Seal Air Leaks and Rid Your Ohio Home of Wasteful Spending on Utility Bills
If you’re finding that utility costs for your Ohio home are higher than you’d like to pay, take action now by sealing air leaks.
When you seal air leaks, you save energy and money. It’s also one of the least expensive ways to lower your monthly utility bills.
Here are some of the steps you can take to seal air leaks in your Ohio home.
- Caulking and weatherstripping – Every window and door in your home is an opportunity for an air leak. To prevent uncomfortable outside air from seeping into your home, inspect the caulking and weatherstripping on each window and door. If the old caulking and weatherstripping is brittle and old, replace it.
- Switch plates – Switch plates are small, so you wouldn’t think they’d be major culprits for air leaks. But you’d be surprised at the drafts that can come through those relatively small holes. You can install foam gaskets behind outlet and switch plates to seal off those gaps in your walls and prevent air leaks.
- Chimneys, furnace vents and water heater vents – Like switch plates, chimneys, furnace vents and water heater vents are holes in your walls that could potentially allow air to leak into and out of your home. Seal these air leaks with sheet metal, sheet rock or caulk designed especially for these applications. For example, you can purchase furnace cement caulk that’s made for sealing hot spots.
- Insulation – Old insulation could be allowing your home to leak massive amounts of conditioned air, which is hard on your heating and cooling system and expensive as well. Inspect your current insulation and look for dirty spots, mold and places that look thin. This is especially important in your attic, but it can also make a difference in your garage and crawl space. Apply low-expansion spray foam insulation or install house flashing to correct the problem and start saving money.
For more expert advice about saving money on your energy bills, contact us at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We’ve been serving the Cincinnati area since 1910.
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