This paper reports the results of an investigation into air flow from basements and sub-floors into the living space and shows that air infiltration from these areas makes a significant contribution to the whole house air infiltration rate. Experimental work in two typical test sites, using tracer-gas techniques confirmed that contaminated soil gases may be transported into the living space by air from basements and sub-floors. The poor condition of most basements exacerbates the difficulty of practical methods of measuring airflow through basement ceilings.
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