Air Tightness Course

Well, what a whirlwind that was!  I attended the Air Tightness Level 1 course at the ATTMA training hub in High Wycombe from Monday 22nd April to Thursday 25th April 2024, culminating in 3 exams on the final day.  These were a theory and practical exam, which were each an hour and a half long, followed by an envelope calculation exam which was 3 and a  half hours.  I have to say that Paul Carling, who runs these courses, is very patient and very knowledgeable.  We went through 3 days of training where he covered every aspect required to give you the information needed to be prepared for the exams on day 4.  This course was unusual for me as it was the first time I had been away from my family for quite some time, so when I was having a bit of a moment on the Tuesday night following the start of the calculation part of the course, I did spend a little while bending my wife’s ear on the phone -   I’m not sure how she puts up with me! I also have to say that the other course members were really helpful and helped me get my head around what was required at night over a beer.   

The course itself goes through everything you need to know to get you through the exams and Paul goes over things more than once for those needing the time for it to sink in.  The training hub is also an excellent facility.  We were supplied with a packed lunch each day along with all the tea and coffee you needed, as long as you allowed Ida to make it! Ida is the admin lady and she is very protective of her coffee machine! 

I’m not quite sure how, but at the end of the examination day Paul came up to me and said “congratulations, you’ve passed!”. That was a big surprise to me, considering how I’d struggled with the calculations.  Maybe there’s still life in me yet!  The biggest help to be able to get through this course has been the team at Ashby Energy, who gave me the experience and training 2 months prior.  Also, big thanks to Glenn, the owner at Ashby Energy Assessors, who saw something in me and has provided me the opportunity to become an air tightness tester. 

- AH