Air leaks can be a major year-round drain on your energy budget, allowing warm air to escape in winter and cooled air to escape in summer. One of the many ways you can reduce your heating and cooling costs is to find and seal these air leaks.
Air leaks become most noticeable in winter, when you can often feel the cold draft seeping into your house, but they can impact your energy costs in summer as well. The largest and most costly leaks are often located in your attic and basement, but they can occur in a number of other areas as well, including:
- Windows and doors
- Wiring holes
- Plumbing vents
- Attic hatches
- Baseboards
- Basement rim joists
- Recessed lights
- Furnace flues
- Anywhere pipes, wires or vents enter your home
An effective way to locate drafts is to hold a stick of burning incense near suspected areas. If a draft is present, the smoke will be drawn toward or blown away from the leak. Be sure to shut windows and doors, turn off any fans, and shut down your HVAC first to make sure the air in your home remains as still as possible.
Once detected, leaks can be sealed with caulk, weatherstripping or spray foam. Caulk works best for sealing smaller leaks – those 1/4 inch wide or less – while spray foam is good for larger gaps. Weatherstripping is ideal for sealing around windows and doors.
Another common and often undetected source of leakage is ductwork. The ducts that carry conditioned air to your living space from your furnace and central air conditioner can develop cracks, holes and loose connections over time, and these can waste a lot of energy. Depending on the accessibility of your air ducts, you may be able to seal these leaks yourself using duct sealant, or you may need to contact a professional. When you inspect ducts, pay special attention to the joints where two sections are connected.
To learn more about finding and fixing air leaks, contact Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties for 35 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air leaks and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Energy 1 Heating services the Lorain, OH area. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area