Depressurization
A condition that occurs when the air pressure inside a structure is lower that the air pressure outdoors. Depressurization can occur when household appliances that consume or exhaust house air, such as fireplaces or furnaces, are not supplied with enough makeup air. Radon may be drawn into a house more rapidly under depressurized conditions. Backdrafting of furnaces and vented appliances can also occur with depressurization, introducing exhaust gases into the house.
Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture Copyright © 2012, 2002, 1998 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved