Stair Pressurization

NOTES
Stair/Building Construction
Stair/Exterior Construction

Spread sheet in English Units

Flow area of Stair

Length of Stair/Building Interface

This table should only be used for

buildings that are large enough where
overall building pressure will not change
significantly with supply fan activation.

UBC "Loose"
UBC "Very Loose"

LSB

54.67

ft.

The lowest expected exterior temperature

12
16
6

ft.
ft.

should be used for a conservative design.

This table assumes all air surrounding the
stair is at exterior ambient temperature, as

Area of Stair/Exterior Wall per Floor

LSO
h
N
ASO=LSB x h =

192

ft2

Area of Stair/Building Wall per Floor

ASB=LSB x h =

874.72

ft2

Exterior Wall Leakage A/Aw

A/AEW

0.001

"very loose"

Wall Tightness A/Aw

A/AW

0.00035

Door Leakage

ALEAK

0.169

Flow Area from Stair to Building

(A/AW x ASB)+ALEAK

0.475152

floor by floor

Flow Area from Stair to Exterior

A/AEW x ASO

0.192

floor by floor

Outside Temperature

Tout

C, converted to R=

459.67

Stairwell Temperature

Tbuild

70

C, converted to R=

529.67

Length of Stair/Exterior Interface

Average Height between Floors
Number of Floors

Temperature Factor b

1
1
Ks

Tbuild
Tout

D PSBt

0.05 + (b x N x h)

D PSBb

UBC Minimum Requirement

Density of Stairwell Air

DP 3 2 DP 3 2
N

A
total
SBb
Flow from Stairwell Q Kq
SBt

r DPSBt DPSBb

Adding the required 2,500 CFM for the

Safety Relief Vent yeilds =

an additional conservative measure.

From UBC 905

"loose"
7' x 3' dimensions

.08" top and side gaps

& .25" bottom gap

0.002196544

in. H2O/ft

Ks=7.64

0.260868202

in. H2O

Used to calculate pressure change

in. H2O

between top and bottom of stair shaft

0.05

0.075

lb/ft

4019

CFM

6519

CFM supply fan requirement

Check for maximum pressure at

door.
Kq=475