Air Sealing Tips to Impress Your Neighbors
Winter is coming and with it the cold air that seeps into our homes. This can be a huge problem, especially if you live in an old home that isn’t very well insulated. One of the best ways to keep your home warm during the winter is to air seal it. Air sealing is the process of sealing up all of the cracks and holes in your home where air can escape. In this blog post, we will give you some tips on how to air seal your home like a pro!
What is the big problem with air leakage?
Air leakage can take a great toll on many factors regarding your living space and condition. To be more specific, it can affect you in the following ways:
- You will have to spend more money on energy bills as air leakage can make your home harder to heat.
- Air leakage can also make your home more difficult to cool during the summer months, and harder to maintain warmth in the colder ones. This can, in turn, make your entire living space uncomfortable and frustrating.
- In extreme cases, drafts coming from air leaks can actually cause condensation and mold growth in your home. This is a serious problem as mold can cause respiratory problems and other health issues.
The solution: Air Sealing. What is it?
Air sealing is the process of finding and sealing air leaks in your home. This can be done in a number of ways, but the most common method is to use caulk or weatherstripping.
Caulk is a material that can be used to fill cracks and gaps around windows, doors, and other openings. Weatherstripping is a material that can be used to seal gaps around doors and windows. Both of these materials are available at most hardware stores.
Now that you know what air sealing is and why it’s important, let’s take a look at how to do it like a pro with our air sealing tips!
Air sealing tip #1. Inspect your home for air leaks.
The first step to air sealing your home is to find all of the air leaks. There are a few ways that you can do this. One way is to go outside on a windy day and see if you can feel any drafts coming from your home. Another way is to use a smoke pen. A smoke pen emits a small amount of smoke that you can use to find air leaks. Once you have found all of the air leaks, you can begin sealing them.
Air sealing tip #2. Hire an energy assessor for some home air tightness evaluation.
If you want to be extra sure that you’re air sealing your home correctly, we recommend hiring an energy assessor to do a home air tightness evaluation. An energy assessor will use special equipment to test for air leaks in your home. They will then give you a report of their findings and tell you what needs to be done to air seal your home correctly.
Air sealing tip #3. Use caulk or weatherstripping to seal air leaks.
Once you have found all of the air leaks in your home, you can begin sealing them with caulk or weatherstripping.
Pro tips on weatherstripping or caulking:
- Caulk should be applied to gaps around windows and doors.
- Weatherstripping should be applied to gaps around doors and windows.
- Both of these materials are available at most hardware stores.
You can find tutorials on how to easily apply them to their respective target locations.
Air sealing tip #4. Apply the proper sealing process to where plumbing, wiring, and ducts come through walls, floors, and even ceilings.
These are some of the most common places for air leaks. To seal these areas, you can use caulk, weatherstripping, or foam sealing tape. Foam sealing tape is a great option for air sealing around plumbing and wiring because it is easy to apply and it creates a tight seal.
Air sealing tip #5. Mind dirty ceilings, carpets, and corner locations. These may indicate mold and potential leakage.
Molds can cause serious respiratory problems and other health issues. If you see mold in your home, you should air seal the area immediately to prevent the air leakage from getting worse.
Carpets and corners are also common places for air leaks. To air seal these areas, you can use caulk, weatherstripping, or foam sealing tape.
Air sealing tip #6. Upgrade your windows!
If your home has old, single-pane windows, air sealing is only going to do so much. To really make a difference, you should upgrade your windows to energy-efficient, double-pane windows. Double-pane windows will not only help with air sealing, but they will also help with insulation and noise reduction.
Air sealing tip #7. Change things around with your insulation system.
If you have air leaks and you’re not sure how to fix them, you may need to change your insulation system. There are a few different types of insulation, and each has its own benefits. For example, fiberglass insulation is great for air sealing, but it doesn’t do much for noise reduction. If you’re having trouble air sealing your home, you may need to switch to a different type of insulation.
Air sealing tip #8. Be carefree and let the pros handle your air sealing practice!
If you’re not comfortable air sealing your home yourself, you can always hire a professional to do it for you. Air sealing is a very important part of keeping your home energy-efficient, and it’s something that should be done correctly. If you’re not sure how to air seal your home, we recommend hiring a professional like the guys at iFoam to do it for you. They have the right skills, knowledge, and experience to solve any insulation and air tightness issues you may have. Leave it to them today!
Final Thoughts
These air sealing tips will help you save a substantial amount of money on your energy expenses and make your home the most comfortable in the neighborhood. By following these tips, you can be sure that you’re doing everything you can to air seal your home correctly, and it will make your home the talk of the town. So, what are you waiting for? Get an airtight seal today!