Explore - Why Do Passive Houses Need to Be Built Airtight?

The air tightness of a building is its resistance to air leakage in or out through unwanted parts or sections of the passive house. Air leakage can occur through windows, doors, cabinets, joinery, beams, pipes, insulation, electrical wiring, fireplaces, etc. In simple terms, air sealing is about controlling the flow of air inside a building. 

Building an airtight house is one of the keys to building an energy-efficient home. Passive houses are designed to prevent unexpected air leaks, e.g., loss of warm air in winter and infiltration of hot or cold air. Careful design and correct construction are essential to meeting passive house standards. That is why passive house builders in Melbourne offer passive houses with an airtight cover. 

Triple Glazed Windows

The use of triple-glazed windows is compatible. For those who are not aware, three panes of glass are sealed inside the window frame. Usually, there are only one or two panes of glass. So why triple-glazed windows instead of single or double-glazed windows?

Triple-glazed windows are more energy efficient than single or double-glazed windows. They keep the heat in during the summer and keep it out during the winter. Passive house windows are designed to provide high thermal comfort even in the most extreme weather conditions. 

•  The windows are surprisingly resistant to breakage, making them burglar-proof. 
• They are quiet and provide good sound insulation from the road and neighbouring houses. 
• Insulation, careful sealing and high-performance windows significantly reduce external noise. 

According to the passive house builders in Melbourne, all the advantages ultimately increase the value of your passive house. 

Air Changes Rate

When it comes to measuring air tightness, there are many approaches. The most commonly used measurement method is the air change rate. This refers to the number of times the air inside a home is completely replaced when all doors and windows are closed, measured per hour using pressure. A quick search on the internet shows that the average new home has 7-20 air changes per hour. This means that on a windy day, the air changes from hot to cold about 7-10 times per hour. This means that the air heats up 1-10 times per hour. This means that a typical new house in Australia leaks 20 times more than a passive house! This is even when looking at the lower limit of the average allowable value for a typical new build.

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