LaHouse to offer HVAC, air leak testing training

BATON ROUGE — The LSU AgCenter LaHouse Resource Center will offer classes this month to address new residential energy code requirements for Louisiana contractors, builders, inspectors and prospective code verifiers.
A Duct and Envelope Tightness Verifier certification class will be held April 19 and 20. The HVAC for Home Performance class will run April 19 to 21 and include the DET class plus an extra day of hands-on practice.
“These classes help contractors produce better-performing homes so their customers can enjoy greater energy efficiency without sacrificing comfort, indoor air quality and durability,” said Claudette Reichel, LSU AgCenter extension housing specialist. “A little-known fact is that as the energy efficiency bar rises, the margin of error shrinks, which can lead to moisture problems and other unintended outcomes. These classes go beyond mere code compliance to provide insights into building-science concepts that affect end results.”
Participants who complete the DET course and written and field exams will be designated Southface Energy Institute certified DET Verifiers. This allows them to perform diagnostic testing and report building and duct tightness results to verify compliance with the 2009 IRC energy code.
LaHouse is an authorized provider for Southface DET training and certification.
The HVAC class includes the DET course as well as insights and best practices to prevent, diagnose and solve heating, cooling and ventilation problems in Louisiana’s hot, humid climate, Reichel said.
“DET certification is especially beneficial to HVAC contractors because it provides more options for code compliance that are not available to those who are certified only in using duct test equipment for ‘total leakage’ measurements,” she said. “DET verifiers can do both ‘total leakage’ and ‘leakage to outside’ tests.”
All participants will receive a handbook, online tutorials, classroom instruction and hands-on exercises, as well as the DET exams. The classes count for CEU hours for Louisiana residential contractors.
More information and links to register are available at the LaHouse Resource Center website, www.LSUAgCenter.com/LaHouse on the Seminars and Events page. LaHouse is located at 2858 Gourrier Ave. across from LSU Alex Box Baseball Stadium in Baton Rouge.