TABB Certified NEMI Certified

Expert HVAC Testing, Adjusting
& Balancing
Services

From air and water balancing to FGI-compliant healthcare testing, The THB Company delivers the full spectrum of TAB services — TABB and NEMI certified, across all of New England.

🌊 Core Service

Air & Water Balancing

The foundation of a properly functioning HVAC system. Our TABB-certified technicians measure, adjust, and document airflow and water flow to ensure every zone in your building performs exactly as designed.

Air balancing involves systematically measuring and adjusting the airflow at every supply, return, and exhaust point throughout your HVAC system. Water (hydronic) balancing applies the same precision to heating and cooling water circuits — ensuring pumps, coils, chillers, and boilers operate at peak efficiency with even distribution across all zones.

Unbalanced systems waste energy, create occupant discomfort, and accelerate mechanical wear. Proper TAB pays for itself — often within a single heating or cooling season.

What We Measure & Adjust

  • Total system airflow through air handling units and fans
  • Supply, return, and exhaust airflow at every grille and diffuser
  • Fan motor amps, volts, and RPM verification
  • Minimum outside air requirements per ASHRAE standards
  • Hydronic flow rates at pumps, coils, chillers, and boilers
  • Cooling tower performance and water temperature differentials
  • Pressure differentials across all system components
Request a Quote TABB Certified · BB017004C
HVAC air and water balancing project — 250 Western Avenue Cambridge MA
Air & Water TABB Certified
⚠ Life Safety

Life Safety Testing

Protecting building occupants requires more than comfort — it requires verified, code-compliant life safety systems. Our NEMI-certified life safety testing ensures your HVAC infrastructure performs when it matters most.

Life safety testing encompasses the verification and documentation of all HVAC-related systems that directly protect building occupants in emergency conditions. This includes smoke control systems, pressurization systems for stairwells and corridors, and the integration of HVAC controls with fire alarm systems.

Our technicians follow rigorous national standards and provide complete documentation suitable for Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) review, certificate of occupancy requirements, and ongoing compliance records.

Testing Scope

  • Smoke control and smoke exhaust system verification
  • Stairwell and elevator shaft pressurization testing
  • Vestibule pressurization and smoke compartment testing
  • HVAC / fire alarm system integration verification
  • Smoke damper and combination fire/smoke damper operation
  • Documentation and reporting for AHJ compliance
Request a Quote NEMI Fire & Life Safety Certified
Life safety HVAC testing — Waltham High School
Life Safety NEMI Member
🔥 Fire Safety

Fire Damper Testing

Fire dampers are a critical passive fire protection element in any commercial or institutional building. Regular inspection and testing is not optional — it's mandated by NFPA 80 and The Joint Commission for healthcare facilities.

Fire dampers are installed throughout ductwork to prevent the spread of fire and smoke through HVAC systems. Over time, dampers can become stuck, corroded, or obstructed — rendering them inoperable exactly when they're needed. THB performs thorough damper inspections, operational testing, and re-inspection to ensure every damper in your system is functional and code-compliant.

For healthcare facilities, Joint Commission standards require fire and smoke damper testing at defined intervals. Our detailed reports provide the documentation your facility needs for accreditation and compliance.

Our Fire Damper Services

  • Full system fire damper inventory and location mapping
  • Operational testing per NFPA 80 standards
  • Smoke damper and combination damper testing
  • Stuck, obstructed, or failed damper identification
  • Remediation coordination and re-testing
  • Joint Commission-compliant documentation and reporting
  • Scheduled maintenance programs available
Request a Quote NFPA 80 Compliant Testing
Fire damper testing — Boston Children's Hospital Hale Family Building
Fire Damper NFPA 80 Compliant
🔌 Duct Systems

Duct Testing

Duct leakage is one of the most significant sources of energy waste in commercial buildings. Our duct leakage testing accurately quantifies losses, documents compliance, and identifies where remediation is needed.

Even well-constructed duct systems develop leaks over time — at joints, connections, and access panels. In a commercial building, duct leakage can account for 20–30% of total HVAC energy loss. Our pressurized duct leakage testing measures the exact leakage rate of your system and compares it against design specifications and energy code requirements (ASHRAE 90.1, IECC).

We perform both supply and return duct leakage testing, provide full documentation for code compliance, and support LEED and green building certification requirements.

Duct Testing Services

  • Duct leakage testing per SMACNA and ASHRAE standards
  • Supply and return system pressurization testing
  • Total leakage and leakage-to-outside measurement
  • IECC and ASHRAE 90.1 energy code compliance documentation
  • LEED credit documentation support
  • Pre- and post-remediation testing
Request a Quote SMACNA Standards Compliant
Duct testing project — Harvard University Lowell House
Duct Leakage SMACNA Compliant
🏢 Commissioning

Building Commissioning

Commissioning is the quality assurance process that verifies every building system is designed, installed, and operating as intended — before occupancy and throughout the building's life. THB provides independent, third-party commissioning for new construction and existing buildings.

A newly constructed building is only as good as its commissioning. Without it, HVAC systems may be installed correctly on paper but underperform in practice — wasting energy, generating comfort complaints, and failing inspections. Our commissioning process systematically verifies every system component from design review through functional performance testing.

We also offer retro-commissioning for existing buildings where systems have drifted from original design intent — a common situation in buildings more than five years old.

Commissioning Scope

  • Design document and submittal review
  • Construction phase observation and inspection
  • Functional performance testing of all HVAC systems
  • Controls and BMS sequence of operations verification
  • TAB report review and systems integration verification
  • Commissioning report and issues log documentation
  • Retro-commissioning for existing facilities
  • LEED Enhanced Commissioning support
Request a Quote LEED Enhanced Commissioning
Building commissioning — Harvard University Sherman Fairchild Building
Commissioning LEED Support
🏥 Healthcare

FGI Testing

Healthcare facilities operate under the most stringent HVAC performance requirements of any building type. The THB Company has deep experience with FGI Guidelines-compliant testing — serving hospitals, surgical centers, and medical research facilities across New England.

The Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) publishes the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities — the reference standard for healthcare construction and renovation across the United States. FGI requirements for HVAC include precise air pressure relationships, minimum air change rates, temperature and humidity ranges, and filtration levels that vary by room type and function.

Our team has performed FGI-compliant TAB at major New England healthcare institutions including Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. We understand the unique demands of operating rooms, isolation rooms, clean corridors, and laboratory environments — and we deliver the documentation your facility needs.

FGI & Healthcare Testing

  • Air pressure relationship verification (positive/negative/neutral)
  • Air changes per hour (ACH) measurement and documentation
  • Temperature and humidity range compliance testing
  • HEPA and high-efficiency filter system verification
  • Class 1 clean room certification testing
  • Operating room and procedure room commissioning
  • Isolation room (airborne infection isolation) verification
Request a Quote FGI Guidelines Compliant
FGI healthcare HVAC testing — Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Yawkey Research Center
FGI Compliant Healthcare Specialist

A proven process, every time

01
Review & Plan

We review design documents, specifications, and scope before mobilizing — so we arrive prepared and efficient.

02
Field Testing

Our certified technicians use state-of-the-art instruments to measure, test, and document system performance in the field.

03
Adjust & Balance

We make precise adjustments to bring every component into compliance with design intent and applicable standards.

04
Report & Certify

You receive a comprehensive TAB report — cloud-generated, fully documented, and ready for AHJ, commissioning, or accreditation review.

Not sure which service
you need?

Call us or send a message — we're happy to review your project scope and recommend the right approach.