Look for and get rid of air leaks inside your house and cut back on your heating and cooling costs. Provided below are some tips on how to air seal your house and improve your home’s comfort and efficiency.
Begin With A Home Energy Audit
Several utility firms provide free home energy audits. In case yours does too, then be sure to schedule an appointment so you can have your house checked out by a professional. They will most likely do what is referred to as a blower door test to determine if there are air leaks inside your house. That is why once they depressurize your house to see where air escapes. It is most likely to pinpoint issues that you may otherwise not see. In case your utility provider does not provide this free service, think of hiring a professional energy auditor to perform the test for you.
Would you like to save some money on your heating and cooling by doing your very own energy audit?
Here are some tips on how you could identify the air leaks in every area of your house.
Exterior Air Sealing
Inspect the area where two building materials come together for cracks or gaps that may allow air in or out of your house. This may include, but not limited to, where the chimney and siding meet, where the foundation and siding meets, and where the roof and siding meet. You should also check for spaces where vents, electrical, or plumbing come through the exterior walls, the roof, and the foundation. And do not forget to inspect the seals surrounding your doors and windows. Take care of any problems that you may find without exterior grade flashing or caulking.
Wall Air Sealing
Install foam gaskets behind electrical outlets and light switches to minimize the air flow between the outdoors and indoors. Then, think about the installation of child proof plug covers in all of the unused outlets in your house to prevent cold air from coming through the plugs. In case you have a landline or cable in your house, make sure that you insulate behind the receptacles. When you have that addressed, check the baseboards, doors, and windows for gaps and cracks where air could get through. You can address them by weatherstripping or caulking. In case you have wall or window mounted air conditioners, make sure to check them as well.
Crawlspace/Basement Air Sealing
Check the sill plates and rim joists carefully, and seal any cracks between them and the foundation. Additionally, seal any holes that may go through the foundation or rim joist for hose bibs, HVAC lines, electrical work, gas water heater vents, dryer vents, and so on. Foam spray or caulk must be enough to deal with these kinds of issues. Inspect for holes that go through the basement/main floor ceiling, for plumbing, electrical, ductwork, and so on. Then foam or caulk around them. Another huge air escape route is a leaky duct work so be sure to inspect all of the duct work that you could see and access easily. Make use of foil tape or a mastic so you can seal any possible leaks that you might find.
Attic Air Sealing
There are many spaces in the attic where cooled and heated air could escape your house, so it is crucial to deal with each one. Although there are things that you could do on your own, this is one aspect where you might want to hire a professional HVAC contractor. They will be able to let you know if your attic has been insulated sufficiently. If you are not ready to invest on professional advice, there are some things you can do yourself. You can seal the holes in the attic floor or the roof where there are vent and ceiling fans, lights, attic access, or plumbing stacks. You can also address these kinds of repairs using a can of foam spray.
Cut back as much as 15% on your heating and cooling Myrtle Beach cost by air sealing your house.
Call DuctWorks Heating and Cooling, Inc. if you want to know more about air sealing your home.
DuctWorks Heating and Cooling, Inc.
303 Main St
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 427-7411
https://www.ductworksheatingandcooling.com/
