If you’re like most homeowners, you’re likely keen to do anything possible to improve your home’s energy efficiency. And if you can do it while enhancing your comfort, so much the better. If you’re looking for a strategy that checks both boxes, air sealing your home is it. You want your home to have a tight air envelope for maximum HVAC efficiency and comfort. The good news is that there are some easy ways to find and fix air leaks in your home if they exist. Here’s what to do.
Begin With a Detailed Visual Inspection
The first thing to do to locate air leaks in your home is to perform a careful visual inspection. Begin by examining your home’s exterior walls from the outside. Look for signs of damaged siding or gaps in your walls’ surfaces. Pay extra attention to the areas around your home’s windows and doors. You should also examine your home’s outdoor faucets, if it has any. Those openings in your exterior walls often develop air leaks over time. Make notes of any cracks or gaps you find. Next, move indoors and examine the inside of your exterior walls. Pay attention to the same areas you targeted from the outside. You’ll often find cracks and gaps inside your home that match those you saw outside.
You should also examine any electrical outlets along your exterior walls. Even if you don’t see gaps around them, you may feel air passing through them. It helps to perform your inspection on a windy day for easier detection. The baseboard molding on your exterior walls is another area prone to developing gaps that allow air leaks.
Perform an Incense Test
Once you’ve noted all the cracks and gaps you can see, you must move on to detecting the ones you can’t. One of the easiest ways to do it is to perform an incense test. To do it, you can use any type of incense stick you prefer. After lighting a stick, carry it to each of your home’s windows and doors, one by one. As you do, slowly trace a path around each opening’s perimeter. If any air passes through, you’ll see it has a pronounced effect on the incense smoke. Make a note of any areas that exhibit smoke disturbances. Those are areas with hidden air gaps.
Seal the Identified Gaps
Once you have a complete list of the air gaps you’ve found, the next step is sealing them. For gaps on the exterior of your home, you will need silicone or silicone-latex caulk. Ideally, you want caulk whose color matches the surfaces you’re sealing. To seal the cracks on your list, run a narrow bead of caulk over them. Then, you can use your finger — ideally while wearing a latex glove — to push the caulk into the crack.
If any gaps you’ve identified are wider than a quarter of an inch, caulking alone won’t seal it. In those cases, you have two options. One is to buy foam backer rods to insert into the crack before caulking it. Doing so provides a flat surface for the caulk to adhere to and will also help create a tight air seal. Your other option is to use expanding foam sealant. It may work best if you’re sealing irregular openings, like the gap around an outdoor faucet. Beware, however, that the foam may expand more than you expect. So, it’s wise to use it carefully in inconspicuous areas first to get the hang of using it.
Install Weatherstripping
Finally, you can add weatherstripping to your home’s doors and windows to create a tighter air seal. Most weatherstripping products are self-adhesive and straightforward to install. At most, you need only cut them to size for each window and door. If possible, you should also install door sweeps on your exterior doors. That ensures a tight air seal against the floor to keep drafts out.
Local HVAC Efficiency Experts
It’s worth pointing out that a well-sealed home is only half the battle. You also need an efficient HVAC to take maximum advantage of it. Weather Masters Corp. is the place to turn for your HVAC needs in Frederick, MD. We’re members of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America and sell ENERGY STAR-certified HVAC systems. Plus, our HVAC technicians hold NATE certification, guaranteeing their skill and expertise. We even offer financing options on approved credit if you need financial help to afford an HVAC upgrade. We can also help you with your ductwork!
So, for the latest efficient HVAC systems in Frederick, contact Weather Masters Corp. today!
