Air sealing reduces heat and cooling loss by eliminating air leaks in the building. The Department of Energy graphic below has a useful cross-section diagram illustrating the most common air leakage spots.
This summer keep the cool air inside!
Texas summers are hot and air leaks in your home can waste a lot of your energy dollars. If you are ready to save energy - and money it is time to caulk, seal, and weather strip all seams, cracks, and openings to the outside.
We immediately think of sealing windows and doors, but don't overlook other areas such as recessed lights, outlets and switches that let the cool air out.
The folks at Energy.gov have put together some great tips regarding sealing air leaks and offer good how-to's for getting the job done.
Reducing the amount of air that leaks in and out of your home can be a cost-effective way to reduce heating and cooling costs, improve durability, increase comfort, and create a healthier indoor environment. Caulking and weatherstripping are two simple and effective air-sealing techniques that offer quick returns on investment, often one year or less. Caulk is generally used for cracks and openings between stationary house components such as around door and window frames, and weatherstripping is used to seal components that move, such as doors and operable windows.
Tips for Sealing Air Leaks
· Test your home for air tightness.
· 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 outlet and switch plates on walls.
· Inspect dirty spots in your 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, which may indicate air leaks at interior wall/ceiling joints and wall/floor joists, and caulk them.
· Replace single-pane windows with storm windows or replace them with more efficient double-pane low-emissivity windows.
· Use foam sealant on larger gaps around windows, baseboards, and other places where air may leak out.
· Cover your kitchen exhaust fan to stop air leaks when not in use.
· Check your dryer vent to be sure it is not blocked. This will save energy and may prevent a fire.
· Replace door bottoms and thresholds with ones that have pliable sealing gaskets.
· Keep the fireplace flue damper tightly closed when not in use or seal the flue – see below*
· 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.
*Sealing Your Fireplace Flue with an Inflatable Chimney Balloon.
Fireplace flues are made from metal, and over time repeated heating and cooling can cause the metal to warp or break, creating a channel for air loss. To seal your flue when not in use, consider an inflatable chimney balloon. Inflatable chimney balloons fit beneath your fireplace flue when not in use, are made from durable plastic, and can be removed easily and reused hundreds of times. If you forget to remove the balloon before making a fire, the balloon will automatically deflate within seconds of coming into contact with heat. A reasonably capable do-it-yourselfer can create an inexpensive, reusable fireplace flue plug by filling a plastic trash bag with fiberglass batt scraps and jamming it into the flue. Attach a durable cord with a tag that hangs down into the fireplace to (1) remind you the flue is blocked and (2) provide an easy plug removal method.