Sealing Air Leaks In Your Home Can Have a Real Impact on Energy Consumption

As the year progresses, you may be wondering how to minimize energy consumption in your home. You may be surprised to learn that air leaks in your house can significantly affect your energy efficiency, as well as indoor air quality. The good news is that you can seal air leaks in a few simple ways.

Identifying Air Leaks

There are many places in your home where air can sneak in, including around:

• Doors, including garage doors
• Windows
• Air conditioning and heating units and vents
• Mail slots and other portals
• Switch plates
• Fireplaces and chimneys
• Foundation cracks
• Faulty insulation

There are a few simple ways to check these areas for leaks. You can shut off your HVAC system and light a candle near the edges of doors and windows. If the flame flickers, you may have a leak. Duct leaks are more apparent when you notice a stuffy room or that your A/C or furnace are running full-blast but don’t seem to be adequately cooling or heating your home. And check your insulation. If it’s wet, you may have a leak — and the insulation needs to be replaced.

Sealing Air Leaks

Sealing air leaks can be simple. Since doors and windows are a more obvious source of leaks, start with caulking and weatherstripping those areas wherever you’ve spotted leaks. Install foam gaskets behind switch plates to tackle those leaks. For vents and chimneys with air leaks, use sheet metal, sheet rock or caulk that’s specifically designed for these surfaces. Finally, if you suspect a leak in your insulation, or if you find your insulation is inadequate, spray foam insulation is a good addition to repair the leak and prevent buildup of mold or mildew. If you want to save money and improve your home’s energy efficiency, seal air leaks as soon as you find them. If you have questions about this task or any other home comfort issues, contact the experts at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We’ve been serving the greater Cincinnati area since 1910. Image via Shutterstock.com