Stop Air Leaks And Improve The Energy Efficiency Of Your Home
Summary: Air gets into and out of our homes from a wide range of places. Many of these can be fixed with some simple do it yourself handiwork. Undertake any of these and you’ll start to realize instant energy savings. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, American homes lose energy from the following places (in decreasing order of importance): floors, ceilings and walls (31%), doors and windows (21%), heating/air condition ducts (15%), fireplaces (14%), plumbing penetrations (13%) and all others (6%). Recognize that these numbers may vary based on home type, age, geographical region and other factors.
For some of these problem areas, better insulation or more energy efficient windows or doors may yield significant savings. But, these can be costly. Instead, why not take a few simple steps to eliminate those pesky air leaks?
You can save plenty on your energy costs by putting in energy efficient windows and doors as well as upgrading your insulation; but these are also expensive propositions. You can also stop air leaks with some easy, low to no-cost DIY projects using materials you probably have on hand already.
Reapply caulk (pushing the bead to ensure it gets into gaps). Be sure NOT to caulk window weep holes (small holes at the bottom of the window that allow for any condensation to drain). It’s best to apply the caulk when outdoor temperatures are between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In most locales, this is when most building materials are at the midpoint of their contraction and expansion range.
The same principle applies to skylights and any other place where there may be air leaks. For instance, where electrical lines, phone lines or air ducts enter your home are all worth investigating and if needed, recaulking. You may want to use cover plates to cover these areas after caulking. While these too will need to be sealed, they look a lot better than a large caulked area.
You can also caulk skylights as well as the spots where air ducts, phone lines and electrical cables enter your home: basically, anywhere you have an air leak. After caulking these areas, you may want to cover them with a plate. The plate also needs to be sealed after installation, but this looks much better than a lot of caulk!
Better still us to use an aerosol sealer to seal your ductwork; these sealants collect wherever there is a leak and stop air leaks. It’s a much easier thing than going around your home with a roll of duct tape and it can seal leaks you could never reach.
After seeing to your home’s ductwork, check your weather stripping. Weather stripping will wear down with age and develop gaps which air can flow through. Sometimes you may be able to fix these by just sliding in a new piece, but often you will have to remove the door or window in question and replace the weather stripping entirely.
Last of all, leaks around electrical outlets and switches can be sealed. Especially on outside walls, these are common places for air leaks. Before you get started, shut off the electricity. Remove the switch plates and plug covers and feel for air leaks in the space. You can cover these leaks with foam inserts or if desired, a small piece of insulation or spray foam sealant. Once you’ve applied this and it is set, check for leaks again.
These are all easy projects which can stop air leaks, make your home more energy efficient and save you quite a lot of money in energy bills. Best of all, the savings begin as soon as you complete these easy projects; you may wonder why on earth you didn’t do these projects sooner!
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