recognise the benefit of a thermographic survey by awarding credits if a thermal imaging survey is undertaken on a project. The survey will also demonstrate compliance with the construction specification on newly constructed buildings in-line with Building Regulations Part L and BREEAM.

What problems can a Thermal inspection survey identify?
The BREEAM thermal survey can diagnose problems within the building fabric such as missing insulations, moisture ingress, condensation and mould growth. The use of thermography can provide excellent visual and quantitative evidence of the causes of the suspected problems.

What is the science behind a thermal imaging survey?
Infrared thermography is a type of photography which is based on infrared wavelengths, rather than visible wavelengths.

Thermal imaging relies on radiated energy in the infrared (IR) spectrum which cannot be seen by our eyes.

Do you need to be trained to carry out a thermal survey?
Yes, to carry out a BREEAM thermal inspection you need to be certified to at least Level 2. Our BREEAM thermal imaging engineers are trained to Levels 2 & 3, so are suitably qualified to carry out thermal surveys.

How do I prepare my building for a thermal imaging survey?
In order to correctly carry out this thermographic assessment, it is necessary to achieve a 10ºC differential in temperature between internal (heated) and external (ambient) – or the inside and outside of the building envelope.

If you would like more information in regards to our Thermal Imaging Surveys, please contact us at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk or call us Direct on 07775623464.

Alternately, if you would like more information on how to prepare for your BREEAM Thermal Imaging Survey, please visit our website at www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk or Thermal Imaging Inspection Checklist and you can also reference our blog at airpressuretesting.blogspot.com or our Thermal Imaging Knowledge Base Page which offers handy tips on how to prepare for your Thermal Imaging Survey.

Is Thermal Imaging Survey Worth Doing?
Yes, a thermal imaging survey is an extremely useful type of survey. It is a completely non-invasive method of investigating many aspects of a building that are virtually impossible by any other method and you’ll find heat leaks and many other issues that you’d never find any other way. By actioning the items found during a Thermal Imaging Survey – such as missing insulation in the building envelope – you can reduce the building’s carbon footprint and ongoing costs.

A healthy building envelope also makes the facility more comfortable and healthy for its occupants. This improved environment can also increase productivity and be very beneficial for the life cycle of a building. A healthier building means healthier occupants – a double win for employer and employees.

What are other names for Thermal Imaging Surveys?
This procedure is also known as a thermographic survey, thermal survey, BREEAM Thermographic survey, BREEAM thermographic assessment, heat-loss survey, thermal imaging home inspection or Infrared thermography (IRT).

How much does a Thermal Imaging Survey cost?
This is one of our most common questions regarding thermal imaging, with a very easy answer: it depends on various factors!

How much a thermal imaging survey costs depend on the following:

1. The type and size of building
2. The amount of buildings
3. The preparation required
4. Potential access issues that may slow down the survey
5. The projected survey time and equipment required
6. The location and travel costs/time
7. The deliverable: in other words, what is type of reportage is required.

Once the above items have been considered, we can forward an accurate fee proposal for the works.

When is the best time to do a Thermal Imaging Survey?
Thermal imaging surveys should generally be conducted in the early hours of a cold morning, approx. 2 hours before the sun rises to prevent solar loading on the building envelope. Generally, when it’s cold outside you heat the building to provide a temperature differential of 10c. The bigger and steadier the temperature differences between inside and outside, the easier the job will be. Also, thermal surveys should not usually be undertaken if heavy rainfall is present at the time of the thermal survey.

It is with noting that it is more difficult to conduct these types of heat loss survey during summer months as the ground temperatures and surrounding building envelope can maintain high temperatures for months on end; however, we can overcome this by using the latest advanced – and sensitive – thermal imaging cameras as well as utilising our highly trained and experienced thermography engineers.

APT Sound Testing
APT Sound Testing is company that provide specialist thermal imaging surveys to customers through all industry sectors throughout the UK including construction and facility management projects throughout London and the South East.

Specialising in electrical thermal imaging surveys and building thermography, APT sound Testing is one of a few companies that only use surveyors that are trained certified to a minimum of ITC Level 2, which is the minimum requirement to undertake BREEAM Thermal Inspections throughout London and the rest of the UK for practising thermographer’s.

We have over 15 years of experience carrying out building thermal imaging surveys in support of industrial and commercial applications, our thermal inspections reportage contains the required reporting structures to satisfy the requirements expected by Construction and Insurance Companies, Facility Managers, Building Control and BREEAM 2011 Assessors etc.

We realise that thermal imaging inspections can be vital in establishing potential defects in your buildings at the earliest possible stage. This can save you time and money during future operations together with reducing the risk of making the wrong decision and potential building shutdowns.

The combination of highly trained and certified and experienced thermographic surveyors as well as high specification calibrated equipment, guarantee our customers the best possible thermal imaging survey report to meet all of your needs.

Our thermal imaging team make sure that customer satisfaction comes first and our surveys are carried out with the upmost thoroughness and expertise.

To learn more about our London thermal imaging surveys and how they can help you maintain your home better, call APT Sound Testing today on 01525 303905. We have the equipment and experience necessary to identify underlying maintenance issues that can lead to expensive and unforeseen maintenance costs.

Whether it BREEAM Thermal Imaging Survey be a Leak Detection Survey, an underfloor heating survey, a damp survey, or an energy efficiency survey, please contact us today and see how we can assist you.

Thermal Imaging Surveys

APT Sound Testing provide UKAS accredited sound testing & Thermal Imaging Surveys for London and the whole of the UK as required by Approved Document E of the Building Regulations. We undertake projects on all types of residential buildings and commercial buildings. We also undertake sound testing on schools and buildings containing rooms for residential purposes.

Thermal Imaging Surveys in London

A thermal Imaging survey is a completely non-invasive method of investigating many aspects of a building that are virtually impossible by any other method.

Thermal Imaging Process

A thermal Imaging survey is an extraordinary method of investigating many aspects of a building that is completely non-invasive.

Thermal Imaging Inspections use IR Thermography to identify a wide range of issues such as:

• Incorrectly applied or inadequate insulation within the building envelope

• Locating air leakage paths into/out of your building

• Moisture infiltration

• Poor moisture barriers

There is no other low impact and accurate way to assess the unseen performance of insulation or the building fabric.

A thermal Imaging Survey can is also ideal for identifying water penetration through roofs or other parts of a building structure, alleviating the need for time consuming water dye tests which are not always accurate.

APT Sound Testing uses the latest Flir Thermal Imaging Cameras for our thermography report generation and as well as utilising the latest software for accurate reportage and trend analysis.

This means or thermal imaging reports can be issued within hours of the survey being completed with recommendations to help our clients deal with every eventuality.

How we Prepare for a Thermographic Survey

What is also important is that there must be no direct or residual solar loading from the sun in the building.

Many companies have their thermal imaging surveys undertaken an hour or so after sunset and this is usually flawed and may lead to inaccurate results. Whilst there may be rate exceptions to this, as a rule, there will be solar load in the building for many hours after sunset.

Therefore, we have learnt to undertake more accurate reportage the thermal imaging surveys should generally be conducted in the early hours of a cold morning, approx.

Two hours before the sun can fall on the building. It is more difficult to undertake conduct these types of heat loss survey during summer months when the ground temperatures and surrounding buildings are at high temperatures for months on end; however, this can be overcome by ramping up internal temperatures within the building and using the latest and more advanced thermal imaging cameras.

In all cases APT Sound Testing will check each project in isolation to ensure the correct site conditions are in place prior to undertaking the thermal imaging survey in compliance with the requirements with BS EN 13187. Building Regulations Part L and this link both offer lots of useful information in regards to Thermography Surveys.

We have years of experience working with a wide range of clients that span both the public and private sectors. We have clients ranging from self-builders through to the largest housing developers. We also work with the health authority and the banking sector on their cleanroom testing. Our clients have benefited from our wealth of knowledge and friendly, proactive service that we provide.

If you need more information on how to prepare your building for a Thermal Imaging Survey please download our air tightness testing checklist. If you would like more information in regards to our, please visit our website or call us Direct on 07775 623464.

Clean Room Testing Services

Cleanrooms play critical roles in maintaining contamination free production environments for critical processes. To ensure your cleanroom is working as designed it is essential that a well planned and executed cleanroom testing and certification and maintenance program is undertaken for operation and regulatory compliance. APT cleanroom testing offers clean room testing and clean room certification. APT Clean Room Testing specialise in the testing and validation of all types of clean rooms from the Nano technology to the automotive industries.

We offer the complete range of performance tests, including non-viable airborne particulate monitoring and HEPA filter testing, through to airflow volume flow measurement and air change rate calculations for non-unidirectional systems. We also offer airflow velocity measurements for unidirectional systems and room differential pressure measurement. Using our latest smoke survey equipment we also offer accurate airflow visualisation testing.  We also offer temperature and humidity monitoring and air tightness testing to check for air leakage paths through the clean room envelope.

Our primary cleanroom tests include:

• Non-viable particulate monitoring
• Airflow volume/velocity profiling
• Room air exchange rates
• HEPA filter integrity testing
• Room pressurisation monitoring
• Temperature and humidity monitoring

Using our technical knowledge and experience in cleanroom testing coupled with our steadfast commitment to quality and the highest standards of customer service we provide our clients with reliable, accurate and thoroughly documented clean room testing results, ensuring optimal cleanroom performance, documented regulatory and quality compliance, and minimised facility down time as most companies clean rooms are their main critical asset.

Following our clean room testing service or validation service, we present you with a clear, well-structured reportage that can be compiled, quality checked and issued to you while still on site, minimising the down time of your operations. We will also take time to explain the process and reportage to ensuring that you fully understand the testing process and your final results.

We will issue you with test certificates, as well as calibration certificates for all of the equipment used and we will also document any recommendations for improvements that could be made to make the clean room more efficient in regards to its operation.

APT Clean Room Testing provide trained clean room test engineers, offering comprehensive and proactive validation service to the requirements of all current ISO standards and guidelines. We are customer driven and continually try to exceed our customers’ expectations, both in terms of price and service. Our careful attention to detail ensures that our reports and certificates are of the highest quality and customers can be confident that their external calibration and validation requirements have been met. Our commitment to quality is backed up by our UKAS accreditation. Our test engineers are well trained, highly motivated and flexible individuals who ensure constant and consistent delivery of our high standards.

ISO Standard 14644-1: 1999 has recently been updated to the 2015 version. It requires changes to sampling procedures and monitoring plans for cleanrooms and clean zones, all of which is outlined in the revised ISO 14644-1:2015 standard. Organisations will be required to redefine their validation sampling plans and data evaluation and will obviously affect the clean room testing reportage.

The updated ISO 14644-1:2015, specifies the classification of air cleanliness in terms of concentration of airborne particles in cleanrooms and clean zones and is the first significant revision since its original release in 1999.

The major change from ISO 14644-1:1999 publication is the adoption of a more consistent statistical approach to the selection and number of sampling locations; and thereafter the evaluation of the data collected. 

This new approach allows each location to be treated independently with at least a 95 % level of confidence that at least 90 % of the cleanroom or clean zone areas will comply with the maximum particle concentration limit for the target class of air cleanliness. Cleanroom users will have to make changes to the cleanroom validation procedures to meet the requirements laid out in the latest version of ISO 14644-1:2015 and ISO 14644-2:2015.  It is possible that the revised standard will require cleanroom owners to make changes to their cleanroom to ensure they continue to achieve the required classification and remain compliant.

If you would like more information on our cleanroom testing services please don’t hesitate to contact Darren directly on 07775623464 or email us at: info@aptcleanroomservices.co.uk

Sound Insulation Testing Terminology
Developers and landlords may need to improve sound insulation over a wide range of houses and flats. This may be due to the fact they have just built a new development that requires sound insulation testing under Part E or as part of a general refurbishment programme, i.e. changing houses into flats.

Often confusion can arise from the large amount of ‘terms’ used in conjunction with acoustic design and sound insulation testing. To help with this we have made a list of the following terms for clarity:

Absorption
This is the conversion of sound energy into heat, often by the use of a porous material.

Absorbent Material
This is a material that absorbs sound energy, such as acoustic mineral wool.

Airborne sound
This is sound which is propagated from a noise source through the medium of air. Examples of these are speech and sound from a television

Airborne Sound Transmission
This is direct transmission of airborne sound through walls or floors. When sound energy is created in a room, for instance by conversation, some of the energy is reflected or absorbed by room surfaces but some may set up vibrations in the walls and floor. Depending on both the amount of energy and the type of construction, this can result in sound being transmitted to adjacent parts of the building.

Air Path
This is a void in construction elements, which adversely affects the performance of sound resisting construction. Examples of air paths include incomplete mortar joints, porous building materials, gaps around pipes and shrinkage cracks – this can also effect the air tightness results.

Bonded resilient cover
This is a thin resilient floor covering normally of minimum 3-5mm thickness, which is bonded to the isolated screed surface to reduce impact sound transmission such as footfall noise, however it has a lesser effect when it comes to airborne noise.

Cavity stop
This is a proprietary product or material such as mineral wool (fibre) used to close the gap in a cavity wall.

Composite Resilient Batten
This is composed of a timber batten with a pre-bonded resilient material to provide isolation between the flooring surface layers and floor base.

Cradle/Saddle
This is an intermediate support system (with a resilient layer base, either pre-bonded or already integral) using levelling packer pieces to support a timber batten, isolating it from the floor base.

Decibel (dB)
This is the unit used for different acoustic quantities to indicate the level with respect to a reference level.

Density (kg/m3)
This is the mass per unit volume, expressed in kilograms per cubic metre (kg/m3). Blockwork is commonly referred to by industry in terms of strength (in Newtons). However, it is the density that has the important role in terms of sound insulation.

Direct transmission refers to the path of either airborne or impact sound through elements of construction.

DnT,w
This is the weighted standardized level difference. A single-number quantity (weighted) which characterises the airborne sound insulation between two rooms, in accordance with BS EN ISO 717-1:1997

Façade Testing
This Standard – ISO 140-5:1998) specifies the testing methods to evaluate the sound insulation in buildings and building elements for facades. Three rounds of a proficiency testing scheme for airborne sound insulation measurements have been performed according to the methods specified in the standard for a whole facade by using an external loudspeaker as the noise source.

Flanking element (flanking wall)
This is any building element that contributes to the airborne sound or impact transmission between rooms in a building which is not the direct separating element (i.e. not the separating wall or separating floor).

Flanking strip or edge strip
This is a resilient strip using foamed polyethylene normally 5 mm thick, which is located at the perimeter of a floor to isolate the floor boards from the walls and skirtings.

Flanking transmission
This is airborne or impact transmission between rooms that is transmitted via flanking elements and/or flanking elements in conjunction with the main separating elements. An example of a flanking element is the inner leaf of an external wall that connects to the separating ‘core’ of a wall or floor.

Flexible closer
This is a flexible cavity stop or cavity barrier which seals the air path in cavities linking adjoining dwellings.

Floating floor treatment (FFT)
This is a timber floating floor system which may use battens, cradles or platform base, all of which use a resilient layer to provide isolation from the base floor and adjacent wall elements.

Gypsum based plasterboard
This is a dry lining board applied to walls, ceilings and within floating floor treatments which has gypsum content. It may also have fibre reinforcement within the board.

Impact sound
This is sound which is propagated from a noise source through a direct medium. An example of this is footfall on a floor.

Impact sound transmission
This is sound which is spread from an impact noise source in direct contact with a building element.

Isolation
This is a strategy to limit the number and type of rigid connections between elements of construction.

L’nT,w
This is the weighted standardized impact sound pressure level. A single-number quantity (weighted) to characterise the impact sound insulation of floors, in accordance with BS EN ISO 717-2: 1997.

Mass
This is a physical quantity that expresses the amount of matter in a body. Walls and floors may be described in terms of the surface density (mass per unit area, kg/m2) of the wall face or the floor surface, which is the sum of the surface densities of each component of the construction. The density of materials is expressed as mass per unit volume, kg/m3, which can be provided via the core structure and linings such as in-situ concrete or solid dense block walls.

Mass per unit area (or surface density)
This is is expressed in terms of kilograms per square metre (kg/m2). This is often used to describe boards, panels, flooring and dry linings (see gypsum based board).

Resilience
This can reduce structural vibration transmission and still maintain material performance and overall dimensions, examples include floating floor treatments such as resilient battens or cradles, or resilient ceiling bars.

Resilient ceiling bars
This acoustic solution is generally metal based and vary in thickness from 11 mm to 30 mm. They are mounted perpendicular to the joist span direction and can increase both airborne and impact sound insulation. Care should be taken to ensure that the ceiling board fixings into the resilient bar do not come into contact with the joists and reduce the potential performance.

Resilient noggin
This is a small section of resilient ceiling bar which is used to assist in bracing non load bearing partitions.

Rw
This is a single-number quantity (weighted) which characterises the airborne sound insulation of a building element from measurements undertaken in a laboratory, in accordance with BS EN ISO 717-1: 1997

Sound Insulation Testing
Sound Insulation Testing is required near the end of a development to show that the performance of the party wall and floor partitions meet the standards as stipulated in Building Regulations Approved Document E. The testing methods for airborne and impact sound insulation is in full accordance with the suggested methods presented in BS EN ISO 140-parts 4 & 7: 1998.

Stiffness
This is can improve low-frequency sound insulation, for example in floors, by reducing the potential for deflection or movement of the primary structure, therefore the correct spacing and depth of joists is important.

If you have a project that requires acoustic design and/or sound insulation testing please let us know. APT Sound Testing will ensure you will have direct contact with the allocated acoustician from the start of the process, through to the successful completion of the sound insulation testing. 

For more information about Sound Insulation Testing Terminology or with regard to acoustic services, please contact us at via our APT Sound Testing website or call us today on 01525 303905.

Why we are a UKAS Accredited Air and Sound Testing Laboratory

APT Sound Testing is UKAS accredited for both sound insulation testing and air tightness testing. Being a UKAS accredited laboratory for air and sound testing, provides an assurance of the competence, impartiality and integrity of the testing body. UKAS accredited testing reduces the need for testing company to be assessed by each of their customers.

UKAS’ involvement in international groups such as EA, IAF and ILAC, provides for mutual recognition. This reduces the need for multiple assessments of suppliers, and as a consequence helps to reduce barriers for testing companies that have UKAS accreditation.

Most businesses – big or small within the industry they operate in, require some form of certification. This is the ultimate mark of quality and professionalism within their sector. With so many types of accreditation to choose from nowadays, it can be difficult to know what type would be best for your company. One place to start is by making sure that the testing consultancy you use is UKAS accredited. This is something you simply cannot afford to overlook.

What is UKAS accreditation?

UKAS stands for the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. It is the only government recognised national accreditation body in Britain. It has been designed to evaluate the competence of all organisations that supply services relating to certification, calibration, inspection, and testing. If a certification body meets their standards, they will then be accredited. If an organisation has reached this status, it means that they have the ability to deliver results while being reliable, impartial, and competent. Therefore, if you choose a UKAS accredited certification body, you can be certain of the highest levels of quality. APT Sound Testing is UKAS accredited for both sound insulation testing and air tightness testing, so you can be sure of the highest quality testing services and reportage at all times.

Why are not all companies UKAS accredited?

Unlike many other certification bodies, UKAS is a non-profit organisation, meaning their sole purpose is to ensure that companies are regulated properly and high standards are achieved at all times. This offers customers ultimate peace of mind. Other companies that don’t have UKAS certification, may have lower prices in some instances as they are not bound by the more stricter guidelines put in place by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. If the company you are using is not UKAS accredited it may mean that you are taking a massive risk, as the quality of product testing and auditing quality may vary. If the company you are using for your air tightness and/or sound testing has not sought UKAS certification, it can be a good indicator that the quality may be lower.

Why it’s important to be UKAS accredited

There are also a lot of non-accredited air and sound testing companies that offer their service on a no certificate no fee basis; however, although this may seem great on the surface it usually means is that a certificate is barely ever refused. This does not say a lot for the quality of the testing company if they are simply allowing anyone to achieve their certification. It goes completely against the international standard that UKAS adheres to. Also, their accreditation isn’t worth much when you consider that they do not have to adhere to any regulatory constraints, and thus they offer little assurance in terms of accountability, impartiality, or integrity. Hats why it’s really important to use UKAS accredited testing laboratories like APT Sound testing for all your air tightness and  sound insulation testing.

How can I tell if an organisation is UKAS certified?

So, how can you tell if an organisation is UKAS certified? Well, all accredited businesses are allowed to use the Royal Crown symbol. Thus, you simply need to look out for this. Alternatively, you can head to the UKAS website at www.ukas.com , and you will find a list of all certified bodies under the ‘Accredited Bodies’ tab on the homepage. For peace of mind here is a direct link to APT sound testing’s UKAS accreditation.

We are a UKAS accredited company

Here at APT Sound Testing, we are happy to prove our UKAS certification. As a UKAS accredited laboratory we are committed to providing quality consultancy services to your business. If you want to know more about how we can help you with our UKAS accredited air and acoustic testing services, please contact us on 01525 303905 or email us at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk  and we’ll be happy to talk you through our precompletion testing services or supply a free no obligation quote.

APT Sound Testing – Our Air Tightness Testing Service

Air tightness testing, also known as blower door testing, is the process of measuring the amount of air leakage from a building through the building envelope. To try and help our clients better understand and prepare for their air tightness testing, we have tried to explain and answer our customer’s most common questions. For more information on our air tightness testing services you can also visit our Services Page.

What is Air Tightness Testing for Building Regulations?Air Tightness Testing What is Air Tightness Testing for Building Regulations?

Air testing is mandatory in the United Kingdom and is governed by Part L of the Building Regulations, this split into two parts; for domestic properties Part L1A should be used and for commercial properties Part L2A should be referenced.

Building Regulations Part L states air tightness testing should be carried to check the air leakage that occurs through a buildings envelope. The air leakage test checks the amount of air that escapes through gaps or air leakage paths through the building fabric. If the building is more air tight, less energy will be being needlessly lost, thus lowering the carbon emissions of the building. Air testing also shows how efficient a building is at retaining conditioned air which will also put less straight on your mechanical and ventilation system. Failing to maintain adequate air tightness can lead to up to 50% of heat loss from within a building to the outside atmosphere.

What air leakage target do I need to achieve?

Most new dwellings and commercial buildings need to achieve an air leakage of 3m3/hr/m2 to 5m3/hm2, this rate would usually be acceptable by building control and your SAP assessor as an acceptable result, although you need to check each your designed SAP assessment as there may be items within your buildings design that that may affect this figure.

How long does the air test take?

Most air tightness tests can be completed in 1-2 hours if they pass straight away; however, tests can take much longer if they initially fail. It usually speeds up the process if customs prepare their buildings in-line with our air tightness checklist as its means we can start the testing as soon as we arrive on site instead of waiting for the client to tape up areas, or make upgrades to the building envelope.  We also offer a smoke testing service to locate the air leakage paths within a building envelope which can also take extra time; however this often allows our clients to seal and pass their building at the first attempt even if their building initially fails the air test.

How do you undertake an air tightness test?

The air tightness test is undertaken in-line with Building Regulations Part L1 & L2 and ATTMA TS1 & TS2. Basically we measure the pressure differential across the envelope of the building by means of the temporarily installation of a large fan inside a door panel. Thereafter, a range of static pressures and environmental readings are taken. The fan is switched on and the air pressure in the property is gradually increased or decreased and the differential pressure is recorded at each step, usually from 25 Pa to 70 Pa. The total air flow required to achieve a pressure differential of 50 Pa is calculated and divided by the total building envelope area to provide the leakage rate in m3/h.m2@50Pa.

How do I prepare my building for the air test?

The more complete you’re building the more chance you have of passing the air tightness test at the first attempt. We send our and air test checklist with every quotation to help our client prepare for the testing. It is our aim to help clients pass their air test at the first attempt.

Basically you prepare the building in-line with our checklists and the items below, you will generally have a much better chance of passing the testing at the first attempt.

1. The building envelope should be fully complete; this includes walls, floors and ceilings.
2. All doors and windows must be fully fitted and able to shut tightly against their seals.
3. All electric fittings must be installed and functional.
4. All mechanical fittings must be installed and functional.
5. Gaps within walls and floors must be sealed.
6. All service penetrations must be fully sealed through the building envelope. 
7. Bathrooms and kitchens must be fully fitted and all service penetrations sealed.
8. All mechanical ventilation turned off with grilles sealed.
9. All trickle vents to windows and doors must be sealed.
10. All fireplaces must be sealed.
11. Ensure water is present in soil pipes.
12. 240v power must be available on site.

Whether you need air tightness test please contact us on info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk  to obtain a no obligation quote. If you need more information on how to prepare your building for the air test please download our air tightness testing checklist. 

Alternately, please visit our website at www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk, for more information on our precompletion testing services

Air Tightness Testing in Reading

There is no air tightness testing job too big or small APT Sound Testing in Reading.

From our local office, we provide our air tightness testing service throughout Reading

Below is a quick description of Reading and the surrounding areas where APT Sound Testing supplies our air tightness testing service:

A Description of Reading and the Surrounding Areas

Reading is is a large, historic university and minster town in Berkshire, South East England. As Reading has grown, its suburbs have spread: to the west between the two rivers into the foothills of the Berkshire Downs.

Here is a more detailed list of all the locations in Reading and the surrounding areas that we carry out our air tightness testing services. We carry out our testing in Caversham, Caversham Heights, Caversham Park, Coley, Coley Park, Emmer Green, Katesgrove, Southcote, Whitley, Whitley Wood and Tilehurst

The local authorities in and around Reading are Reading North, and Reading South. Since the 2010 general election, Reading has been divided between the parliamentary constituencies of Reading East, Reading West, Wokingham,  Shinfield, Earley and Lower Earley) and Maidenhead and Woodley).

Our air tightness testing equipment in Reading

Preparing your Reading site for the Air Tightness Test

One of our team will take measurements of the building from the architectural plans as well as undertaking physical site check of the measurements, prior to the air tightness test which allows us to determine the building envelope area. This is an essential stage of the air testing process as the building envelope area is one of the main parameters that the result is based upon.  The measurements will be verified onsite by APT Air Tightness Engineer on the day of the air test to ensure that the measurements and calculations are correct.

We then set up the blower door equipment as follows.

1. We’ll temporarily install a blower door fan system (depending on building size) in a suitably placed doorway.
2. We then take a series of environmental measurements such as internal and external temperatures as well as barometric pressures.
3. We then turn on the fan equipment and take measurements between 25-70Pa in 5Pa increments, recording the pressure differential at each step.
4. Finally, our technicians will calculate the total air flow required to achieve a pressure differential of 50 Pa, divided by the total building envelope area –  this calculation will show leakage rate in m³/h.m² @ 50 Pa.

APT Sound Testing usually allow 2-3 hours to complete each commercial air tightness test, meaning there should have plenty of time to address any unexpected problems that may arise. We will guide you through the entire air testing process. In addition, we provide an air tightness review consultancy service to help you pass your air tightness test at the first attempt.

For more information about our Air Tightness Testing in Reading, please visit us at www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk or contact us on 01525 303905 or info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk for a FREE Quote.

The Secret to Successful Sound Testing
There are many considerations to achieving successful sound testing on your development. The main areas that need to be addressed are the dividing wall and flor construction.  When dealing with walls you normally just need to worry about airborne sound; however with walls it’s both airborne and impact sound which can be far more difficult to deal with.

The usual noise problems associated with airborne sound transmission is TV noise, music and speech. This can be dealt with by applying ceiling treatments as well as mass and isolation to the building components. Impact sound (footfall) performance is increased by the used of resilience layers and isolation of components to prevent noise flanking through the partition.

Airborne Sound Testing
For airborne sound testing Building Regulation Part E requires you achieve at least 45dB for new build properties and 43dB for conversion developments, this applies both to party walls and floors between properties. This level is the difference between the source level and the receiver level during sound testing. Therefore, if the source level in one flat is 110dB and the receiver level in the neighbouring flat is 55dB, the level difference (or sound reduction performance) is 55dB.

The measurement is corrected for several factors such as background noise, room characteristics and frequency weighting, giving the final sound insulation performance value of the tested partition. In this case the higher the number the better the sound insulation performance. The measurement is done by using a Class 1 Analyser and the associated equipment.

Impact Sound Testing
For impact sound testing Building Regulation Part E requires you achieve at least 62dB for new build properties and 64dB for conversion developments. Impact insulation performance only applies to party floors and related to the effectiveness of the floor construction in absorbing shock such as footfall noise. The measurement is done by using a Norsonic tapping machine (as shown below). The machine has 5 weights which tapping in regular succession on the tested floor which emulates footfall noise. The noise levels are taken in the receiving room below, which are then measured and averaged for different tapper positions, which then gives the sound reduction rating of the floor. In this case the lower the figure, the better the performance.

Good Acoustic Design
To try and ensure you meet the standards stipulated within Building Regulations Part E, careful consideration should be shown to the acoustic design detailing from the stat of the project. offset. Tackling the acoustic design for both new build and conversion project requires two different construction techniques and acoustic design detailing. With new build properties you have a blank canvas in terms of the overall design whereas with conversions you usually need to work with the existing’ onsite’ construction which can be quite difficult.

We offer an acoustic design package, which contains the following elements:

a.            Sample Sound Testing – of the existing construction. This offers an accurate overview of the acoustic performance of the existing partitions which enables us to offer a targeted acoustic design using the sound insulation performance of the existing construction.

b.            Acoustic Design Review – a full design review of the proposed developments party walls and floors.

c.             Site Survey Visits – to let us view the existing site construction. This allows us to check for potential problematic construction such as inclusion of lightweight blocks in the existing construction. It also lets us check that the installation teams are installing the acoustic materials as per manufacturer’s guidelines.

d.            Final Precompletion Sound Testing in compliance with Building Regulations Part E.

Useful Acoustic Design Considerations

a.            Avoid the use of lightweight blocks in the inner envelope construction and/or stairwell construction etc. as sound will travel both vertically and horizontally from dwelling to dwelling.

b.            The use of resilient suspended ceilings will help improve the performance of the floor partition.

c.             Ensure all support steels/timbers are carefully boxed out where they travel from flat to flat vertically and horizontally.

d.            Use a high quality resilient acoustic membrane on top of the floor to improve the impact performance of a floor.

e.            Ensure all penetrations are fully sealed where they terminate through floors and they are adequately boxed with acoustic quilt and two layers of plasterboard.

In our experience the main 5 considerations when designing for separating walls and floors between dwellings are: If used together or in various combinations they will improve sound insulation properties over a wide range of frequencies. The main factors are:

a.            Mass

b.            Isolation

c.             Absorption

d.            Resilience

e.            Stiffness

If used together or in various combinations they will improve sound insulation properties over a wide range of frequencies and should achieve compliance with Building Regulations Part E.

In our experience if the acoustic design is taken into consideration from the offset of the project, then it usually results in compliance with Building Regulations Part E.  In Some cases sound test failure can also be down to the poor workmanship rather than the acoustic design that is why we offer a full‘4 step’ acoustic package. If you have a project that’s needs acoustic design advice or sound insulation testing, then please visit the APT Sound Testing website  or phone us directly on 07775623464.