Who’s ready for cooler weather? We are! Sure, summer was fun, but we can’t wait to slip into a comfy sweater, curl under a blanket, sip a hot beverage, and nestle up to a good book…or watch a great football game.
One thing that isn’t “cool” about cooler weather? Air leaks.
Air leaks may seem like little things on their own, but they can quickly add up to become a huge drain on your household’s energy budget.
Learn how you can seal air leaks to get your home ready for cooler weather!
What are air leaks?
Air leaks happen when the outside air enters while conditioned air leaves your home through cracks and openings. This isn’t just leaving the back door open and “heating up the neighborhood” as your dad used to say. It involves your home having little openings where air comes in and goes out uncontrollably.
Why you should seal air leaks
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, air leaks account for up to 40% of the energy used for heating and cooling a typical home. So, sealing leaks is a big deal!
When it’s cold and windy, too much air can enter the house, making your furnace work much harder, and potentially leaving your family vulnerable to the elements.
So, if you want an easy and affordable way to reduce energy use, boost comfort, improve your home’s durability, and make your home’s air quality healthier, sealing air leaks is the way!
Detect Air Leaks
Before sealing air leaks, you first need to know where they are. Alas, some can be pretty tough to find. While the normal spots are window seals and door frames, here are some “under-the-radar” places where air can leak out of your home:
- Electrical outlets
- Switch plates
- Electrical and gas service entrances
- Baseboards
- Weather stripping around doors
- Fireplace dampers
- Attic hatches
- Keyholes
- Vents and fans
- All exterior corners
- Outdoor water faucets
- Where siding and chimneys meet outside
Seal your home
Now that you’ve found the leaks, you’re ready to start sealing them. Here are some general steps for preventing pesky air leaks, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows that leak air
- Caulk and seal air leaks where plumbing, ducting, or electrical wiring comes through walls, floors, ceilings, and soffits over cabinets
- Install foam gaskets behind the outlet and switch plates on walls
- Inspect dirty spots on any visual insulation for air leaks and mold. Seal leaks with low-expansion spray foam made for this purpose and install house flashing if needed.
- Look for dirty spots on your ceiling paint and carpet then caulk them since it may indicate air leaks at interior wall/ceiling joints and wall/floor joists.
- Replace single-pane windows with more efficient ENERGY STAR® certified double-paned windows.
- Use foam sealant on larger gaps around windows, baseboards, and other places where air may leak out.
- Check your dryer vent to be sure it is not blocked. This will save energy and may prevent a fire.
- Replace the bottom of exterior doors and thresholds with ones that have pliable sealing gaskets.
- Keep the fireplace flue damper tightly closed when not in use.
- Seal air leaks around fireplace chimneys, furnaces, and gas-fired water heater vents with fire-resistant materials such as sheet metal or sheetrock and furnace cement caulk.
Ironically, sealing air leaks is a breeze (pun intended) if you just follow these simple tips. But, if you’d like to get some help, these are some options:
- See if you qualify for our free Home Weatherization Assistance, including a home energy assessment from our partner, Titan ES.
- Don’t qualify for our Home Weatherization Assistance? No worries! You can still receive a rebate on air sealing when you participate in our Multiple Upgrade Bonus rebate offering.