Easy Ways to Detect Air Leaks in Your Home

A leaky house is significantly less energy efficient than a correctly sealed one. Being familiar with how to uncover air leaks in your house, sealing those leaks and scheduling a home energy assessment when necessary can help you establish a comfy living environment and reduce your energy bills.

Detecting Air Leaks from Inside Your Home

Initiate your air leak inspection on the interior. Here are four reliable ways for finding air leaks in your house:

• Conduct|Perform|Carry out} a detailed visual inspection, looking for gaps and cracks on or near windows, doors, electrical outlets and baseboards. Pay particular attention to the corners of rooms, because gaps can frequently be found there.
• Place your hand around potentially leaky locations on a cold or windy day. If you believe there is a draft, you’ve found an air leak.
• Do a smoke test by lighting an incense stick or smoke pen. Then, slowly move it around the edges of windows, doors and other potential leaky areas. If an air leak is present, the smoke will blow around or get sucked into the gap, exposing the site of the leak. The smoke test is best at finding leaks when done on a windy day.
• Employ an infrared thermometer or thermal camera to find temperature differences in the different areas of your home. This equipment will help you identify areas with significant temperature variations, which often indicate air leaks.

Detecting Air Leaks from Outside Your Home

Studying the home’s outdoor structure can also reveal potential leaks. Here are two methods for finding air leaks from the outside:

• Perform a visual assessment, paying close attention to corners and areas where different materials meet. Hunt for gaps or cracks that could lead to air leaks, as well as deteriorated caulk or weatherstripping and incorrectly sealed vents and exhaust fans.
• Perform the garden hose test on a chilly day. This is where someone sprays water from a garden hose onto the building’s exterior while another person stands inside where there is a suspected air leak. If there’s a leak, the person inside really should feel cold air or moisture getting into through the gap.

Sealing Air Leaks

After identifying major air leaks, it’s time to handle the issue. Here are the most beneficial ways to sealing air leaks in your home:

• Use caulk to seal small gaps and cracks around windows, doors and other areas where air is escaping. Select a high-quality, long-lasting caulk developed for indoor or outdoor use and the specific materials you’re using to ensure a durable seal. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for proper application and curing time.
• Apply weatherstripping to doors and windows to help them close tightly. Different kinds  of weatherstripping are sold in stores, examples include adhesive-backed foam tape, V-strip and door sweeps. Choose the correct style for your needs and follow the installation guidelines.
• Use expanding foam to fill and seal more substantial gaps and holes. Expanding foam is sold in a can with a spray applicator for easy application in hard-to-reach spots. Wear protective gloves and stick to the manufacturer’s directions to make sure you stay safe.
• Install insulation to newly sealed walls and attic floors to further minimize heat transfer. Whether or not you already have some insulation, consider upgrading to a higher R-value or adding more insulation where you need more.
• Put door sweeps along the bottom of exterior doors to prevent drafts. Door sweeps are available in various materials and styles to meet your desires and aesthetic preferences.

Considering a Comprehensive Home Energy Assessment

A home energy assessment is invaluable for spotting sneaky air leaks and pinpointing areas of improvement. A professional energy auditor performs this inspection, which includes the following:

• A blower door test involves installing a temporary door with a sturdy fan over an exterior door opening. The fan pulls air from the house, lowering the inside air pressure and sucking outside air through unsealed openings. This test measures your home’s air tightness and makes thermal camera images easier to read.
• Infrared imaging helps the energy auditor detect temperature discrepancies in the walls, floors and ceilings, revealing hidden air leaks and insulation gaps.
• A combustion safety test makes sure your home heating system, water heater and other combustion appliances are operating safely and efficiently, lowering the risk of potentially harmful carbon monoxide buildup.
• A homeowner interview is when the energy auditor looks at your energy usage habits, home maintenance history and comfort issues to learn additional energy-saving possibilities.

Schedule a Comprehensive Home Energy Assessment

While doing your own air leak tests is an excellent launching point, talking everything over with a professional is far more thorough. Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help you improve your home’s air tightness with an extensive home energy assessment and tailored solutions to enhance performance and comfort.