Air sealing a home is essential for energy-saving and has a significant impact on utility expenses. By air sealing several areas of a home where energy losses occur, you can save up to 30% on energy bills. Furthermore, air leaks are a major source of discomfort and poor air quality.
Where Does Air Leakage Occur in a Home?
When looking to conduct air sealing procedures in a home, here are the areas to focus on:
• Fireplace
• Doors
• Plumbing Penetrations
• Ceiling
• Windows
• Ducts
• Vents and Fans
• Walls
• Floors
• Outlets for electricity
The Two Stages of the Air Sealing Process
The whole air sealing process can be divided into two stages. Many experts begin with the exterior of the home followed by the interior.
1. Exterior Air Sealing
Homeowners can increase the energy efficiency of their homes by closing as many air entry points as possible. Normally, air infiltration and air exfiltration can both increase energy bills significantly. As such, the shell of a home, which refers to the exterior will be inspected for any air entry points.
A trained energy auditor should be consulted to test for air leaks utilizing a blower-door test to precisely assess air leakage in your home. This test entails reducing the pressure in the home to obtain a precise figure of how much air is flowing through cracks, openings, and cavities.
While the blower door is operating, the inspector will use a smoke pencil to identify where the air is entering the house. After all the entry points are identified, they are then sealed.
2. Interior Air Sealing
Air sealing the interior of a home entails looking at the following areas of the property:
Gaskets
Check the gaskets on switches and electrical outlets to see if they feel cold. If the gaskets are faulty, installing affordable insulated gaskets on the inside of your house will stop these drafts. Avoid electrical shock by removing the covers from switching devices and plugs only after the power has been turned off.
Ceiling Lights
Older recessed lighting fixtures are often leaky and difficult to seal. To cover the component of the fixture that is in the attic, build an airtight box of flame-resistant material. Moreover, it should be at least 3 inches larger than the light's housing. Remember to adhere to all fire code requirements.
The Attic Floor
The ceiling of a home's top floor serves as a containment barrier for rising heated air. As such, any minor break or hole in that area will allow warm air to escape. When air escapes through the top floor ceiling, it creates a tiny negative pressure inside the home.
This necessitates the replacement of the air which will flow in from the outside and will need to be heated. That said, checking for cracks, holes, and minor gaps in the attic floor can save a lot of energy and money altogether.
The Attic
One of the most important tasks in ensuring that a home is properly air sealed is to seal and insulate the attic. This is because insulating an attic helps to keep the heat in. Luckily, it does not obstruct the movement of air.
More importantly, insulation can hide fractures, gaps, and holes that allow pressured air from your home to enter your attic. While at it, inspect the insulation for stains, which is an indication of mold.
The Attic Stairs
This is usually the largest hole in the attic floor, allowing a great deal of air to escape. According to some estimates, the hole around a conventional set of pull-down stairs can be as large as 40 square inches. Although perfect sealing is challenging, air leakage can be reduced by using self-stick foam tape that is compressible along the upper edges of the attic door.
Wind Up
Air sealing is not an easy job, and all homeowners must contact a professional like AttiClean for the best services. All our technicians are professional, highly trained, and amicable. Let us air seal your home to make it energy efficient. Call us today and book a consultation to learn more!
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