A leaky house is significantly less energy efficient than a properly sealed one. Knowing how to find air leaks in your house, sealing those leaks and scheduling a home energy assessment when warranted can help you maintain a cozy living environment and decrease your energy bills.
Detecting Air Leaks from Inside Your Home
Initiate your air leak inspection on the inside. Here are four effective methods for locating air leaks in your house:
- Conduct|Perform|Carry out]13] a detailed visual inspection, looking for gaps and cracks in and around windows, doors, electrical outlets and baseboards. Pay extra attention to the corners of rooms, given that gaps can often be found there.
- Place your hand around potentially leaky places on a cold or windy day. If you believe there is a draft, you’ve found an air leak.
- Complete a smoke test by lighting an incense stick or smoke pen. Then, slowly move it all around the edges of windows, doors and other potential trouble spots. If an air leak is occurring in this location, the smoke will blow around or get sucked into the gap, showing the leak’s location. The smoke test is most effective when done on a windy day.
- Utilize an infrared thermometer or thermal camera to identify temperature differences in your home. This equipment will help you locate sections of your home with major temperature variations, which often are caused by air leaks.
Detecting Air Leaks from Outside Your Home
Studying the outer structure can also uncover potential leaks. Here are two tips for finding air leaks from the outside:
- Conduct a visual inspection, paying close attention to corners and locations where different materials meet. Hunt for gaps or cracks that could lead to air leaks, as well as damaged caulk or weatherstripping and improperly sealed vents and exhaust fans.
- Conduct the garden hose test on a colder day. This is where someone sprays water from a garden hose onto the exterior while another person stands inside close to a suspected air leak. If there’s a leak, the person inside really should feel cold air or moisture coming through the gap.
Sealing Air Leaks
After identifying serious air leaks, it’s time to handle the issue. Here are the best methods for sealing air leaks in your home:
- Utilize caulk to seal small gaps and cracks around windows, doors and other areas where air is leaking out. Select a top-quality, long-lasting caulk created for indoor or outdoor use and the specific materials you are trying to seal to ensure a durable seal. Follow the manufacturer’s details for proper application and curing time.
- Apply weatherstripping to doors and windows to help them close tightly. Various types of weatherstripping are available, such as adhesive-backed foam tape, V-strip and door sweeps. Choose the ideal style for your needs and follow the installation guidelines.
- Use expanding foam to fill and seal larger gaps and holes. Expanding foam comes in a can with a spray applicator for easy application in hard-to-reach areas. Wear protective gloves and stick to the manufacturer’s directions to ensure safe use.
- Add insulation to newly sealed walls and attic floors to further minimize heat transfer. Even if you already have some insulation, consider upgrading to a higher R-value or adding more insulation where you need more.
- Install door sweeps along the bottom of external doors to prevent drafts. Door sweeps are available in various materials and models to fit your requirements and aesthetic preferences.
Considering a Comprehensive Home Energy Assessment
A home energy assessment is valuable for finding hidden air leaks and identifying areas of improvement. A professional energy auditor performs this inspection, which includes the following:
- A blower door test involves setting up a temporary door with a powerful fan over an exterior door opening. The fan pulls air out of the house, lowering the inside air pressure and pulling in outside air through unsealed openings. This test measures your home’s air tightness and makes thermal camera images easier to read.
- Infrared imaging helps the energy auditor locate temperature discrepancies in the walls, floors and ceilings, revealing invisible air leaks and insulation gaps.
- A combustion safety test makes certain your home heating system, water heater and other combustion appliances are operating safely and effectively, decreasing the risk of potentially deadly carbon monoxide buildup.
- A homeowner interview is when the energy auditor looks at your energy usage habits, home maintenance history and comfort issues to learn additional energy-saving options.
Schedule a Comprehensive Home Energy Assessment
While performing your own air leak tests is a good launching point, partnering with a professional is far more thorough. Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help you improve your home’s air tightness with a comprehensive home energy assessment and customized solutions to enhance effectiveness and comfort.